Bridges Cafe
20 Bridge Street, Cambridge, CB2 1UF
A zesty aroma of freshly-squeezed citrus fruit greets you as you step off one of Cambridge’s busiest streets, into Bridges café. Owners Meggy and Chan Yip have been juicing at home for years (they’re both the picture of health!) and introduced the revitalizing thirst-quenchers over 10 years ago. Made to order, the juices and smoothies – including immune boosting ginger, pear and apple, ailment combating celery, cucumber and apple, and anti-ageing blueberry & cranberry juice – use the best-quality produce from Cambridge Organic Food Company, or the sustainable Cambridge Food Hub who collects local seasonal ingredients around Cambridge.
Alongside these, Bridges serves a range of homemade cakes, from decadent Biscoff fudge brownie, traditional Victoria sponge and Guinness chocolate cake, to gluten-free lemon drizzle cake and vegan banana cake. Many are low-sugar options. There’s a delicious savoury menu featuring a variety of vegetarian dishes – the Homity Pie and Spanish baked tortilla are particularly popular – and a new hot smoked salmon lasagne introduced Summer 2022, plus salads and Italian arancini balls, toasted sandwiches and paninis with original fillings such as chickpea, curry and mango chutney.
Then there’s the new speciality homemade dishes like Korean style garlic beef or tofu, served with a choice of bread and refreshing side salad. These are Meggy and Chan’s home-cooked dishes, tried and tested by the couple’s children and friends. And this is one of many appealing aspects of this family-run business, which opened in 1997 as Bridges Patisserie, serving tea and takeaway cakes, but over time has introduced seating and embraced healthier cuisine.
As a customer, you feel like one of the extended family, savouring an aromatic coffee at the panoramic window seat or grabbing lunch at one of the tables lovingly handmade by Chan.
Alongside the cafe, Bridges caters for corporate events (nearby colleges are regular clients), serving elegant canapés, hearty baguettes, freshly toasted sourdough and appetising oriental dishes. Meggy and Chan hope to expand this arm of the business, while continuing to offer healthy eating in the heart of Cambridge.