MJP@TheShepherds in South Cambridgeshire

Four of us had a fabulous lunch today, Sunday 24th March. The food was absolutely exquisite and the service was charming and efficient. The dishes were all beautifully balanced and nicely presented and we will certainly return for a tasting menu experience. Highly recommended.

Overpriced, over-hyped, overcooked fish. Unbalanced flavours. Unrendered duck skin, schoolboy errorsUndersized "small" plates. Underwhelming experience. A touch of arrogance to boot.

From start to finish it was fantastic. I was assured before booking that catering for my coeliac disease would be no issue, and I was not disappointed. Virtually everything on the menu was gluten free or could be tweaked slightly to make it so. I can’t tell you how much of a luxury it is to be able to pick anything off the menu! The amuse-bouche we were greeted with was charming and a nice surprise (yummy too). We opted for a couple of starters/small plates which were all perfect and delicious. Drinks were great and mocktails were very reasonable (£6 as opposed to some places where you’re charged the same as an alcoholic drink…). The service was absolutely fantastic, the staff were incredibly attentive and knowledgeable about the menu as well as my dietary requirements. We can’t wait to come back!

We were looking for somewhere to eat on our last night in Cambridge and didnt want to go into the City.Found this restaurant on line & rang. Fortunately got a table as they were very busy. Menu was explained to us by the waitress and included small plates (starters) & mains large or small. Food was excellent, beautifully presented. Ambience was lovely.

I hosted a private dinner party for 20 people for my husband’s birthday here and it was truly fabulous. We chose here because we had eaten here before and so knew that the food would be great, but they truly pulled out all of the stops to ensure that it was a great night. From the moment that we arrived for the champagne reception we were totally looked after. We had a bespoke customised menu that took into account everyone’s likes and dislikes. They allowed us to be super fun with some of the choices - don’t judge us but espresso martinis instead of coffee with petit fours should be available everywhere! And lastly but by no means least, the service was just perfect. Everyone commented on how every course came out at exactly the same time for everyone even though we were a big group. Also everyone was so well attended to, but it never felt fussy or oppressive or like we were annoying - which I am quite sure we must have been, because we were quite a boisterous group! Wholeheartedly recommend.

What an amazing evening! We went for dinner with some friends, and had a lovely time. You get all the attention to detail and exciting flavour combinations of fine dining, but without the fussiness or eye watering bill at the end. The service was top class, and the tasting menu was varied and well paced - the picanha steak and the chocolate mousse were two highlights, but it was all gorgeous. It's brilliant that you can get this level of cooking in a jeans-and-a-nice top kind of relaxed atmosphere. We'll be back, with the family next time!

Delicious drink and good service, perhaps waited a little long between courses. Nice pub with high end restaurant prices. Interesting food, although perhaps style over substance on some occasions - fish was exceptional though. Small plates really are small and not really suitable for sharing which we weren't advised - next time I would order a small plate for a starter and a large late for a main with sides to share. Delightful meal though and nice to be able to try lots of different things. Should have left feeling more full considering we had 8 courses!! Would def go back but order differently

Lunch today - great looking food, fantastic flavours and textures, attentive service and good value for money

Amazing attention to detail the food and experience was fantastic

Welcoming smiles greeted us as soon as we entered the door. We enjoyed a lovely tasting menu plus wine flight. Each course including the amuse bouche and the bread were fabulously prepared, presented, and tasted. The wine flight matched the dishes so well. There must've been 25-30 covers on during our time, and everyone was superbly looked after by the 2 staff. amazing time and skills of the kitchen and the 2 front of house staff. Can't wait to return and try from the a la carte menu!

Wonderful evening - we had the 7 course tasting menu and the associated wine flight. Each course was excellent and service was spot on. I would recommend.

Welcoming smiles greeted us as soon as we entered the door. We enjoyed a lovely tasting menu plus wine flight. Each course including the amuse bouche and the bread were fabulously prepared, presented, and tasted. The wine flight matched the dishes so well. There must've been 25-30 covers on during our time, and everyone was superbly looked after by the 2 staff. amazing time and skills of the kitchen and the 2 front of house staff. Well done and thanks!

Fine dining pub. Interesting menu, great choices. Will be going back!!

