Updated 9 March 2018

Salt Pig closed on 24 March and the owners have reopened it as Tabanco, a Spanish Tapas Bar.

Salt Pig has changed their menu completely. During the day you have the choice out of sharing boards, salads and a 3-course lunch menu. In the evening there is a wider choice of food. We haven’t had the chance to review it yet, but once we have we will share this with you.

Review of 8 October after their opening:

It never rains, but it pours! That is certainly true in Cambridge at the moment, but then in the most positive way with so many changes in the local food scene. We have had some great new additions recently such as the new cafe of Norfolk Street bakery in Station Road and the Locker cafe in King Street, but there are some losses too. This week we received the sad news, that Afternoontease will close their doors soon. Not because the cafe isn’t successful, on the contrary, it is a very popular cafe. Jo has decided to take up a new challenge so she decided not to hand over the reigns, but t0 sell the cafe. No fear as there will be another independent moving in, the Vegan restaurant Stem + Glory. If you want to have one of her delicious Chai lattes, cheese scones or a slice of her famous Guinness cake, then you better head over to King Street!

The newest addition to the local food scene is in one of my favourite streets in Cambridge, Green Street. A street with a lot of quirky independent shops and restaurants. Green Street is now turning into a foodie hub with the recent addition of the Cambridge Gin Lab and the Mediterranean restaurant Salt Pig, another enterprise of the owners of the successful Butch Annie’s.

What is Mediterranean cuisine and which countries does it cover? This all-day Brasserie is inspired by the Grand Cafés of Europe. It is a real mix of the food and drinks of Europe, but also covers England with English wine and cheeses. You can look forward to delicious snacks and appetizers, succulent ribs, divine truffle Tortellini and the desserts such as the creme caramel are equally scrummy!  And guess what? They have a cheese trolley with English Artisan cheeses. Apart from the top end restaurants in Cambridge, you don’t come across a cheese trolley and as a Dutchie, they couldn’t have got me more excited! Salt Pig is not just a perfect place for lunch and dinner, but and excellent spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner too. 

One of my favourites on the menu at Salt Pig is the Spanish inspired food.  Two of them you certainly will recognise as Spains favourite Tapas, the mushroom croquettes and smoked anchovies. Not just these nibbles and the starters are perfect for sharing such as the smoked eel and the truffle Tortellini, but the mains like the ribs and Octopus too. It is certainly the way I would have my meal here.

I can hear you think ‘why should I share my food’. Why not? A lot of cultures share their food as having a meal is more about the social element then just feeding you. For a foodie like me, it is great as you can enjoy a lot more different flavours then if you would have a traditional English meal of a starter, main and dessert. With a party of 6, you could possibly have 18 different types of food! A no-brainer I would think? Salt Pig has a table, which can seat 14 guests so perfect to get a group of friends or family together for a Mediterranean  Sunday lunch with a twist.

There is another good reason to head off to Salt Pig. The executive chef has worked alongside the brother of the famous 3 Michelin star Spanish chef Ferran Adria , Albert Adria, a Michelin star chef too at a pop up at the Hotel Café Royal in London. He is not one, who wants to stand in the spotlight, a no-fuss chef and all about bringing good food to the table!

Gerla