I have fond memories of this café from when I visited Cambridge for my interview all those months ago. I sat at the table in front of the window with my mum, and we ate cake and sipped tea as we tried to process the fact that we were actually in Cambridge, that town which had haunted my dreams for so long. It’s strange to look back on that day now and think about how my perception of the town has changed.

Thankfully, Stickybeaks has remained just how I remember it. It’s a café well-known among the Cambridge cake-eating community, and it’s not hard to see why.

“While they don’t serve avocado and eggs (too mainstream), you could stop for some reasonably-priced sourdough toast or granola here one morning”

Stickybeaks caters for all tastes in terms of seating: you can take a table outside in the fresh air, snuggle up on the soft chairs in the corner, or sit at the bar stools in front of the window and watch people cycle past on their way to rowing. (Not advised if, like me, you get distracted easily.)

I stopped here last term for a Saturday morning cappuccino and an almond swirl, slipping into a seat just before the crowds started to arrive. My pastry was a little dry, if I’m honest, but softened up when I dunked it into my coffee, which was warm and milky and subtly sweet: just the thing to start the day.

An afternoon coffee date this week reinforced my good impressions. My Americano was smooth on the palate and gave my energy levels a much-needed kick. But, just to make sure I could battle my way through the rest of the afternoon, I also chose a slice of plum cake – though I could have easily inhaled a chocolate-pecan brownie or a chunk of cherry and almond cake.

Due credit must go to Stickybeaks for solving the soggy bottom problem: cakes made with fresh fruit are notoriously difficult, but the tiny pieces of plum dispersed throughout the cake added a nice moisture to the bake without weighing it down and provided the occasional hit of tart sweetness.

This was nicely complemented by the maple icing, which also helped to offset the slightly tough surface (perhaps overbaked, perhaps just dried out from a whole day on the counter). A thick square of bread and butter pudding flavoured with lemon curd and dark chocolate prompted a little sigh of ecstasy from my friend, who had been thoroughly disappointed by a similar offering in the buttery earlier in the week.

Menus are not laid out at tables but sit in a box on the counter, which is a bit confusing and disorientating – for a while, I didn’t even realise that there were other options aside from those I could see in the display cabinet. While they don’t serve avocado and eggs (too mainstream), you could stop for some reasonably-priced sourdough toast or granola here one morning.

Bread and Rutter: Afternoon Tease

Lunch options range from soup and sausage rolls to eggy squares of Spanish tortilla and fresh salads, though the latter won’t come cheaply. Tea and coffee is averagely-priced, but why stop there when you could be daring and try ginger beer made with chilli, sloe lemonade or pear and elderflower fizz? They even sell wine, if you fancy a glass with your lunch.

Stickybeaks is the café I’ve visited most often in Cambridge, and yet I’m still not quite sure what I think of it. It’s a lovely space, with friendly staff and good coffee, but I just haven’t fallen in love with it. Maybe I’ll make another trip for lunch this week. Would anyone care to join me?