We had an excellent meal at the restaurant. Loved the variety of high quality dishes and option to order plates for us to share. Excellent dining experience and will be going back.

We had the set menu for dinner and it was outstanding. We will certainly be back. The service was very friendly and relaxed, the dishes were exquisite and plenty of food (more than a small lady could eat in my case)

So looking forward to visiting this resturant We had Sunday lunch ok but could have done better at home sono treat for me dessert was a nothing two slices of battenburg cake Marks and spencer sell better was hoping to go and have a tasting menu some time but now This review is a first for me but felt I ought to let people I was going to try for the conferences that I often have to organise What a shame

Outside the centre of Cambridge, was a good place to stop off for lunch on the way in. Our friends from Saffron were not aware of its existence but said they would for sure be going again. Restaurant in what was a pub. Very good food and service. Enjoy.

Lovely little restaurant bar and hotel. Well renovated. Best described as old and romantic. With modern rooms.

Did not expect to find this level of restarant in this small out of the way village. Situated a little way of the A14 in an old Inn which is itself converted cottages gives it a real presence in a building that has history. Relaxing atmosphere and great front of house staff complement the stunning good food. We decided against the tasting menu but took the opportunity to try a range of the dishes. All were excellent, well presented and all if the highest quality. Great food in a good setting with a lovely ambience. This place deserves its michellin status and is somewhere not to miss if your in area.

Cet avis concerne le restaurant uniquement. Nous avons déjeuné ici un samedi midi et pris le menu à £27.5 : le moins que l'on puisse dire c'est qu'il a un excellent rapport qualité/prix. Même si les portions sont supposées être "petites", cela convenait parfaitement à mon appétit. De l'entrée au dessert (gâteau au caramel - une tuerie), tout était délicieux, très fin. La prochaine fois, nous viendrons le soir pour le menu dégustation qui semble peu onéreux au vu de la qualité des plats. Qui plus est, le service est très sympa, tout en respectant les codes de la profession. Ce restaurant vaut vraiment le déplacement.

Truly lovely evening. Ambiance and staff were relaxed and genial. Friendly and very helpful with advice about the menu. Gave us time for a relaxed and delightful evening. We all chose the taster menu with a few tweaks . Portions were just right and it enabled us to appreciate the skills of the chef with some wonderful flavours and all beautifully presented. All supported by a very good flight of wines. Loved the idea you could have varied portion sizes too. Highly recommend and will definitely return

We ate there with friends - catching up and we each ate traditionally - 3 courses (therefore large main). Service was super relaxed and friendly from the guy who seemed to work most of the tables. All our food was tasty and beautifully presented as expected but the fish was very cool on the plate and you definitely need sides as the portions are on the small side (not that we were expecting heaped plates at this fine dining restaurant). 2 of us who had it should have said but didn’t want to be out of kilter on eating mains with the others. Maybe some warm home bread would help with portion size? It’s very rare we ever leave being anywhere feeling peckish. It’s expensive sitting at the £100+ / head mark for aperitif, 3 courses plus sides which you need & wine so with competition in Cambs that’s most probably why it wasn’t full on a Saturday night and we could book at short notice .

What no one can deny is that restaurants are among the most beautiful places where we can go and enjoy our time. When we are on the weekend we go with our family or with friends . Also, on holidays and at the end of the year, there are no places better than restaurants to go to. There are many types of restaurants and each of us has his favorite restaurant in which he relaxes and likes to go to. Some of us go to a restaurant that serves fast food like pizza and hamburgers. Some of us like restaurants that offer home food, such as rice, chicken and meats of all kinds. As for me, I like to go to a restaurant that serves home food.

We had the set lunch menu and it was very good - it was like a party of flavours, all with their own distinctive taste and character - its quite incredible how many distinct flavours were in every bite, it was a real display of culinary mastery. I think for both of us our favourite was a courgette dish - I've never liked courgette and this was one of top three meals of all time. It was so crisp and fresh, had i seen it on the menu I would never have chosen it so glad to have the opportunity to have my eyes opened to what courgette can be. Ambience wise we were very impressed with attention to detail, the choice of cutlery, lighting, the classic styling were it mattered, i could go on... we really loved it.

