Food you have to eat in Cambridge before you die

From sushi to tacos, our city is jam-packed with seriously good food and a healthy range of independent restaurants and national favourites. Forget college catering, these are the standout places where you’ll want to spend all of your loan this year.

The cherry on top? All of these restaurants are available on Deliveroo – result.

Nanna Mexico, 29 Petty Cury or 33 Regent Street

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Most popular dish: Without a doubt the Big-Ass Burrito (prices range from £4.99 to £7.29).

Try before you die: The Chicken Tinga Tacos (£6.29)

Student discount: Student Mondays –  you can get a Big-Ass Burrito and a drink for a mere fiver.

Luis Navarro, owner of Nanna Mexico, decided to quit his high-flying job at an American law firm and open Nanna Mexico, starting on the streets of Cambridge in a trailer. Why? He said: “Because I love it. We started in a truck because that is what we do in Mexico. Mexican food, particularly humble street food, is wholesome and great in every regard.”

Second year Lucy Anstice said: “Nanna Mexico is great because there’s loads of choice. If you can handle a Big-Ass Burrito, this is obviously the place for you.”

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Luis, who is originally from Guanajuato in Mexico, said: “The restaurant is the inspiration of my Nanna (grandmother) Margarita. In 1958, she set up a humble stall outside the room in which she lived with her seven kids in a tough barrio of Mexico City.

“She had a love for serving, and she channelled that passion through food. I spent a lot of time with her in the kitchen – I think it was there I ‘breathed’ the same passion for service and food. That is how Nanna Mexico came to be what it is today.”

SmokeWorks, 2 Free School Lane

Omg… Yes. @SmokeWorksBBQ pic.twitter.com/M0k0bpwhr7

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Most popular dish: Where to start? The Pork and Beef Ribs (starting from £12.50), Mac n’ Cheese Fritters (£6) and the famous Beef Dripping Mash (£3.50).

Try before you die: Any of the ribs (starting from £12.50)

Student discount:  15 percent off the food bill and milkshakes (for tables up to four people). They also have a banging lunch deal – £8 for a main, fries and a soft drink, Monday to Friday.

SmokeWorks is classic BBQ food translated for the British palate. The food is slow cooked but delivered fast, either out into the restaurant or to you at home. With two imported American smokers where the meat is rubbed, brined and then smoked for up to 14 hours, the SmokeWorks is pretty legit.

Sophie Carter, SmokeWorks’ General Manager, said: “Students seem to love The Works (our sharing platter for two at only £27), which allows you to try a bit of everything delicious and wear a massive bib. What more could you want?”

Food challenge? Ask and you shall receive. Sophie said: “We’ve been doing the ‘chillenges’ for about a year now. They always involve some insanely spicy SmokeWorks hot sauce, the challenge is timed, and all participants will end up on one of two walls – Flame or Shame.”

The chili challenges are not on all the time, so make sure to keep an eye out on social media. When it is on, the quickest person will win a hefty £50, which begs the question: are your tastebuds really that necessary?

Butch Annie’s, 23 Market Street

Most popular dish: The Jack (£8.90) – it contains, amongst other things, Monterrey Jack cheese, smoked streaky bacon and a deliciously sticky Jack Daniels sauce.

Try before you die: Their sides are not one to skim past. The Skin-On-Chips (£2.90) are seriously good, and you’ll have to try Butch’s twist on the traditional onion ring, Onion Popcorn (£2.90) – chickpea and beer batter-coated onion pieces, served with a cumin-spiced yogurt dip and wedge of lemon.

Student discount: None at the moment.

Butch Annie’s is a vibrant Brooklyn-style burger and rib joint nestled in the centre of town. The focus here is simple – to source the best ingredients from some of the country’s finest small scale producers and to keep the menu succinct yet exciting.

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Manager Stef Del Rosario said: “The world seems to have an insatiable appetite for burgers and we knew if we got it right it would be popular. It’s such a satisfying food, simple, honest and unpretentious. What’s not to like?

“The menu is concise, with eight beef and Iberico burgers, eight vegetarian burgers and prized Iberico baby back ribs. We also house a select range of small-scale, award-winning craft ales and lagers on tap.”

English Lit student Cecily Pierce said: “Butch Annie’s has nailed the balance between simplicity and complexity in their menu and the medium-rare vibes are on point – try the Lewd Lizzie (£8.90). You won’t be sorry.”

Japas, 9 Saxon Street

Most popular dish: The menu is really extensive so it’s hard to say, but any sushi with salmon is extremely popular, like the Philadelphia Roll (£4.90). The Katsu Curry Donburi (£8.70) is also a big hit, especially in the winter.

Try before you die: The Salmon Hosomaki (£3.50) is simple and classic (the small sushi roll with just the salmon inside). The Salmon and Avocado Uramaki (£4.90) is also delicious.

Student discount: Japas offer a student discount card, which gives you 10 percent off, as well as having a ‘Sushi Club’ – if you join, there’s a chance of winning a £20 meal voucher.

When Ashley Lau, the owner of Japas, moved from London to Cambridge, he realised there wasn’t a great selection of Japanese restaurants. He said: “Supermarket sushi is just a no no to me, so I thought it would be a good business idea to provide healthy and delicious Japanese food for the students of Cambridge.”

Economics second year Hannah Kirk said: “Japas has a brilliant deep fried green tea ice cream you have to try.”

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Get all of these amazing restaurants, as well as the favourites you love like Wagamamas, Pizza Express and GBK, on Deliveroo now