Just round the corner from Jesus Green is a real piece of the Cambridge lifestyle. Seemingly unassuming everyone from students, townies and the upper crust seem to frequent a place called The Maypole.
Setting the tone for the evening we caught the following exchange between a customer and the bartender on arrival: 'only the best quality insults here sir'.
Like most pubs and bars now,
Like a not particularly well kept secret, everyone from students to the upper crust seem to frequent a place called The Maypole
The Maypole has the obligatory covered outside area for smokers. Upstairs is a long room, great for watching rugby and available for private hire but can give the impression of being used as overflow for the two bars downstairs as it is sparsely decorated. Downstairs the main bar has a large pull down screen on which to gleefully watch your team triumph or commiserate over one the eight real ales available on tap if their performance isn't up to par. If you walk on through you'll see behind the second bar pictures of kid's sports teams the pub has sponsored over the years and other photographs that regulars have donated of their own sports teams as well. Adorning the walls are framed Guinness adverts and memorabilia as well as a couple of TV screens on which to watch whichever game appears to be on at the time.
The Maypole has its own kind of elegance and the food here has a bit of a twist. The basics of sausage and mash or burger and chips are available and decent enough but we urge you to flip the menu over and sample any of the Italian dishes. As this is the owners' own nationality this is where the food is the best. The Maypole may not look like the kind of place to indulge in a fine rustic Italian feast but the Risotto Quatro Gusti served with garlic bread was homely and wholesome, tasting like it's good for you (even though you know it blatantly isn't!). Likewise the Tagliatelle Genovese with a homemade pesto was slightly salty, satisfying and the portions are hearty to say the least, you could order starter sized bowls and still be filled. For dessert the Maypole adds an interesting slant on the sticky toffee pudding by adding lime and ginger and the apple pie and ice cream finish things off nicely.
Throwing another curve ball your way, The Maypole also has a respectable cocktail menu available. The drinks have intriguing names such as 'Tequila Mockingbird' and it also does a mean looking Appletini. So whether it's an average Tuesday night, a high profile Saturday afternoon Rugby game or cocktails 'til midnight, the Maypole is always busy, always buzzing and always doing a roaring trade.
