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4.3

Based on 523 opinions finded in 2 websites

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Nº 263 in 703 in Cambridge

Nº 9 of 15 Mediterranean in Cambridge

CUSTOMERS TALK ABOUT DISHES WITH..steakoctopustapasporkfishbeautifulpaellaoilsquidmustcheeseolivehamricepaycooked

comment_iconOpinions

I've been 5 times to Mercado Central. It used to be one of my favourite places to eat in Cambridge, certainly the only Spanish restaurant worth visiting. The prices went up by a lot after it appeared in the Michelin guide. I still thought "well the food is still worth it so I'll come for special occasions". Now in the last year it's all gone really bad. I just went today with a group of friends and paid north of 70 quid for mediocre and very pretentious food. Starters are okay, although for some reason they insist to put goats cheese in half of the dishes. The mains are a different story. I ordered my rib eye steak red in the middle, it came so dry and so thin it looked more like a flat iron steak. My wife ordered the fish... A couple of years ago I would've expected a nice full fish cooked in oil and garlic the Spanish way, but she got a mini piece of fish, that said, presented nicely (and as I said very pretentiously) with some lentils and red mojo sauce - another thing they put in half of the plates. On the side, I'm not sure why some of the descriptions try to use pseudo-Italian words as if they sound fancier. "Salmoretta" is not a thing, it is called "salmorreta". This is not a Spanish restaurant anymore. It's also not even a good food restaurant anymore.

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Pablo Barrio López-Cortijo . 2024-11-10

MORE AT Google

Went for an early dinner before a show, they managed to fit us in. Food was really good, everything was nicely cooked and presented. Lovely and authentic Spanish food

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Adrian Donlan . 2024-11-03

MORE AT Google

Thanks to the Samsom family for inviting us to a very nice place.

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Gabriel Venialgo . 2024-11-02

MORE AT Google

Delicious and def worth being in the Michelin guide

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Alla Alla . 2024-10-27

MORE AT Google

Had a lovely evening at the Mercado Central last might. Staff were attentive, food was superb, two courses more than plenty, no room for desert. My only gripe was the music was a little loud, but maybe I'm just getting old.

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Paul Morgalla . 2024-10-27

MORE AT Google

Fantastic food and service, will visit again!

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Vicki Fish . 2024-10-18

MORE AT Google

Spoiled produce and high prices, condescending service and a bit of a snup treat in general. Very eager to tell you that you don't know anything and that they are here to teach you. But the food was clearly past the self date. Save your hard earned money. Truth hurts but it's the truth. And for some reason now the establishment thinks I am a completely different person that they have had as a chef(nice way to make it look like I'm in the wrong by the way 😂) But I have to say that it is sad that the owner/establishment can't take some criticism learn and go on with their business. I feel like my review is fair and has grounds since I've been there and eaten with friends many years ago. But if my review is so detrimental for this business then there probably isn't much hope for the restaurant

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Zacharias Mathiesen . 2024-10-11

MORE AT Google

Two of the best meals ever!!! This has to be the best restaurant in Cambridge (very presumptuous, but one hell of a good bet)! Beautiful venue, fantastic service, conversation and insight into the produce. Croquetas, aubergine friti, fillet, ganache, cheesecake, desert and regular wines – WOW! Your Michelin star must be a few covers away, surely! Thank you so much for your hospitality, your dedication to good food and a double-dose of gastronomic heaven! P.S: Forza Juve!!!

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Ali Turner . 2024-10-10

MORE AT Google

The food was good but overpriced. The Sangrias were disappointing, we had a White and a Mercado Sangria and they both tasted the same... Elderflower... the taste of wine was dissipated in juice.

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Nuno Martins . 2024-10-10

MORE AT Google

Lovely authentic Spanish meal. The Garlic Prawns were great and the best croquettas we've ever tasted. Sea bass was perfectly cooked and my wife enjoyed her Iberica Pork mains.

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William Jenkins . 2024-09-18

MORE AT Google

Food was average at best; service was fine but the table was very small, meaning we had to constantly move plates around and even take drinks off the table. Overall fine but prices are *extortionate*.

