Mercado Central in Cambridge

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Fantastic food and attentive service!

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.

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.

Great menu selection. Friendly service and a lovely atmosphere!

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.

Really good. Enjoyed my bday lunch

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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!

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

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!

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

Great as always! Amazing tapas and wine.

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

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.

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.

We went for lunch to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Staff were very helpful. The kitchen was on full view and was very calm (take note Gordon Ramsay!). The staff seemed to have a good working relationship. As an ex-chef. I can recognise a well run kitchen. My steak was cooked perfectly medium rare. Will definitely go again.

The food and service were outstanding. Definitely one of the best restaurants in Cambridge. Try their cheesecake, it is incredible.

If you want to try really authentic Spanish dishes made with first rate ingredients made by cooks who know what they do, then this is the place. It is not a budget place, but then again, you will eat food that is made with love and tastes good!

The staff asked us to wait outside whilst sorting a table. After 15 mins it was clear we had been forgotten, so I went back inside to enquire only to be told they no longer had a table. Very, very poor indeed

Always superb, very authentic and supremely good ingredients x

One of the best places I have visited anywhere in the last couple of years, food and service superb, not cheap, but not excessive either.

Great service with some delicious food.

Never eaten at somewhere like this - decided to have a mix of the starters/tapas and was not disappointed. Tried octopus for first time and very nice. All dishes were lovely (aside from the frittata type thing which was just a little bland) but the star was the tomato on bread. Wow, so simple but so tasty! Nice service too

The taste of Spain in the heart of Cambridge

Photos from two different visits to Mercado. Delicious Spanish food, great wine and lovely service. Best restaurant in Cambridge.

Our favourite restaurant in Cambridge! Reminds us of our visit to San Sebastián!

There were a couple of tiny issues with my food, but my wife's was perfect. I must say that the staff were excellent and sorted out everything with no fuss at all. I would definitely eat here again as it was great flavours throughout. The simple tomato dish was brilliant, as was the cheesecake to finish. If I could give 4.8 stars, that would be a truer reflection on the overall experience.

always love an independent restaurant in our chain dominated city, this place serves good if a tad overpriced food, starters were good, mains average, would recommend having a selection of small plates

Yet again Mercado Central wins all the points for being fantastically fabulous and fabulously fantastic! Popped in with a colleague who’s new to sherry and we had a glass of each - Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado and Palo Cortado. It was my colleague’s first time drinking proper chilled dry sherry and it was just amazing to see a grin spread across his face as he exprienced it. I gotta say, Marcado Central do choose extraordinarily delicious sherries, and just as importantly, they know how to store and serve them. Their front of house staff are really fun and friendly and behind the counter are the food champions, always ready with a smile and a hello. I love this place. You HAVE to experience the sherry when you visit!!!!

Absolutely perfect in every way

High quality food, nice service, beautiful restaurant. A bit on the pricy side for the portion.

Absolutely spot on. Superb food. Interesting wine list. Particularly good sherry and Manzanilla.

We had a lovely dinner! Great food and atmosphere! Stunning service all around from beginning to end! 👌🏼 Coming from London, great experience for anyone coming to Cambridge. Highly recommend the Jamon iberico and Chicory goat cheese. Muchas gracias!

- Well cooked, good quality, tasty food - Personable waiting staff - Well created buzzy atmosphere. Not too stuffy, but still classy Great Mercado work👌

- Well cooked, good quality, tasty food - Personable waiting staff - Well created buzzy atmosphere. Not too stuffy, but still classy Great Mercado work👌

Food very good but a little overpriced - maybe because it also seemed a little overstaffed both sides of the pass and staff costs money! BEWARE: this is a premium restaurant that DOESN'T TAKE AMEX!!!!! They must have made the wrong choice of card processor ;)

Nice space and friendly service. However, the food quality and taste does not match the prices. The portions are also very small and could be more generous. The Coke also tasted like it was from a non brand cheap coke (couldn’t confirm as it came poured out vs with a bottle / can).

Very overpriced for the standard of food. Found it lacked flavour and excitement. Menu was difficult to interpret and limited, with not much variety. Was not a fine dining experience. 12.5% service charge is ridiculous. We love food and are not fussy eaters but extremely disappointed. Sangria was lovely though!

Good food and good service. A nice atmosphere, these place is right in the centre and location is excellent. Close to Kings College and other sights

One of the best restaurants in Cambridge from Aperitifs to Dessert. Food was impeccable, wine list and cocktails amazing, and our waitress was so attentive. The manager Marco is also so personable he gave us free dessert and dessert drinks! What a meal.

