Midsummer House

Featured reviews

• M

  Mazen Altamimi

  ·1 month ago

  “We set out to discover Cambridge—what a lovely, sophisticated, elegant and illustrious city. Along the way, we also discovered Midsummer House and chef Daniel Clifford: equally refined, yet wonderfully understated. The gracious service began before we even entered the restaurant. A gentleman welcomed us on the path, ushered us in and immediately made us feel looked after. We settled into the lovely garden for a pre-lunch drink before being shown into the bright, uplifting dining room. We chose the three-course menu to leave time to explore Cambridge, and it proved creative, beautifully rounded and deeply satisfying. Prepared in an open kitchen, every dish was faultless in its presentation, temperature, texture and taste. From the bread and butter to the bottereaux, the attention to detail was evident throughout. My family and I loved everything about the restaurant: its location, design, table settings and even the calming music. We were also welcomed into the immaculate kitchen, where we met the head chef and his team. To top it all off, Daniel joined us for coffee and a conversation about our culinary experiences—a personal touch that made an already memorable lunch feel truly special. Midsummer House and chef Daniel Clifford are a treat!”

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• B

  Beata

  ·2 months ago

  “We had the most wonderful experience at Midsummer House, where I recently enjoyed the Corpus menu with my parents. From beginning to end, everything was truly exceptional. The food was absolutely stunning - beautifully presented, creative and refreshing, with every course feeling incredibly considered and special. The wine pairings were equally outstanding and complemented each course beautifully. The service was impeccable. From the moment we were welcomed, the entire team were attentive, warm and professional, with everything flowing so effortlessly and seamlessly throughout the experience. It was a real pleasure to share such a memorable dining experience with my parents. Thank you to the entire team at Midsummer House for making our visit so special. I very much look forward to returning again.”

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• K

  Kate Hoyle

  ·3 months ago

  “Where do I start? I want this to be helpful so TLDR these are the questions I had: 🍏 Is it worth it? Yes. 🍏 Should you arrive early? No - go to the pub next door (and have coffee on the terrace after your meal). 🍏 what should I wear? Smart casual: most men were in shirts. Don’t disrespect the house with torn jeans or scruffy trainers, but other than that wear what’s comfortable. 🍏 Reviews are personal opinion, no more. Honestly, the food is superb and the venue enhanced by close attention to detail like the apple tree theme throughout and beautiful locally made glasswear. We opted for lunch and most people were there for some sort of celebration. Embrace the experience- it starts before you even arrive. I received an email from Lily confirming our reservations and food intolerances which made me feel like a valued customer. If you have any special requests, make them early rather than springing them on the staff on the day. We have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed fabulous food and restaurants across many years and our Midsummer House experience is one of our favourites. The food is superb. If you read reviews criticising the dishes, treat them for what they are - expressions of personal taste. There’s a dedicated development kitchen and each dish will have gone through many iterations before ever making it into the restaurant. Each dish was lovingly crafted with precision and a combination of elements that all complement each other. There’s often a twist or surprise in a dish to keep things interesting. But the real skill is creating a tasting menu that flows seamlessly. We’ve had other meals where individual dishes were delicious but they didn’t all work together. Daniel Clifford and his team have taken the real heroes of the meal - superb ingredients - and elevated them to something that’s both unexpected and delightful. The food is not the only story here though. The full experience is delivered by front of house. We were lucky enough to be taken care of by the delightful, engaging and knowledgeable Katie. All members of the team clearly want to make your visit as enjoyable as possible. This isn’t a job you turn up to and get through with the least effort possible - it’s a vocation. We didn’t go for wine pairing, after my last attempt which ended up with me being very worse for wear! But that meant we had the benefit of excellent advice from the sommelier who not only knew everything about the wines on offer, but was clearly enthusiastic about each one and determined to find the most suitable selection for the dishes and personal preference. Daniel has created a tight-knit band of professionals, a family. Treat it as if you’re entering their home and you will be rewarded by the best experience they can create. Meeting Daniel absolutely topped off a brilliant afternoon. He was engaging, honest and every bit as nice as we’d hope he would be. Thank you team Clifford for making a superb meal into a memorable occasion.”