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Sam Harrison . 2024-09-09

MORE AT Google

Amazing food! I had such a lovely time here and had really good Spanish food! The staff were lovely and were friendly, attentive and helpful but not disruptive. The food was really nicely presented and really good quality. Was worth the price as it was lovely fresh and organic ingredients. Would really recommend the aubergine, tortilla and the pork and sea bream! They had a great selection - will definitely be coming back!

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Matt Brynn . 2024-09-05

MORE AT Google

Had a lovely time dining here! From the service and calm atmosphere to the high quality food — we were very delighted with our visit!

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Inger Margrete Hansen . 2024-08-22

MORE AT Google

Went for an anniversary dinner. Ordered 2 ribeye steaks, sourdough to start and basque cheesecake to finish. Sauce with the steak was honestly one of the best I've ever had. Basque cheesecake was divine. Servers delightful. All round 10/10. Happy girlfriend

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joe cassar . 2024-08-12

MORE AT Google

Tasty Spanish fare and strong sangría for the deep pocketed crowd. Very friendly service and nice locale.

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H Webb . 2024-08-11

MORE AT Google

Had a great 2 course meal, haven't eaten such a tasteful salad in a long time. The chicken was amazing as well. The waiter Albert was super helpful and friendly.

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Cecilia N . 2024-08-03

MORE AT Google

First time here good food, they come out and tell you what’s in each dish which was a nice touch. They have a few tables outside which was lovely. Would come back again

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Gemma P . 2024-07-27

MORE AT Google

Over priced, sadly, with hum drum, loungey decor and tables so jammed into the pokey building that it felt like a I was being served dinner in someone's sitting room, let alone a £££ restaurant. But the saddest part was the quality of the food and inflated prices. Paying £35 for a tiny, bland risotto with a single prawn. One prawn. For £35. Silly me. I really would never expect to return here. The service was pushy, the menu was limited, the portions were mean, the flavours were disappointing and the prices were kind, of, considering all the rest, a bit offensive. Sorry.

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Sebastian Hickey . 2024-07-26

MORE AT Google

Food was bad in general. The mackerel has a strong pungent taste, and they added too much salt to it. Same with the lettuce. The fried aubergine was just plain and boring, and the chicken was just all right. Without the chicken being all right I would have given them one start instead of two. Seriously overpriced.

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Zhipu 'Wilson' Zhao . 2024-07-26

MORE AT Google

Absolutely delicious, lovely food, staff, can't wait to go back

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shane james . 2024-07-25

MORE AT Google

Our Saturday night dinner at this Spanish-style restaurant was fantastic. The tapas dishes were superb, better than most places, and reasonably priced for the quality. The wine list and cocktails were impressive, and the food from start to finish was impeccable. Our waitress was very attentive, and the manager, added a special touch by offering us complimentary dessert and drinks.

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Kavya Nair . 2024-07-14

MORE AT Google

Amazing place in Cambridge to go,we went with friends for a lunch in the city center,great food ,nice choices of Spanish wine,waiters really helpful and a nice atmosphere,we will come back for dinner!

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Alberto Capello R . 2024-07-11

MORE AT TripAdvisor

Very happy with the experience,we tasted authentic Spanish products,food was amazing and wine as well the service was welcoming and attentive,the price are little bit higher but with products come directly from Spain I guess was expected,overall great experience we will come again to taste the new menu!

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AntFArt . 2024-07-11

MORE AT Google

Been here on Friday lunch time, the set menu was great value, friendly and attentive service. The cake of the day was brilliant. Definitely a must try in Cambridge

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Adhinadh K Anil . 2024-07-09

MORE AT Google

We had an amazing dinner at Mercado Central #cambridge and the staff were fantastic, warm and welcoming. The food was impeccable, delicious and generously presented. We will certainly be back!!! 🥰

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SugarBabyツ#1993 . 2024-07-09

MORE AT TripAdvisor

Food was to a very high standard and to satisfaction,I would recommend to anyone who has time for good food and a amazing atmosphere

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D M . 2024-07-08

MORE AT TripAdvisor

food is decent, but defo not worth the price. Also not enough choices. Also, 10 pounds for a piece of cheesecake???