An exceptional restaurant. The quality of the food is superb, simply prepared with tasty sauces for the main course. Highly recommended.

Came here on the recommendation of Topjaw. Great place staff nice food good.

We were sat in a dingy side room; food was bland, tough steak, chewy squid - octopus starter was nice, but that was it; my wife watched a member of staff repeatedly wipe her nose on her hand then immediately handle glasses / crockery. The person who served us was lovely and, without asking, we were offered a refund by the manager when food went back uneaten (which we turned down). We didn't stay for dessert.

Food was tasty but portions were a bit small for the price. Would have liked more than one piece of sourdough for the gambas. Great service though

Por el precio que pagué, podría haber ido a España, comerme una buena paella y haber vuelto.

Excellent service, friendly and knowledgable staff. The food was absolutely delicious. The owner spent some time talking to us, which was also a nice touch. Will definitely return again soon and will be recommending.

My second visit and was not disappointed. Service and food both excellent. We enjoyed small plate tapas dishes instead of a main meal. Will look forward to another trip soon.

The food was no doubt delicous, seafood was very fresh. I would have liked to see more variety of dishes though, for example black rice etc. I have been there twice but felt like that I have tried most dishes already. Also, tables are a bit small, which made the whole dinning experience less relaxing. What I really didnt like was the 12.5% service charge on top of the bill. I absolutely dont mind paying more for food I like but how hard is it just show the exact prices (including whatever markups you need to add) on the menu?

Fantastic food, excellent service, cheerful staff and a special evening

Lovely decor, great service, but very average food for the price. We had the sour dough bread and olives to start which were lovely, then a very dissapointing beetroot and goats cheese dish, small, tasteless beetroot, and overpowered by a very strong goats cheese. For mains monkfish and chickpeas and hanger steak with a few bits. These were tasty, but steak and celeriac mash were cold, they were small, and at £30 ish, it was really quite a stretch to call this anything but distinctly average and overpriced. We were there for less than an hour and a half and paid £133, with wine and one beer.

This place has been on my list for ages. Have to say I’m pleased I finally made it! Everything superb and really loved the place. Can’t wait to return again and again! Go with the pig cheeks and the tomatoes. Both so far ahead of...

The service here was fantastic. The staff were very friendly and knowledgable. The bread and the Italian tomatoes we had on special were particularly good.

By far the BEST place to eat in Cambridge. Amazing food, friendly staff. i’ve been here many times and recommend Mercado to everyone i know!

Wonderful atmosphere, very friendly staff, excellent food, and possibly one of the best steaks I have ever had!

Not a bad food, but wrong principles and no space for that many tables. Short card. No draught beer! No vino de casa. Every vine bottle £40 plus! Compulsory service but not a standard 10% but 12.5% to cover 2.5% card machine service. And now cherry on the cake no espresso machine!!! No more words needed!

Very relaxed surroundings, great fresh produce and dishes that were as good as it gets . Recommended to ask for squid ink parcels and braised pork .

We booked Mercado Central for a pre-show meal based on strong reviews. Our experience agrees with many others. The restaurant looked inviting on arrival and was a delight in every way. Terrific table, friendly service and a compact, but enticing menu. Food and drink were...

Very enjoyable meal, tasty Tapas dishes. I'd recommend the prawns and Basque cheesecake. The restaurant is located in a central area of the City. The staff were friendly and accommodating here, I look forward to coming back here again soon.

Loved it here - food and staff was excellent

La atención fue muy regular desde que llegamos. El anfitrión a duras penas nos acomodó en una de las mesas. El Arroz negro tenía bien sabor, sin embargo la porción es muy pequeña tanto de arroz como del pescado. La comida fue muy costosa y no valió la pena.

Excellent food and service. Thanks!

Delicious food with really friendly service. Great location and atmosphere.

We booked a table on line and arrived very early but were able to take our table early. Staff were all faultless and a huge asset. We went all out as an early birthday celebration. The aperitif of Estella and Cava cocktail were very good....

Authentic Spanish restaurant in central Cambridge superb food, wine and atmosphere, a real joy to eat here.

Great evening, enjoyed by all. Amazing staff - really warm welcome, so enthusiastic, very helpful. Food was delicious. The four of us shared a variety of plates - then reordered some of our favourites!

Friendly staff vibrant atmosphere, appealing menu. However, only one person in a party of three enjoyed their food. The fish course and the vegetarian options were a disappointment. The portion size of monkfish was tiny, swamped by a pile of stodgy and not very tasty...