The Kingston Arms, Cambridge

With so many great back street boozers in close proximity, this needed something a bit different to stand out. How about two coal fires side by side - with space for about two tables inbetween? How about Bass? How about a Bathams Pump Clip that means it must have been on at least once. Very good beer - including a well curated Belgian/German bottle selection.

Very busy on my visit, the L shaped room with eight handpumps on the bar, I went for a tried and trusted Salopian Oracle and found it to be in good nick. I'd like to try the pub when less busy but what I saw I liked.

First time to visit the ‘new’ Kingston Arms since it reopened in March last year as a wet led pub after a period being a Greek restaurant and then being closed. Same internal layout as the old Kingston Arms but this time with 8 real ale pumps on the bar instead of the plethora to compete with the Cambridge Blue of the previous incarnation. I liked the old one and I liked this one and good to find it being well utilised on an early Friday evening. Nice line up of ale styles as described below and my Blue Monkey Plus 1 IPA was spot on. And as Steve also describes below, any pub where you get free scoff is worth an extra point.

The Kingston Arms is an L-shaped pub with seating across the front windows between the two front entrances. There was a retirement party in progress here during my visit on Friday afternoon last week. As I passed they kindly allowed me to pinch a few sausages from the platter, which saved me having to fork out for a pork pie from the bar. Eight hand pumps are supported, the cask was Tring Brewery’s Side Pocket, Osset’s White rat, Bass, Blue Monkey Brewery’s Plus 1, Windsor & Eton’s Knight of the Garter, Salopian’s Oracle, Batemans’ Dark Mild and Lords Brewery’s Corax Stout. Craft keg was also available from the friendly bar staff who were kept busy by the thirsty crowd. Past the bar up the long right-hand side is access to the picnic table lined beer garden out back. It was just as busy out here with all the tables taken. I liked it in here and would be very happy if my local was anywhere near as good.

The Bass glazing and Hewitt’s lanterns (see photos) seem to have arrived since the current operator moved in in 2023, otherwise the interior is largely as described below. It was very busy on our PuG crawl of a Friday at just gone 6.30pm, with a good buzz from a mixed crowd. The cask lineup amounts to eight, my half of Windsor and Eton’s Koh-I-nor at £2.40 tasting not bad at all and at a fair price. This is definitely worth a visit, but it’s perhaps a bit too busy for comfort.

Official site of The Kingston Arms - www.instagram.com

Official site of The Kingston Arms - www.instagram.com