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Andy Liu . 2024-07-07

MORE AT Google

For being a Michelin restaurant, I was expecting to be 'blown away'. The octopus was very tasty, and the pork dish my husband got was ok. The "tortilla" was ok. The "black rice" was salty. My "croquetas del día" were untasty . I ate 2 and left the rest. Absolutely nothing special. The meats and cheese plater were the same I get at my hotel every morning. Nothing espectacular. I think my hotel has better meats. The bread was not fresh, and the olive oil was just that. Nothing else. I have been to many restaurants where they eveb pit pepper and some vinegar to give it some nice flavor. I would say the food was average and below. Absolutely nothing special. Having been in many restaurants around the world, I'm not sure how this one got Michellin. Also, the portions were VERY small for the prices charged. In other words, overpriced dishes. And to top it up, they don't accept cash. Also, there is no atmosphere and it is a small place. The waiter was attentive, and the host was fine. I can only rescue that from my experience at this restaurant .

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peruvianlink . 2024-07-06

MORE AT TripAdvisor

Food tasted really good, nice presentation; however, portions were too small considering the prices. I ordered the black paella and some ham croquettes, both very good. Would recommend if you're in the mood for Spanish food.

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Joey F . 2024-07-06

MORE AT Google

Spanish here came here with huge expectations but left rather disappointed and with a half empty stomach after paying nearly 40£ for a presa ibérico. Taste ok but defo not worth this price point, lesson learned if you want authentic Spanish food you should just go to Spain.

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Paco Q . 2024-07-05

MORE AT Google

Food was delicious! The Chocolate Ganache with Olive Oil and Sea Salt was heavenly.

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Alex Rodriguez . 2024-07-05

MORE AT Google

I've been a regular hear since opened and I thought I would try it again and was disappointed. The food, I had Monkfish, was not good. A plate of black rice a small bit if monkfish, one prawn and one or two others. All for £35. My wife ordered the 2 course and the dessert had serious shrinkflation. Overall not worth the money. They also do the typical thing of having loads of seats close together. I really don't want to hear other ls eating as I am sure they don't me.

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Kevin Perry . 2024-06-23

MORE AT Google

The food is completely falvourless...like, completely. There is no salt on anything and the decisions the chef has made regarding flavour and temperature combinations are inexplicable. Moreover, £16 for four overcooked, tasteless prawns is ridiculous. Definitely skip this place and cook something for yourself at home.

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Josh Van Zak . 2024-06-22

MORE AT Google

Wonderful food here - that’s undeniable for sure. As I was very generously treated to my meal through a business contact, I didn’t have to pay the somewhat eye watering bill. However, in many ways, it is worth it. The food is exceptional and authentic, high-end Spanish cuisine. Delicious, well presented and well thought out. My gripe is with the service - it’s quite casual given this restaurant’s price-point. I wasn’t made to feel special. Perhaps that’s because we were a larger group and not a couple? But for me, this needs refining. Good ambience, handy location. Pretty good!!!

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Janine A . 2024-06-20

MORE AT TripAdvisor

Tastes are good, but the portion of the food is WAY WAY WAY too stingy given the price. E.g the Galacian octopus, £14.50 just gives you two small pieces. In Spain I can get a pretty big bowl with less than EUR 14.50....

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Yu Chen . 2024-06-07

MORE AT Google

The only restaurant in Cambridge that would make you want to come into the city just for dinner. The food is fresh and interesting, made by chefs and not just cooks all served by very professional and still very friendly waiting staff. You know it’s a good place when you can order anything and you know it will be good. Don’t miss the red Sangria or the tortilla.

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Richard Aslett . 2024-06-01

MORE AT Google

Had the set meal for lunch and really enjoyed it. Both courses were really tasty and well-presented. The waiter was knowledgeable and also spotted that we were celebrating a special occasion and surprised us with his kindness.