The modern British take on nouvelle cuisine is outstanding. Everything works perfectly - from the friendly, knowledgeable staff to the chef patron patrolling the restaurant as well as the kitchen. You pay for food and service of this quality, and you will not be disappointed. You can choose from a range of plates and make them smaller or larger depending on how you construct your meal. We had two vegetarian starters - which were original and interesting, and two fish mains that were very well sauced and beautifully presented. Wines by the glass are reasonably priced. Desserts were delicious. Inevitably with such cuisine, the portions look smaller than average but you will be full at the end of the meal.

Lovely rooms and great service.

Had an amazing lunch. The food was delicious. Nice quiet and relaxed atmosphere. Highly recommend

First visit absolutely brilliant. Today the Main course was incredibly salty but I couldn’t eat half the beef as I just couldn’t get a knife though it at all so it was left uneaten on the plate I did tell the staff and was just told that they had told the chefs. Disappointing especially as rest of the meal was good. After today I am not sure I want to go back which is a real shame

We had the seven course tasting menu along with the flight of wine. Just perfect. The whole experience was faultless from start to finish. Food is outstanding - creative, seasonal and utterly delicious. Service was impeccable - friendly and knowledgeable. The open kitchen and chef serving some of the courses just added a nice personal touch. Clearly on route for a Michelin star. Hopefully we’ll be back before then!

Really lovely restaurant with delicious food, good service and a lovely atmosphere.

Faultless. Great staff. Warm welcome Interesting menu with lots of choice. We went for the small plates so we could manage 3 courses. But those with Bigger appetite may want to choose the bigger portions and extra vegs. Can’t wait to visit again and try something else

The most beautiful, simplistic yet unpretentious setting with some amazingly beautiful food. The open kitchen, the amazingly generous space between tables, the service and of course, the food is all faultless. This restaurant must be so close to its first Michelin Star. I won’t write about the food, it speaks for itself and you need to go!

A great evening spent with friends enjoying fantastic food! As the only gluten free diner in the group, I could not have enjoyed a meal more. We all chose the 8 course taster menu, which I highly recommend, and I was thrilled to be able to enjoy the same amazing plates as everyone else because my dietary needs had been catered for with little or no evidence that any of my dishes were any different. Fantastic food served by a lovely team who ensure you enjoy your evening from start to finish. Thank you.

We spent 2 nights bed & breakfast the room was quite nice needed a thorough clean marks on the walls dust in corners & along the skirting boards shower door wasn’t very clean but bed linen & towels were immaculate nice tea & coffee supplies,...

First time here, and it was an Amazing evening… just perfect in every way. We loved the concept … gorgeous snacks and starters and every main dish plate can be large or small so you can get to try more dishes and share if you...

Amazing restaurant with fantastic food. Great presentation and service.

Fantastic food at eminently reasonable prices. Served with a friendly, personal touch. If you live in Cambridge this restaurant should be on your bucket list.

We experienced a tasting menu with wine flight. It was stunning. Every dish was amazing in its own special way and the wine combinations with them was sublime. Really friendly explanations of wines and dishes. Very friendly service too. We will be back for sure!

We had dinner at this wonderful restaurant on Thursday evening . Mark , the owner cooked for us and I have to say it was amazing …. he is a culinary genius . Everything was perfection . If you get the chance please go ,...

A wonderful experience. The thoughtful refurbishment of the historic building has produced a welcoming and intimate dining space. We started our evening with cocktails in the snug and then moved to our table for delicious food from the a la carte menu, which we could...

Always an absolute delight to try new dishes with tasting menu. Amazing quality of food

Fantastic meal as always with Mark and the team. The staff create a warm, welcoming environment and are very attentive. I would highly recommend visiting MJP @ The Shepard’s for any occasion you have. I can’t wait to experience Mark Poynton at Caistor Hall and see what creations they’ve come up with there.

We experienced the 7course taster menu with seven courses and seven wines one for each course. The foods and wine was outstanding along with the service

Great atmosphere, feels like just any local restaurant but the foods they serve here are special. Pork taco, cod roe and chilli crab were all remarkable. Great selection of appetisers, can’t wait to try new ones in the future. Sea trout was fine, although for me couldn’t feel any difference from salmon. Came with salmon roe instead of caviar which wasn’t informed properly so this should be improved. The taste was good. Venison was better than I expected, quite juicy and tender although could have more flavour. Duck was absolutely disappointing. Couldn’t cover the wild animal smell even with herbs. The meat was very chewy and was hard to swallow. Not sure if it meant to be like that but I do not recommend this dish. They don’t have service charge which was bit surprising. I liked how you can choose the size of portion and create your own course. Might come back in few months time to try again.