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• P

  Park S

  ·4 months ago

  “While there were some lovely moments, I left feeling underwehlmed overall — especially given the Michelin-level expectations. The opening bites were excellent, and I particularly enjoyed the wholesome onion soup, anchovy-flavoured pastry stick, and the cuvée. The cooking throughout was technically strong: the salmon and beef were both impeccably prepared. The issue, for me, was composition. A tomato sorbet served over a mound of shaved fermented parmesan felt awkward in both texture and balance, overwhelming the freshness of the dish. The salmon, though delicious, had an oddly casual sweetness that reminded me more of inexpensive mayo-onion salmon sushi than a polished fine-dining dish, despite the caviar and careful execution. The beef course was pleasant but safe — essentially a refined, deconstructed Sunday roast without enough transformation to make it memorable. The dessert was also disappointing: a coconut mousse with lime sorbet, where the cold sharpness of the lime overpowered the delicacy of the coconut and left a slightly detergent-like impression. The later chocolate elements were much stronger, though by then I was too full to enjoy them properly. But every dish was aesthetically pleasing and technically almost impeccable. Service was generally good, though the bread that came with the beef dish was not explained. The interior was tasteful overall, but the spiky lighting fixtures felt strangely out of place. A skilled kitchen, certainly, but not a fully convincing experience.”

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• V

  Vicki

  ·7 months ago

  “Splurged on a 2 Michelin star meal during my stay in Cambridge at this highly recommended restaurant. It was a lovely meal and I really enjoyed the pescatarian option (they do a good job in confirming dietary preferences). My favorites were the trout tartlet, salmon, and the coconut parfait. It did came out expensive with everything added together, so cannot do this too often! 😮‍💨”

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  Naekyoung K

  ·8 months ago

  “We had lunch for my partner's birthday. While the food was high-quality, the value for money felt off at nearly £500 for two. Pros: Savoury dishes were technical, creative, and the highlight of the meal. Attentive and professional service. Cons: Desserts didn't match the standard of the savouries. Disappointing to be charged for water, and coffee without being asked or prompted. Our "peaceful" lunch was disrupted by a very loud table nearby. It’s a shame to have a premium experience spoiled by having to listen to random people boasting about their wealth. It was a good one-off, but not sure I would rush back.”

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• T

  Trying to give my true opinion

  ·8 months ago

  “We came here for a 40th birthday celebration. So it was a special occasion. The food and service was absolutely amazing, we couldn’t fault it. We had the tasting menu, which I believe is all they do on evening and weekends. We decided to splurge and get the wine pairing to go alongside it. On the menu it said 100ml per glass serving, but as the waiters/waitresses were free pouring, I’d say it was more like 75/80ml. Everything other than the atmosphere was (in our opinion) incredible. The way the dishes were made/put together, the flavours, the intricacy of each dish, the creativity. However, sadly the interior of the actual restaurant where you dine was hugely outdated. I felt like I was dining in someone’s conservatory, which essentially what it was. It was a real shame because if they had some low music playing, the lights dimmed/lamps/candles and more modern up-to-date interior, than everything would have been 5*. Even though the food and service was exceptional for us, we do take into account atmosphere and unfortunately it was lacking. Would I come here again? possibly not, but not because of anything other than it was very expensive, and for that price I would prefer to experience other Michelin restaurants. We have a very long list to get through. The set menu meal with wine pairings plus service charge for two people cost just under £1000.”

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• A

  Arianne New

  ·11 months ago

  “Incredible service and food, deserving of their two Michelin star. The food quality and creativity has only been met at other two Michelin star restaurants globally. Genuinely a lovely experience. We came here for my birthday and the team were so welcoming and hospitable! We will return.”

• J

  John Stein

  ·1 year ago

  “A lovely experience overall! A must-visit spot for those staying in the area. Would highly recommend finishing with the desserts and garnishes in the outdoor garden. The integrated flavors were delightful, with beautiful presentations. Sorbets and pâtés were common across the courses. Thank you for a great dining experience!”

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  Alexis S

  ·1 year ago

  “This is was an experience well worth the price tag. I live near this restaurant and walk by it every day. From the outside it looks nice but unassuming and on the inside it is much the same. However, it is like nested dolls, when you think that is it there is still more. I loved it. I left the experience feeling like I had spent the day at a spa. The food was delicious but also interesting. My favourite was the pigeon leg because it was very evocative. For the taste I loved the first course and the bread. My husband and I finished the meal with digestives and coffee upstairs in the parlour and it was perfect. Of course the service was exceptional but it was also unpretentious. I was expecting it to be very posh and stuffy even, but it was not. There was a homey atmosphere to the restaurant and to the service. I enjoyed every second and I highly recommend trying this place at least once.”

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