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Sarah Saunders . 2024-05-24

MORE AT Google

A bit noisy. Lovely wine. Expensive steak (and quite thin) but tasted really good.

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Hughes Paul . 2024-05-19

MORE AT Google

Absolute perfection. Food sensational. Service sensational. Heaven.

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Clare Munday . 2024-05-11

MORE AT Google

Every single thing I ate and drank was 👌🏼

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Helen Rowbottom . 2024-04-28

MORE AT Google

The menu is incredibly overpriced for the standard of food. The cheapest main course is £26 for a very ordinary risotto with no frills. The upstairs seating space is very noisy, we were unable to hear each other speak. 12.5% service charge was added automatically for average service. We won’t be returning.

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J L . 2024-04-21

MORE AT TripAdvisor

The food, the place and the sevei excellent

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Rosana Celdran . 2024-04-12

MORE AT Google

We are surprised and pleased to find the Galician cuisine we love at Mercado Central in Cambridge. Long live Galicia. All that's missing is Cervantes' language.

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Luc Rauscent . 2024-04-03

MORE AT Google

Mixed thoughts.... Goats cheese salad and octopus starters were excellent really well thought out and delivered. The seafood main was also great . My steak was dry and just OK at best.....whole thing felt very rushed, just like they wanted us out to free up the table. ... Ordered aperitifs that turned up after the starters had arrived. Mains followed so quickly we were at risk of completing the whole meal in under 45 minutes...and it was so cold we had to put our coats back on....underwhelmed.... but will try again when we return to Cambridge.

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LAAshford1234 . 2024-03-28

MORE AT TripAdvisor

This place has good food, but it is far from the usual casual Spanish restaurants. Resembles more a casual French bistro serving Spanish food. My main issue is that prices are way too high for the place: one easily pays £80-90/pop and for that kind of money one would expect a very different setting and service. Won’t be coming back.

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J L . 2024-03-25

MORE AT Google

The amazing fresh seafood was something… but the service was second to none…. The manager overheard that I found it a little noisy downstairs and very swiftly found us a table Upstairs without us asking…. ! Just wonderful staff whose main aim was to make the experience perfect! Bravo!

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Sarah Shaw . 2024-03-20

MORE AT Google

If you care about your customers, you’d at least update your google maps opening hours. Waste of my time.

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Willy Diego . 2024-03-17

MORE AT Google

First time at Mercado Central, we were hesitant to try it before because of the high price tag and our previous experiences with Spanish restaurants in England were very disappointing. Basically a rip off for meagre overpriced and not greatly cooked tapas (people in Spain do not go to a nice restaurant to eat tapas). However, it was worth every penny. You will hardly find ingredients of that quality and cooked to perfection in any other restaurant in Cambridge. As a spaniard I have had many croquetas in my life, the Mercado Central croquetas are some of the best I have ever had. You will be lucky to find croquetas of that quality in Spain. Prawns were very fresh, perfectly cooked and full of garlicky Spanish flavour. As mains we had the seafood rice, again cooked to perfection with aldente but moist rice, and top quality seafood, including the best mussels I have ever had in 23 years in England. Monkfish in the rice was nicely cooked. Also as a main one of us had the "wild" sea bream with chickpeas and black pudding. A risky mix, but again the black pudding was a great selection by the chef (i.e. full of flavour but not strong). Chickpeas were tender and creamy and the fish very, very fresh and full of flavour. As dessert we shared a tarta de Santiago, and again very, very nicely cooked. Price wise, yes it is not a cheap restaurant, but if you can appreciate perfectly cooked high quality ingredients, it is worth every penny. Portion sizes were correct. I may, somehow, agree with other reviewers that service is not in line with quality of the food, but Cambridge is a hard place for restaurateurs to find proper professional waiting staff. Just returned from a trip in Paris enjoying fine dining, and Mercado Central has nothing to envy from Parisian restaurants, except for the professional service.

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Jose V . 2024-03-16

MORE AT TripAdvisor

Steak so good, I dont ever want to eat steak again as it will never be the same. The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly. A must go in Cambridge.