We popped in Sunday 12th February just before they closed for lunch and was pleased to find they could squeeze us in. I had the best roast beef lunch, how the chief packed that much flavour into one plate of food I’ll never know, my wife had the veloute and she was very pleased with it. We also had a little mini loaf of bread with some homemade salted butter that I can’t recommend enough. Top job all round. We’ll be heading back soon to try some of the other food on the menu.

Mixed feelings on this. The food was excellent, wine, also top notch, obviously a lot of care and though. Service was good and friendly, but not quite the level expected from a restaurant of this calibre - no complaints, but not quite there. The portion sizes were very small; £11 for 1 carrot, cut in half with sauce; £26 for two slices of duck breast - delicious though it was. We left hungry and had to "top up" back at home - disappointing, especially at the price. In summation, a good experience and one I'm glad I've had. Would I go again? No. Would I recommend? Only on a full stomach.

We treated ourselves to a tasting menu of the food soon to be served at Caistor Hall. The food was superb as expected from someone with Mark's history and the attention to detail was supreme. Delicate and subtle flavours with beautiful presentation. Furthermore, the service...

We visited for a last minute lunch and had a really wonderful meal. I am surprised at some of the negative reviews on here as we couldn’t fault it. Relaxed, welcoming and friendly service, with food that was great quality and beautifully presented without being...

We went for our anniversary and decided to go for the Chef's tasting menu. To start with they asked us what sort of foods we didn't like so they can select dishes appropriatly, which i thought it was great! Can't fault any of the plates, every course was delicious. The portions are small plates, as they should be in a tasting menu so I wouldn't recommend if you are looking for bigger plates. For me they were the right size for the menu we choose. The service was also amazing, taking into account our choices and even suggesting wine options thay fit our preferences. They have 2-course and 3-course menus as well, which we will definetly go to try in the future. Highest recommedation in Cambridge!

We had a wonderful lunch here and the food tasted absolutely delicious. We've eaten at many restaurants that serve high class and delicious food such that is served here but we've always been offered bread with our meal. To offer bread should be standard in...

We had a wonderful lunch here and the food tasted absolutely delicious. We've eaten at many restaurants that serve high class and delicious food such that is served here but we've always been offered bread with our meal. To offer bread should be standard in great establishments such as this one but they neglected to do so which was a great shame. Even though we appreciate this is a Haute Cuisine establishment, the food portions were a lot smaller than they should have been. We left there still feeling hungry.

We ate here over a year ago and this has been our first opportunity to return. The reviews on TripAdvisor reviews were a little concerning. However, we all enjoyed a perfect lunch of wonderful flavours and style. The young lady (front of house) explained the...

Not impressed, food was nice but nowhere near where it should be for the prices charged. Awkward entrance to the place (through the car park in the back, unlit), restaurant was too quiet for a Friday evening and the focus seemed more on selling books rather than food quality. Won’t return.

We all had the tasting menu. We started with cocktails which were just put on the table and we had to work out which one belonged to whom! The food was good but the service was not. The radio was playing tinny music. The waitress couldn’t advise on wine. A couple of times I was asked to pass the food down the table which for over £100 per head was poor. We travelled a long way to get here and feel very let down.

Style over substance Food 5/5 Wine 5:5 Service 1/5 There was no attention to detail We didn’t feel special We paid for the tasting menu but there was no explanation of each course. Ambivalent and luke warm service. Will not recommend or return. .

Our third family meet up for a Sunday lunch well above the norm. The excellent beef and Yorkshire is available alongside fine dining dishes in small or larger portions - the best sort of culinary pick and mix. Staff are welcoming and just as attentive...

Went on a Sunday with family. Had heard gt things about this place. Had proved hard to get into. So on entering dining room at lunchtime we were greeted by what sounded like a tinny radio playing Oasis tribute songs at full volume directed at...

