LOVE LOCAL
A cup of tea with…
A catch-up and a cuppa (or should that be a beer?) with Richard Holmes, co-founder of Pint Shop on Peas Hill
I think we have found our groove bridging between the uber-cool craft beer scene and the mainstream pubs
Cambridge Edition: How are things going at Pint Shop? Richard Holmes: I think it’s fair to say there is never a dull moment! 2025 was a busy year for us. We’ve been working hard on our food menu and I’m so proud of what the kitchen team have done. Drinks- wise, the beer line-up is as strong as ever. I think we’ve really found our groove bridging between the uber-cool craft beer scene and the mainstream pubs. CE: What are your favourite dishes and tipple on this year’s winter season menus? RH: Oh, that’s a tough one to narrow down! I think one of my favourites must be the Dingley Dell pork belly with sage, fennel and lemon crumb. It’s been on the menu with various garnishes since day one. We slow cook the pork belly overnight so its super tender. This winter we’re serving it with local roasted apples and cooking juices – it’s delicious. My other favourite right now is the Mrs Bones Mixed Grill. It’s a meat lover’s dream. A big sharing platter of Scotch egg, our pork belly, flat iron steak,
I think my favourite thing is seeing customers who come in on their own, taking a little bit of time out to have a solo pint and a Scotch egg. I love that we can give that simple treat to people, it makes me so happy. CE: Any exciting plans coming up for this new year? RH: Always planning. We are going to be working on our food menu again, and are looking into sharing Sundays – big family- style roasts for the whole table. Weekend breakfast, Pint Shop style, is also in the pipeline. I’m excited about this one: the Scotch egg breakfast is going to be a thing of joy, I hope! We’re refreshing some of the house beers too, with great brewers lined up, and we also have new suppliers coming on board, so we’ll be working with more local legends of the Cambridge food scene.
sausage from Barkers in Shelford, lamb leg steak and chicken schnitzel. We pile these on chargrilled garlic flatbreads, so they soak up all the juices. Then there’s green sauce, peppercorn sauce and any two sides. It’s quickly gaining a bit of a cult following. Tipple-wise, it’s stout weather for me, so London Black from Anspach & Hobday is my go-to. It’s a nitro porter, so rich and creamy with a great roasted malt flavour. CE: How does it feel, now that you’re 12 years down the road, still seeing the venue you created alive with good vibes each day? RH: A lot has changed and happened in the past 12 years. Our industry is facing challenging times and all off the back of Covid recovery. We’ve had to adapt just to keep going but we are still here, and I feel genuinely amazed and grateful for that.
40 JANUARY 2026 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
Powered by FlippingBook