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Hannah Y . 2024-03-15

MORE AT TripAdvisor

A delightful spot for lunch. Albeit a limited choice on the fixed price, but none the less delicious. Good service, pleasant staff and a good vibe. Wine a bit pricey but good - ask to see the wine list before ordering. One we will return to.

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allmylife . 2024-03-14

MORE AT TripAdvisor

The staff are wonderful and the food is just delicious. We have been here twice and loved it both times :) I had the fish of the day which was very flavourful and the basque cheesecake was great

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Val B . 2024-03-14

MORE AT Google

Wanted to try out this place for a while. The pictures from the reviews seem very tempting anyway. We ordered gambas and octopus for starters, flavour-wise not much surprise and the prawns don’t taste fresh. For mains, we got seafood rice and guinea, quite mediocre dishes for the price. In all, the chef pays more attention to plating than flavour.

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Chao Zhang . 2024-03-08

MORE AT Google

My husband and I recently booked dinner at this restaurant and we were very impressed by the quality of the food. It was the first day of their new menu. I had the Iberico Pork from Salamanca and my husband had the Seafood Rice with Wild Cornish Monkfish. Both of us enjoyed our meals. The staff were very friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend this restaurant and I am already looking forward to our next visit.

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Alison Garratt . 2024-03-02

MORE AT Google

Excellent tapas and pleasant service. Food quality was really impressive. Good selection of specials too. Highly recommend if in the area.

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KevAndDulce . 2024-02-25

MORE AT TripAdvisor

A very cozy place, excellent service and spectacular food. We will go again, we recommend 100%.

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A Dob . 2024-02-24

MORE AT Google

good food, nice staff but unfortunately no coffee machine. would have loved to have a cortado at the end of my meal

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Sacha Stöckli . 2024-02-23

MORE AT Google

Food was ok but the quality of the dishes was not sufficient for the price, was an attempt at Spanish food but badly executed. Shrimps were basically boiled, the seafood arroz was significantly lacking salt and the flavours were just about ok. The quality of the fish and meat was good but just really badly executed. The service was very good and attentive. The restaurant was well decorated but very loud, especially because the kitchen is downstairs, next to the tables with guests and we had to shout to be able to have a conversation. The tables were crammed. Anyone that has had genuine Spanish food (or any other mediterranean country) knows they can get a better meal in Spain for under 15€. Sadly disappointing.

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Federica . 2024-02-19

MORE AT Google

Amazing food with great service. Food was absolutely amazing and the staff were very attentive and gave great recommendations

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John W . 2024-02-17

MORE AT TripAdvisor

Great Spanish restaurant but more than just tapas. Do try the Bierzo desert wine a relavalation

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aidan quinn . 2024-02-10

MORE AT Google

Underwhelming food at idiotic prices and a seriously inconsiderate situation with staff left this as a very unfortunate experience. The restaurant seems content to float by on the dedication to sourcing authentic Spanish ingredients which not only must be terrible for their carbon footprint but also allows them to serve expensive and disappointing plates. Without much additional thought beyond the imported produce, the kitchen appeared disastrous in navigating our table who declined much of the starters offered. Having been served a plate of ruby red meat and breadsticks (alright, nothing exciting), we then had a forty minute wait for mains as the kitchen struggled with an endless outpouring of small sharing plates for other tables. No apologies, no explanation. Just a long wait. Mains arrived and lacked enough of a wallop to justify the price tags or delay, again justifying themselves with the ingredients apparently used (iberico pork, locally source fresh fish...) rather than the way in which the kitchen uses them. Mains were undeniably underseasoned, unless you like olive oil and lots of it. Staff were friendly enough until a final reveal of their lame selves, perhaps the end of the lunch rush was getting to them. Professional tip however: if you're going to make an unjustifiable jibe about any customer/s, do it out of the eyeline or earshot of any other patrons, it was embarrassing and only served to make you look bad. Floor space is tiny, acoustics awful, so anyone prone to anxiety or headaches will have a mare here. Frankly, it's a hugely avoidable place that seems destined only as a repeat visit for those who link good food with a high price tag alone. Pay more and get proper grub at Restaurant Twenty-Two. Pay less and get a grand feast at Zonghua Traditional. Pay little and get honest grub at Shelley and Sarah's. Left a lacklustre taste in the mouth in more ways than one.

