This partnership feature is proudly funded by Cambridge BID, shining a spotlight on the established, levy-paying independent businesses that give our city its true character.

There is a phrase you hear a lot when you sit down to talk shop with the team behind Hobbsons: “Instagram for the soul, not for the eye.”

While a lot of modern kitchens get caught up in flashy plating, Hobbsons focuses on doing the simple things exceptionally well. Located in the heart of Cambridge city centre, just a stone’s throw away from the iconic King’s College, this is a sanctuary of proper, unpretentious British comfort food. Formerly Trinity, the venue steps into a familiar space with a completely new purpose – bridging the gap for visitors looking to experience genuine British cuisine and locals who are tired of struggling to find well-executed classic dishes done right..

Pedigree rooted in tradition

The story of Hobbsons has deep roots. It began back in 1978 in Lincoln at the top of Steep Hill – a striking spot sitting squarely between Lincoln Cathedral and Castle, housed in a historic building dating back to the late 16th century. Originally home to the legendary Brown’s Pie Shop, the site passed through several hands before being acquired post-COVID.

When Chef James Hemingway took the reins, he chose to pivot the kitchen into a celebration of classic British food, clearing out the dessert trolley to make way for proper puddings and doubling down on a traditional approach. And the history within the walls goes even deeper: what was once Lawrence of Arabia’s bedroom is now the venue’s active pastry kitchen.

The Art Behind The Food

If you want to understand what makes Hobbsons tick, you simply have to look at the sheer graft that goes on behind the scenes. Nothing here is bought in or cut short for commercial convenience.

Take the pastry. It is lovingly encased in their own homemade shortcrust pastry in a strictly traditional manner – and yes, that means using lard. Why? Because that is the only way you achieve a truly crisp, flaky crust that can hold up to bold, heavy fillings without turning soggy. James still hand-makes all the pie fillings himself, focusing on consistency, control, and deep, honest flavours.

Then there is the gravy. This is not a quick-fix packet job; it is a labour of love executed twice a week. The kitchen takes 60 kilos of marrowbone, roasts it for two hours, drops them into a deep fat with a touch of vinegar, and leaves them to gently simmer for a staggering 24 hours. The resulting liquor is drawn off, the fat is separated, and that fat is then cooked down in a pan of water for two days to create authentic dripping for their roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings. Combined with a splash of wine and simple seasonings, the resulting gravy is rich, gelatinous, and completely self-sufficient. It doesn’t need any modern trickery.

Right In The Childhood

My visit to Hobbsons felt like a nostalgic trip down memory lane, evoking fond childhood memories of traditional British classics cooked from scratch in my nans kitchen. Finding proper hearty British cuisine away from generic pub grub is a rare treat these days, but the starters here immediately set an uncompromising tone. The Pancetta Scotch Egg – combining sausage, pancetta, and egg into a gourmet nod to the classic British fry-up – shows just how well this kitchen can cook right out of the gate.

When it comes to the main event, the shortcrust pie selection reads like an all-star list of British comfort classics. Options range from the Steak & Spitfire Ale and Mrs Miggins’ Gloriously Boozy Beef (tender beef cooked in lashings of port and red wine) to their award-winning Venison pie crafted with cacao and black cherry, and the light-hearted Cheese & Onion pie (a brilliant homage to Greggs featuring vintage cheddar, red Leicester, and mozzarella). Every pastry pie is served with buttered mashed potato, a trio of vegetables, and a generous pour of marrow bone gravy.

Hobbsons is more than just pie crusts, with the fish pot pie being a standout from my experience: featuring locally sourced seafood in an incredibly rich sauce made from horseradish and two types of mustard, creating a warm and cosy flavour that sets the scene for the coming winter. Their Sausages & Mash is also award-winning, made from Lincolnshire sausages sourced from the same butcher in Lincoln they have always used, proving that if you get the sourcing right then you have already won half the battle.

Saving Room for the Soul

To finish, our visit to Hobbsons ends with a relentless attack on my childhood with comfort food that belongs as much in memories of my adolescence as it does in a textbook on iconic British cooking. The Sticky Toffee Pudding delivers a staggering depth of flavour, with the rich notes of vanilla coming through brilliantly to anchor every single bite. I found myself with my eyes closed savouring every subtle flavour, a complexity a pudding has no right to offer.

Sitting by the window with an espresso while watching people walk past in the cold against the beautiful backdrop of Trinity Street made the autumnal afternoon in Cambridge complete. Paired with a selection of speciality teas from Fortnum & Mason or an Illy coffee, it rounds off an experience that feels entirely grounded in what good food is supposed to be about.

Hobbsons isn’t trying to chase fleeting food trends. If you want to experience British cuisine done right, this is a place that not only executes it with absolute precision, but takes genuine love and care into sourcing – backing it up with award-winning dishes that speak for themselves. Set against a historic Cambridge backdrop that matches the pedigree on the plate, it is a slow, steady, and fiercely authentic celebration of proper British cooking that makes you feel as much as taste.