

Victorian-era, riverside cottage serving elegant French meals at smart tables in a conservatory.
Address and Contact Information
Address: Midsummer Common, Cambridge CB4 1HA, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1223 369299
Website: http://www.midsummerhouse.co.uk/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: opentable.co.uk
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Related Web Results
Midsummer House – The best fine dining restaurant in Cambridge
Midsummer House – Cambridge – a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant
Menu – Midsummer House
Reviews
We had the tasting menu, which I believe is all they do on evening and weekends. We decided to splurge and get the wine pairing to go alongside it.
On the menu it said 100ml per glass serving, but as the waiters/waitresses were free pouring, I’d say it was more like 75/80ml.
Everything other than the atmosphere was (in our opinion) incredible. The way the dishes were made/put together, the flavours, the intricacy of each dish, the creativity. However, sadly the interior of the actual restaurant where you dine was hugely outdated. I felt like I was dining in someone’s conservatory, which essentially what it was. It was a real shame because if they had some low music playing, the lights dimmed/lamps/candles and more modern up-to-date interior, than everything would have been 5*.
Even though the food and service was exceptional for us, we do take into account atmosphere and unfortunately it was lacking.
Would I come here again? possibly not, but not because of anything other than it was very expensive, and for that price I would prefer to experience other Michelin restaurants. We have a very long list to get through.
The set menu meal with wine pairings plus service charge for two people cost just under £1000.
Pros: Savoury dishes were technical, creative, and the highlight of the meal. Attentive and professional service.
Cons: Desserts didn’t match the standard of the savouries. Disappointing to be charged for water, and coffee without being asked or prompted.
Our “peaceful” lunch was disrupted by a very loud table nearby. It’s a shame to have a premium experience spoiled by having to listen to random people boasting about their wealth.
It was a good one-off, but not sure I would rush back.
From the moment we arrived, the experience felt calm, refined, and welcoming rather than intimidating. The setting perfectly matches the name: a beautiful house beside the river, elegant without being ostentatious. It feels intimate and relaxed, a place where attention to detail is everywhere but never shouted about. You immediately sense that you are somewhere special.
The service was exceptional. Every member of staff was attentive without being intrusive, and their knowledge of both the food and wine was genuinely impressive. Each course was explained clearly and confidently, with insight into ingredients, techniques, and pairings, yet delivered in a way that felt conversational rather than rehearsed. As first-time Michelin diners, this made the experience approachable and enjoyable rather than overwhelming.
The food itself was outstanding. Every dish was beautifully presented and thoughtfully constructed, but more importantly, it tasted incredible. Flavours were precise, balanced, and often surprising, with combinations that worked effortlessly. Nothing felt overcomplicated for the sake of it — each element on the plate had a purpose. It was one of those meals where you find yourself slowing down, paying attention, and genuinely appreciating what you are eating.
The wine pairing complemented the food perfectly, enhancing rather than overpowering the dishes. Again, the staff’s knowledge shone through, explaining why each wine worked and how it interacted with the course it accompanied.
Midsummer House delivers exactly what you hope for from a restaurant of this calibre: exceptional food, flawless service, and an atmosphere that makes the entire experience memorable. I would absolutely love to eat there every month — although my bank balance would probably have something to say about that. Jokes aside, it is worth every penny for a truly special occasion and an unforgettable introduction to Michelin-starred dining.
The food journey was exceptional: the savoury-sweet apple sable, a delicate sardine terrine, and a superb duck liver flapjack (creamy duck, raspberry sweetness, chocolate, crunch!) were early highlights.
The Bloody Mary, served like a gazpacho with a cucumber sorbet surprise, was incredibly refreshing.
The cuttlefish with hazelnut and ginger jelly on cauliflower bavarois was light and fresh.
The smoked butternut squash sorbet with rich pork consommé offered fantastic temperature and flavour contrasts – truly a masterclass.
The duck main was a delightful blend of rich and gamey, perfectly balanced by melon puree and smokey vinegar. Even a slight doughiness in the bao buns couldn’t overshadow the brilliant brik pastry duck wing portion.
The Jack Daniels cafe pousse was an “OMG WOW!” moment – still unsure what was in it, but incredible!
Dessert was a fantastic coconut and lime creation in a chocolate bowl, with lovely sour-sweet contrasts and a hint of chilli.
Finishing with coffee and exquisite petit fours (apple pie-like beignettes and an astonishing apple tart tatin) in the courtyard was pure bliss.
A huge highlight was Head Chef Liam’s kitchen tour, detailing each section and relating it to our menu. Service throughout was spot on, attentive, polite, and interactive. Every dish was a thoughtful experience. Truly brilliant!
Tables are very well spaced out and you don’t feel overlooked or too close to the other diners.
A few nice touches were added which were a pleasant surprise.
Food was excellent, very well presented, very creative and each course flowed perfectly in to the next.
Lots of clever use of ingredients resulting in the perfect tasting menu.
I would……am! absolutely going to return.
feel free to ask me any questions, but if I were you I’d probably save my time and just book it.
10/10 (even though I am only allowed 5 stars on here)
Horrendous service as well overall, the restaurant was very cold as 3 different air cons were working with full power and the wind kept hitting us directly so had to tell to the staff if they could make some changes TWICE to actually solve the problem, one of the worst wine list I’ve ever seen in Michelin starred restaurant, all of the wines are extremely overpriced… inducing people to order wine pairings instead? So I went for the cheapest pairings and it wasn’t actually too bad, except that whenever they explain the wines and how it’s meant to go well with the dish, they were struggling to describe it properly with very bad diction, almost felt like they were nervous and unsure about what they were saying, asked couple of questions regarding some foods and wines, couldn’t really get clear answers from the staffs straight away as they were just mumbling?
Spent almost £1,000 for 2 people, definitely not worth the money, seriously wonder how this place deserved 2 Michelin stars for 20+ years? I’ve been to few other 2 stars restaurants and by far this place has been the worst… the restaurant was awkwardly quiet so some background music would be great as when we first walked in there’s almost no one in the dining room so it felt super creepy, it’s just small details that they need to look for in order to make customers feel more comfortable and relaxed, definitely need a lot more training on staffs especially on knowledge parts so they could speak up a bit and explain things in a much better and clear way, keep the foods bit simple as well because all those hundreds of components won’t make the dish any better and rather ruin the flavour as it creates zero harmony and chemistry in between
Also seems like they pay people to write a good review or make fake accounts to do that which is such a shame to the restaurant for their fame and reputation….
The food was delicious but also interesting. My favourite was the pigeon leg because it was very evocative. For the taste I loved the first course and the bread. My husband and I finished the meal with digestives and coffee upstairs in the parlour and it was perfect.
Of course the service was exceptional but it was also unpretentious. I was expecting it to be very posh and stuffy even, but it was not. There was a homey atmosphere to the restaurant and to the service.
I enjoyed every second and I highly recommend trying this place at least once.