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Alex Taylor (ParrotChild) . 2024-02-10

MORE AT Google

Great food! Would go back for sure. Only minor point of improvement- the waitrons could have been slightly more attentive.

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Matthew Myers . 2024-02-10

MORE AT Google

The food was delicious and well priced. It has a lovely atmosphere and nice to have an open kitchen. There were 9 of us for lunch and we all rated our lunches as excellent. The service was also good and we were not rushed. We thoroughly recommend this restaurant.

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Marie-Joelle G . 2024-02-08

MORE AT TripAdvisor

The food is fine, but too expensive compared with other Spanish restaurants, seafood paella cost 34 pounds and quite tiny portion. Also really lacking service, our water bottle is empty and until the end no one care about it.

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Kevin D . 2024-02-01

MORE AT Google

High quality food with a focus on the best ingredients to elevate dishes. Sumptuous arroz negro with huge crispy prawns, rich manchego cheese in rosemary, creamy basque cheesecake. Delicious. Great wine and sherries, fab service and lovely touches for surprise birthday celebration. Thank you Mark and team we loved it and will be back!

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PerfectFootprint . 2024-01-26

MORE AT TripAdvisor

A real find in Central Cambridge, this small Spanish restaurant is absolutely delightful. We had Mussels, Sea Bream, and finished with an Orange Torte. All were delicious.

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Jackie Peek . 2024-01-03

MORE AT Google

Starters and mains excellent, desserts less so but possibly only because the others had been so fantastic. A little pricey but I think the quality of the ingredients and their sourcing makes it worth it as a treat.

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James Elcock . 2023-12-20

MORE AT Google

Fantastic food and attentive service!

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P S . 2023-12-19

MORE AT Google

When I walked in, I was surprised to see that the restaurant was only half full (at best) on a Thursday night in mid December. Where do I start? Well there was some good, some bad and some ugly! The good. The front of house manager was very good. She was polite and knowledgeable. Service was good from her all night and I asked for a break between courses and this was adhered to very well. We had a nice Mallorcan red wine. The bad. Food is very expensive for what it is. Main courses at £35 need to be top notch and they are not. The ugly. One of the mains turned up cold and I was asked if we wanted to see the dessert menu before we had even had our mains! And we had only been in there about 30-40 mins. A disappointing evening, food wasn't bad it is just not worth the money at all. There are top restaurants in London that charge £30-£40 for mains which are far, far better (and full on a Thursday in December!). Wouldn't return.

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leebrown0 . 2023-12-15

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We liked the food, everything we had was very well cooked and tasty. However, we would prefer a few more options to choose from. We went there for lunch and that might be why but still, there were only 3 main options and a few special dishes. I will give it another chance for dinner.

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Vera M . 2023-12-10

MORE AT Google

Great menu selection. Friendly service and a lovely atmosphere!

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Aylia Ahmed . 2023-12-05

MORE AT Google

We were visiting Cambridge and looking for a place for lunch. Wanting to avoid chain restaurants and cafes, and feeling a little overwhelmed, we looked.on the Michelin app for restaurants that were near. Mercado Central was the first on the list and, happily, looked like it was ticked the boxes. It was perfect. We were given a warm welcome, and shown upstairs to a lovely table. We opted for the lunch menu. It was a well put together selection of starters, mains and desserts. We opted for two courses. The food was delightful. You could tell it was made with care, from quality ingredients. Just delicious. There was a good wine menu - with a good selection of wines available by the glass. We opted for a bottle of albarino from a small Spanish producer. Again, delicious. Lunch was made all the nicer by the faultless service; everyone we spoke to was genuine and really helpful and personable. We are looking for an excuse to go back for dinner.

