The Cambridge Blue

The Cambridge Blue in Cambridge is a proper backstreet legend where beer isn't just part of the offer — it is the point. Tucked just off Mill Road and packed with decades of reputation, this is one of those pubs people go out of their way to find. Dogs are welcome inside, so nobody needs to do the pavement-waiting shuffle while you browse the serious lineup.

Inside, it's all about choice: multiple real ales, craft kegs, ciders, and fridges stacked with Belgian and European bottles, plus a whisky collection that could quietly derail your original plans. The space leans classic pub but with a bit of sprawl — a single-bar feel that opens out into a larger seating area and garden beyond. There's food on offer too, but this is very much a beer-first destination, with a steady hum of people who know exactly why they're there.

Lively, unpretentious, and built for staying a while, it's one of those places where one drink turns into a few, and the plan quietly disappears somewhere between the taps and the garden. Water bowls are dotted around, and there are free treats in a jar on the bar for hopeful noses.