Went for a Sunday meal. Food had good flavour, maybe too much flavour, with a theoretical make-your-own-tasting-menu. There ends the good news. Reluctant service, a not quite clean wine glass, and I suspect the "sirloin" plate had rump on it, as it would have been the toughest sirloin I've ever chewed. Also, selling filtered tap water feels a bit disingenuous. Pretensions to fine dining require the corresponding effort.

I was very excited to visit this restaurant and booked a lunch there for my birthday. First, their service lets them down. We were frowned upon for ordering tap water as opposed to their paid for filtered tap water. We ordered the sirloin steak with...

I can’t fault this place. We were given the option of the tasting menu or to choose our own dish, each of which was incredible. We were served by the man himself Mark Poynton. What a lovely guy who was so accommodating and recommended what...

We had the vegetarian tasting menu. To say at the start, nothing was bad but I would say three stars reflects the overall experience fairly, considering the price (£80). I’ve had several tasting menus in Cambridge, at similar price points, and this was definitely the...

At £80 for a tasting menu this isn’t far from Michelin Star prices, but a long way from that quality. Service and sommelier is very rough and lacking in training. Most dishes roughly served on the same plates with little sophistication of pairing or production....

We had the taster menu and it was okay but no wow moment. Best thing we had was the bread. Staff attentive and pleasant. Not worth the money. Food a bid beige both in taste and colour. A lot of truffle.

Excellent. It ticked all the boxes for me. Service was at an excellent pace, the waiting staff were really helpful, the food was great, and the wine that the waitress recommended was spot on. The best meal out in a long time. I'll be back.

Nice contact before arriving, very nice room with easy parking so all good so far. We really could have done with some info on local taxis but we managed to get an Uber with no probs, we are just about to head out for dinner...

We visited today on the off chance without a booking and although fully booked they managed to accommodate us which was lovely as it was our first wedding anniversary. The food and service was second to none and the explanation of choices of menus and...

Each dish was delicious and carefully presented. Generous quantity of fabulous bread, butter and olives set the tone. We had small plate starter of salmon parfait, which looked as pretty as a picture and tasted marvellous. Large plate main was lamb rump with a cute...

We were a party of five, plus baby in buggy, for lunch, and we were made very welcome. I'd spoken to the restaurant when booking, to warn them about our vegetarian who is alergic to both cow's dairy and soy, and there was a specially...

Fantastic food - the tasting menu for £70pp was really amazing, thoroughly enjoyed all courses and flavours. Staff were great too, very knowledgeable. For a special occasion this is a great place, made our graduation dinner very special. Some of the things we had included...

My husband and I came for dinner. The food was excellent quality and carefully prepared, but the portion sizes were rather small. They would have been appropriate for a tasting menu but we were having the traditional starter and main so we were a little...

A fabulous meal in basic, but nicely laid out surroundings. Great service with good advice on wine and explanations of each course. Adapting the tasting menu to our dietary needs was fuss free and every course from the bread at the beginning to the melted...

If you set up a restaurant based on small plates as a taste experience it needs to deliver. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case… the olives were great but everything beyond that was disappointing. Asparagus on crushed potatoes was bland, likewise the other vegetarian offerings. £100...

A friend and I enjoyed a lovely meal here. We both had trout to start which was a perfect start to whet our appetite for what was to come. I had the lamb which was very soft and full of flavour, garnished with delicious and...

The food at MJP@TheShepherds was an underwhelming lazy effort. I expected much more but I had the distinct impression that they are relying on the name of a Michelin star chef - well, a former one - but not delivering. I wasn't expecting a Michelin...

We decided to go for the tasting menu, where the chef selects 6 dishes from his menu, you also get a trio of pre menu snacks. What a wonderful experience, One of the very best meals we have had dining out in the Cambridge area

Poor portions, very over priced, went here with friends who were celebrating there anniversary shocked at the prices and very poor sevice, food was very average, hygine was of a very poor standard, all in all luckily will not be back!!!!

Fur coat and no knickers as the saying goes.. Just good pub food.. I've had just as good at half the price..

Spent the weekend here while attending newmarket 2000 guineas.. A gorgeous hotel and restaurant.. The rooms are beautiful stable conversions and the food is first class..staff are the most helpful and well informed on where to go and how to get there.. Can't recommend highly...