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Catherine A . 2023-12-01

MORE AT TripAdvisor

Really good. Enjoyed my bday lunch

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Jenny Garcia . 2023-11-26

MORE AT Google

Delicious and beautifully presented. The mojo rojo that comes with the octopus is packed with flavors. The mussels are plump and fresh. The seasoning is light and mild and not overpowering. The sirloin steak is fantastic. Excellently seared and perfectly medium rare. The roasted peppers are sweet and smoky. And the chimichurri is one of the best I’ve had. The seafood risotto is lovely, especially the monkfish. The market fish (lemon sole) is also grilled nicely. Dessert tart is citrusy and refreshing.

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X . 2023-11-24

MORE AT Google

A rather disappointing lunchtime experience. Had the set menu. Mussels were basically the consistency of jelly. Had a couple and decided not to take any further risks. I’m not sure if mushy is off or just undercooked. Anyway, not enjoyable. Main of chicken was ok but nothing more than that. A real shame as I was expecting far better. Service was friendly. The food came very quickly, drinks a bit slower. The starter was taken off the bill without me asking so plus points for that, and so I will try again.

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Braden Howarth . 2023-11-17

MORE AT Google

Fantastic birthday meal. Wonderful tapas to start followed by some spectacular mains. The skate dish was excellent. Can't fault it.....though it wasn't cheap.

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b w . 2023-11-10

MORE AT Google

The food is very immaculate. The pork chop is brilliant, thank you for the chef for cooking it perfectly. Also, all the starter selections are well-curated. My favorite is the croquet, a must to try. We had the pork chop as our main course, very delicious. The atmosphere is very cozy and posh at the same time. Service is five-star.

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TK Mahatanakom . 2023-11-02

MORE AT Google

Very warm welcome, super friendly staff, food was delicious and extremely fresh, highly reccomended

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Clair Roe . 2023-10-22

MORE AT Google

A limited menu of well cooked things. Beef cheeks slow cooked until falling apart were rich and lovely. Pork chop also very good. Wines from Spain several by the glass including good choice of Sherry.

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Adsar . 2023-10-20

MORE AT TripAdvisor

Excellent delicious quality food & service, very enjoyable night. Highly recommended. Many thanks Mercado!

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Robert Ari . 2023-10-13

MORE AT Google

This is like a taste of Spain 🇪🇸 on a plate 🍽️. The food was focused on the quality of the ingredients, handled with care, and not making things overly complicated. We had the specials andnone disappointed. The daily wine by the glass for £8 was a bargain for the quality. The service was polite and swift and it felt like I was back in Spain. I will definitely go again!

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Tom Setchell . 2023-10-08

MORE AT Google

Personale scortese, lunghe attese tra una portata e l'altra, cibo e porzioni, deludendi, servizi igienici puzzolenti, eccessivamente costoso. Vivamente sconsigliato.

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Arpad . 2023-10-05

MORE AT Google

I came here for dinner on Thursday night, and let me say, Oksana is the most genuinely amazing waitress I've ever had the pleasure of being served by, would recommend, this girl honestly deserves a massive raise!

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Jay Thomas . 2023-10-02

MORE AT Google

Hidden gem in middle of Cambridge. Excellent delicious tapas combined with very well curated Spanish wine list and excellent friendly service.

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Paul M . 2023-10-01

MORE AT TripAdvisor

When you think of Spanish food, you think flavour, paired with good wine. The house wine ( a staple of any restaurant ) isn't very good and every dish was extremely bland and boring. I suspect the food has been changed in an attempt to appeal to English locals. The price of the food is also quite high so this restaurant is extremely disappointing. Bland boring food you don't even want to finish, topped off with unjustified high prices.

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David MacDonald . 2023-09-29

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Overall a great experience, superb food, served relatively fast too. Tapas style starters followed by main plates. Only two negatives from my visit, there is no function for tea or coffee which I enjoy with my dessert. Also this is not wheelchair accessible due to the steps at the entrance. But definitely worth the visit. Price for 2 people, with 3 tapas plates to start, two mains, two Desserts and 2 glasses of wine was just under £200, which is respectable for a Michelin star restaurant.

