RESTAURANT REVIEW: Smokeworks, Cambridge

Bit of an unexpected review today as my day out with Jess took us to lunch at Smokeworks, a lovely little restaurant down a side street here in Cambridge. We’d both heard good things about it and were both definitely not disappointed. The menu is small but boasts a pretty good variety of options from ribs to a pulled chicken burger to a pulled pork burger to sausages and mash. And those last two are what Jess and I had each.

I can’t speak for Jess’ pulled pork burger (though it did look and smell amazing!) but my spiced sausages and mash, with bbq corn on the cob on the side was wonderfully tasty. One sausage on a bed of mash is £6, and two is £9, so the prices are reasonable and frankly, a little low for such good food. The sausages are perfectly spiced and a good size, and the mash is exceptionally smooth and creamy. The gravy, however, was a little runny and sunk to the bottom of the bowl, leaving none on the sausages as a sauce, but I suppose all the better for mopping it up with the mash!

I chose corn on the cob as a side because I have a deep, deep love for corn on the cob (and sweetcorn in general) and I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I was hesitant about the ‘bbq’ part of it, but it wasn’t overwhelming in that aspect and had a bit of a crunch that was a nice touch to the smooth, melted butter. 

What really made the whole meal, though, was the atmosphere of the place. The staff were friendly, the layout was comfortable, with a dash of rustic charm, and you flicked a light to get staff’s attention which made for a nice novelty. The deal was really sealed for me at seeing a sign that said ‘Smokeworks is a social place,’ asking for niceties if you’re asked to share tables. It just told me the place must always be this pleasant and, surely, the food always this good.

I recommend you visit ASAP

STAR RATING: **** (4/5)