Great food, great service and great ambiance. Portion sizes just right with 3 courses. Perfect meal re booked for 4 weeks time 👍

The food really is excellent. Even the bread and butter. I get that you are also paying for ambience and service, but the cheapest part of any meal is the ingredients and in a starter and large mains we only had about 3 mouthfuls of...

The Shepherds was always a characterful pub in a mediaeval building. Mark has converted it into fine dining, without losing any atmosphere. Having eaten some of their "at home" meals during lock down, I finally took my wife for Sunday lunch for our anniversary. The...

I went in a party of six for dinner. The service, the menu, the food, the wine, the ambience were all exceptional. Another wonderful evening.

We’d heard good things about this restaurant and they were all true. The food was excellent - fresh and very well flavoured, the service was friendly, welcoming, prompt and professional, the wine was delicious and the ambiance was lovely. Three of us had the set...

Tiny portions of uninspiring food and ridiculous prices. Nouvelle cuisine in the extreme. Extortionate prices for tiny portions and, to add insult to injury, forced to listen to a long, pretentious spiel about the food and ingredients before ordering, very disappointing!

We went with friends & had an amazing meal. We chose the tasting menu, which was excellent. We all tried to decide which course was our favourite - the wood pigeon was definitely a winner, but it was a difficult decision as all courses were...

I went back with some work colleagues for a celebration lunch and this time we had the tasting menu with the flight of wines. Bradley introduced each course with a relaxed style, and there was a genius in the kitchen in Mark Poynton. You really...

Went last night for a birthday party meal. Absolutely fantastic from front of house greeting to the food itself, this is the first time we had gone out for a ‘posh’ meal since the first lockdown. How we had missed it. Thoroughly recommended 👍

Went out with friends to celebrate Diana's birthday at The Ancient Shepherds, aka MJP Restaurant, Mark Poynton (ex Alimentum, Midsummer House), his new venture. This was our first 'posh' meal since before The Blight. Posh being defined as anything over £50 per head in my...

We have visited this restaurant twice and absolutely love the concept, setting, staff and dishes. The chef has an excellent palette and as such, each dish is delicious. We also bought his cookbook and look forward to replicating (hopefully) some dishes at home. We are...

My second visit today and it was perfect! The first time I went in September was excellent but I felt fell short on vegetables. This has been addressed now. The food is sublime and the service is spot-on. I love being able to choose portion...

As ever MJP continues to deliver consistently high quality dishes with intense and subtle combinations of flavour and texture, allied with beautiful presentation. The menu is always evolving.

Well he certainly can cook but do eat before you go. Flavours were amazing and presentation was great but portion control was laughable. If it was a great place to enjoy the food perhaps one could be a little more forgiving but just the wrong...

The way they've done the menu is interesting but if I'm honest, a bit confusing. Small dishes, big dishes, mix and match etc. I tend to go out to enjoy myself rather than for intellectual challenge with the menu. Food was lovely, service very good....

The food was beautifully prepared and presented. We liked the ability to vary the size of the portions for each dish, allowing us to experience more of the menu. Service was just about right in terms of attentiveness. My only grumble [and it's a small...

This is a superb dinning experience and certainly one of the finest in the Cambridge area. A great tasting menu really allows the chef to show off his creative skills with produce sourced both locally and from their own garden. Attentive and knowledgable service from...

Outstanding food, service, and wine -- so exciting to have a great chef like Mark Poynton in Cambridge area. We started with delicious nibbles of cheese gougeres and smoked aubergine cones; then spectacular smoked haddock chowder; then small plates of venison and bass; then a...

The service was excellent as was all the food. It is an interesting idea to offer half dishes, but not sure how may diners take up this option. All four of us stuck to traditional starters and mains. A little surprised that potatoes and carrots...

Eaten here twice in the past week; both times were really fantastic. The food is very skilfully cooked and truly superb - really wonderful flavours and textures. Love the concept of being able to have small or large plates. Excellent wine list with interesting wine....

Really nice food with a menu set in a way that you can effectively create your own taster meal, with small & large portions available on all the main dishes. We essentially then tried most of the menu but all the options as small, which...

First time eating at The Shepherds and I was really impressed. To be honest I only recently heard of it, but now it will be a regular treat! The staff are attentive and knowledgeable, the atmosphere and decor are welcoming but not fussy. I really...