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Brad Greenwood . 2023-09-24

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Lovely people, great food and first class service. Would not hesitate to recommend to anyone.

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Nick Jenkins . 2023-08-26

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I'm Spanish and this is just a joke, very overpriced. Only worthy bits we tried are starters. Rice salty and overcooked - avoid

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Bego Carod . 2023-08-17

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It is quite a nice restaurant, we were greeted by a friendly and casual-formal atmosphere. The menu was simple but with good options. I tried the tuna special and the flavour was really good. My wife tried the pork and it was not as espectacular but it was ok. The children menu has one option: croquetas. They were delicious but my kids didn't eat them, they ate the potatoes instead. The bill was on the high end, hence my rating. The overall value could improve but it is a very good option to dine in.

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Daniel Picado . 2023-08-15

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Excellent food espeically the prawn and seafood rice. Great sangria. We were all having a great time over there.

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Candy C WONG . 2023-08-10

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Excellent food, but the poor acoustics and heat from the kitchen are unpleasant.

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Dave Richardson . 2023-08-10

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Pleasantly surprised. Visited for lunch one saturday. The set menu offers exceptional value for money and the quality of cooking on offer is top notch. The team cook a superlative fish. No mean feat.

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I8314ICjog . 2023-08-05

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Wife desperately needed the toilet, wasn't rude and asked if she could use their facilities. Matre de said I need to ask my manager. Manager looked at my wife and said no sorry, customers only! He could see my wife was desperate but still said no. The place was empty and just thought it was impolite to refuse a basic human right. I even confronted him and he said this is private property. Whole thing was, I believe unacceptable. The Ivy, on the other hand could see my wife was in need and gladly let her in. Just think sometimes people should be a bit more kind.

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Dave Parker . 2023-08-02

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We spent 5 nights in Cambridge, our last leg in this UK trip. We decided to go for some special restaurant — so Mercado Central which is located about 100m from Trinity College is very central and easy to access. Ambience and service was excellent. The restaurant was fully booked when we got there. We ordered several plates to share including steak and also octopus. All very well executed, but lacked the “wow” factor. Wine list decent, though the experience would have been enhanced with a good sommelier. Overall still an enjoyable meal in historic Cambridge — still one of the special place for me.

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KotaKidTraveller . 2023-07-30

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The food all *looked* great but was either too salty, barely warm, or flavorless. The croquettes were delicious but not even close to hot. The octopus had great flavor but again, was only barely warm. The olive oil for the sourdough was soooo salty and had a chunk of plastic in it. The steak main dish was the best thing we ate, cooked to a perfect medium rare. The prawns in rice was flavorless but piping hot. These items plus a £47 bottle of wine totaled £176. Not worth the price at all. Would not go back nor recommend.

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Monica Smith . 2023-07-30

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A michelin recommand? This is one of the rare occasions when I regret trusting michelin reference. Super salty food, feeling thirsty hours after the dinner. And very expensive too...well, price is definitetly michelin star level. Would not visit again...

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weibojiang . 2023-07-28

MORE AT Google

One of our favourite Cambridge spots. Nice food, though they were out of muscles by the time we sat down already, which was a bit disappointing.

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Denis Kaminskiy . 2023-07-28

MORE AT Google

Great as always! Amazing tapas and wine.

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Daniela Nascimento . 2023-07-27

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the rice with prawns are too salty. When I suggested this, got no response. Cannot believe it.

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xiaoya xun . 2023-07-26

MORE AT Google

Came for dinner with 5, service was excellent and the food was amazing, really interesting dishes and combinations, great for sharing but if you want your own dish that's all covered too. Reasonably priced for the quality of food as well - would thoroughly recommend.

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Charlieeatsout . 2023-07-23

MORE AT TripAdvisor

We were delighted with our anniversary lunch. Everything on the set Lunch Menu was excellent, including the house wine. What comes across most is the freshness of the ingredients and depth of flavour. Prompt, helpful and friendly buy unobtrusive service. We immediately wanted to return and try the other dishes.

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Abhayamati CBC . 2023-07-16

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