A hidden gem on the outskirts of Cambridge
When Cambridge people plan to meet up with friends or family in Cambridge, they tend to look at venues close to home. However, looking a little bit further afield, you’ll find some fantastic restaurants away from the crowds.
The Plough in Coton is a hidden gem. It has won many awards over the years and is actually one of the top Gastropubs in Cambridge!
Great pub and atmosphere
This contemporary pub is known for serving fresh, locally sourced produce in a relaxed village atmosphere and for its friendly staff.
Crackling fires and a sunny terrace
Perfect for both summer and winter, the Plough has a cosy crackling fire for chilly winter nights and a large garden for long summer evenings.
Unlike many establishments, The Plough is open six days a week, from Tuesday to Sunday, from lunch through to dinner. It offers a relaxed, friendly atmosphere and is a fantastic pub and a destination for walkers, cyclists, families, businesses, and locals.
A new team and direction
The Plough in Coton has been owned by cousins Pasquale & Pasquale Benedetto since 2015. The younger cousin, little Pascky, has taken on a new adventure in Grantchester, Rupert Brooke.
We have dined at the Plough in Coton regularly over the years and were keen to find out if there had been any changes. The new owners, Pascky and Benita, invited us to find out more about ourselves.
A celebration of local produce
You should never change a winning concept, but it doesn’t harm to tweak it a bit! One of the most noticeable changes is a greater focus on vegetables and plant-based cuisine. The chef loves vegetables as much as I do! Just as quite a few chefs do these days, his starting point is the seasonal vegetables and then the choice of protein follows. I fully embrace this new way of creating a well-balanced menu. For many years, vegetables have been the underdog. Let’s celebrate local produce and local producers. Cambridgeshire is very lucky to have an abundance of farms, both arable and livestock, on its doorstep. There is no need for these products to be sourced from abroad.
Fine wine by the glass
Who doesn’t like a good glass of wine? I certainly do! You’re in good hands here at the Plough in Coton, as Pascky likes his wine, too! Don’t like to drink what the rest of the table is drinking but are not keen to buy a bottle of that delicious Barolo or Chianti? The Plough has a solution to this, the Coravin!
What is a Coravin? It is a tool for serving a glass of wine without wasting the rest of the bottle. Often used in good wine bars and fine-dining restaurants, but I have never seen it used in a pub. A Coravin is not only practical for the hospitality industry but also handy at home. Last Christmas, my husband gifted me one, so I can enjoy a fine glass of wine at home without wasting the rest. More about the Coravin in this link.
So what is the big deal? The Plough in Coton offers a vast selection of excellent wines by the glass, which is actually most of their wine list. I must admit that I landed in heaven! You can create your own flight of wine, even dining with your friends. Everyone can have their choice of wine. It is a wine lover’s dream!
My aperitif at the Plough was a Pecorino, followed by a glass of Barbaresco, Casali Del Barone from Piemonte. To pair with my main, I had a bit of a feistier wine, the Nebbiolo Casalli del Barone from Langhe.
About our dining experience
And the food? We loved it. In addition to its seasonal menu, the Plough always offers daily seasonal specials, so it’s an excellent pub for a great bite and an excellent glass of wine!
Most of the time, I opt for fish instead of meat, but I was tempted by the roast pigeon breast with beetroot and blackberries. It was a delicious seasonal starter. My husband opted for the Harissa Lamb Pastilla with beetroot hummus and cucumber salad, a North African starter. The combination of sweet and savoury was a real treat.
Although the braised ox cheek was very tempting, the slow-cooked lamb neck with pea and lettuce fricassee was my choice as a main for that evening. What stood out apart from the lamb were the vegetables. A tangy mint sauce tends to be served with lamb, but the combination of the vegetables and silver onions did the trick. I prefer mint sauce or any sauce with slow-roasted lamb, to be honest. I might ‘borrow’ this recipe.
The title of half-roast chicken might not have looked very sexy, but it was sweet, crisp, and succulent. Again, the combination of the vegetables was the winner. It was served with samphire, burnt corn, and red pepper salsa. My husband was in his element!
We skipped the delicious nibbles, which you could easily have as a little meze prior to dinner instead of a starter. They included homemade Focaccia, balsamic glazed chorizo, crispy spiced whitebait, shishito peppers with cumin and sea salt, house marinated olives, and Colchester Rock Oysters.
All desserts looked pretty tempting, but we could only manage one dessert between the two of us, the salted caramel tart with yoghurt and popcorn was a perfect end to a delicious meal.
So what can you look forward if you prefer to have a plant-based meal? For starters for example glazed figs and stracciatella, salt baked celeriac and for mains oyster mushroom and baby aubergine with pickles and shawarma sauce, roast pumpkin and broccoli, dukah and beetroot hummus and courgette and feta Pastilla.
There are lots of options who like to tuck into something meaty too! The steak tartare and the 35 day aged 9oz fillet steak looked pretty tempting too and the burger and fish chips as pub classics!
Happy Hour Tuesday to Friday, 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Join the Plough for Happy Hour
More exciting news! Join the Plough in Coton every Tuesday to Friday from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM for their Happy Hour.
Enjoy £5 pints or treat yourself and a friend to 2 cocktails for £12. It’s the perfect opportunity to unwind after a long day or catch up with friends over some delicious drinks.
Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve
Are you looking to celebrate in style? The Plough in Coton is open on Christmas Day, and as usual, they love to celebrate the end of the year with a big party.
p.s. New nature walk nearby the Plough in Coton soon! Cambridge, Past, Future and Present started work to create new meadows and woodlands at the Wilder Coton project.
Enjoy!
Gerla
Invite – without obligation to share my experience
Gerla