Cambridge Best Pour Café Disappoints on Coffee in 2026

Key Points

• Cambridge boasts numerous cute cafés, making choices difficult for visitors seeking late morning treats.
• Bould Brothers Coffee, a popular independent chain, has three sites in Cambridge, including the Hills Road location at 55a Hills Road.
• The reviewer visited Bould Brothers on Hills Road for coffee and pastries, expecting the ‘best pour’ based on its reputation.
• The coffee disappointed the reviewer, who was not impressed despite the café’s acclaim for its pour-over or expertly prepared brews.
• In contrast, the cinnamon buns were a highlight, praised as delicious and worth visiting for.
• Broader context: Bould Brothers is highly rated on Tripadvisor (4.6/5 from 270 reviews), often lauded for coffee quality, service, and atmosphere across branches like Round Church Street, Regent Street, and Hills Road.​
• Positive reviews highlight exceptional coffee, friendly staff, latte art, and pastries like pistachio croissants and cinnamon buns.
• Negative feedback includes lukewarm coffee, small sizes, high prices, slow service, grumpy staff, and dry cakes in some cases.​

Cambridge (Cambridge Tribune) March 14, 2026 – Cambridge, with its array of charming cafés, presents a tough choice for those seeking a quality coffee and treat, as noted in a recent personal review of Bould Brothers Coffee on Hills Road. The independent café, known for its specialty brews and pastries, drew a visitor expecting the ‘best pour’ in the city but left them unimpressed with the coffee while delighting with its cinnamon buns.​

What Makes Bould Brothers Café Stand Out in Cambridge?

Bould Brothers Coffee operates three locations in Cambridge: 16 Round Church Street, 88 Regent Street, and the newer 55a Hills Road site, each offering distinct atmospheres while maintaining a focus on quality coffee and seasonal produce. The business specialises in expertly blended drinks, cakes, and simple food, with features like table service where staff bring orders to seated customers. As described on their official site, it provides “fantastic coffee and fantastic interiors” in characterful spaces.

The Hills Road branch, recently opened, enticed visitors with the smell of roasting coffee and cohesive attention to detail, according to Tripadvisor reviewer Keenappetite94, who called it “undeniably the best place for coffee and pastries in Cambridge” in a June 2025 review. This site is particularly convenient for those arriving from the train station, positioned on the stretch from Hills Road to Regent Street.​

Why Was the Reviewer Not Impressed with the Coffee?

The reviewer, seeking a late morning treat, headed to Bould Brothers on Hills Road specifically for its reputed ‘best pour’ but found the coffee underwhelming, failing to live up to the hype amid Cambridge’s competitive café scene. This sentiment echoes some Tripadvisor experiences, such as Traveller from England, who in November 2021 noted their cappuccino from the Round Church Street branch was lukewarm, small, milky like a flat white, and cold by serving time due to slow preparation and standing trays:

“So an already lukewarm coffee is actually nearly cold by the time I get to drink it. Sadly I don’t think I’ll be returning,”

though they acknowledged good quality beans for three stars.​

Similarly, handyspanner from London, in an August 2025 review, described it as an “over hyped coffee shop” with mediocre offerings and 15-minute waits for upstairs delivery. David from Kendal, in April 2024, called staff grumpy and uninformed about equipment like burr grinders, deeming the £15/250g Hard Lines beans the “worst coffee we’ve tasted,” questioning its acclaim:

“If this is Cambridge’s best coffee shop, then poor Cambridge.”​

AwayDays Rich from Macclesfield, in January 2023, reported slow service, inadequate tables, dry cakes, and non-hot tea at an outdoor seat. These align with the reviewer’s disappointment, highlighting inconsistencies in temperature, size, and service despite the café’s specialty reputation.​

Which Coffee Options Disappointed Specific Visitors?

Specific drinks like cappuccinos and flat whites drew criticism for milkiness and cooling, while pour-over styles potentially the ‘best pour’ referenced were not directly critiqued in the visit but face broader Cambridge competition from places like Harvey’s Café offering pour-over from two beans, as per Reddit user WhichOne23 in October 2024.

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What About the Cinnamon Buns That Won Over the Reviewer?

Despite coffee letdowns, the reviewer loved Bould Brothers’ cinnamon buns, a standout amid Cambridge’s pastry offerings. Tripadvisor’s Keenappetite94 echoed this in June 2025 for the Hills Road site:

“If you are early enough the cinnamon buns are amazing!”

Bould Brothers’ Facebook post from 2021 highlighted their “delicious cinnamon buns,” noting chocolate variants too:

“We’ve given a lot of love to our delicious cinnamon buns lately, but these chocolate buns are not to be scoffed at.”

Instagram user on March 9, 2026, praised pastries as “unassuming yet delicious,” choosing a cinnamon bun alongside an almond croissant. This contrasts mixed pastry feedback, like Emmamum’s April 2025 praise for a “yummy” pistachio croissant, while others noted dry cakes.

How Do Positive Reviews Counter the Criticisms?

Bould Brothers holds a strong 4.6/5 on Tripadvisor from 270 reviews, ranked #78 of 597 Cambridge restaurants and #3 of 86 coffee spots. Lucy H from a May 2025 couples visit to Round Church Street called it the “best coffee I’ve had in a VERY long time,” praising warm service, creamy drinks at perfect temperature, and cosy upstairs seating:

“The moment the coffees hit our lips we were smitten!”​

Gabriella in August 2022 lauded “excellent” coffee with spot-on temperature preserving milk sweetness, great sizing, and friendly engagement:

“The team will actively engage with me and provide a genuinely friendly service.”

George from Sheffield, April 2025, returned daily for perfect mochas with beautiful latte art and tray service. Emmamum noted luxurious vibes, great tea, and clean facilities.​

Keith M in November 2023 highlighted genuine welcomes over expected pretension:

“Great coffee (goes without saying and the reviews don’t lie!) but the welcome is what really sold it to me,”

noting Tatler and Vogue features. Nathan from Plymouth, August 2022 at Regent Street, praised “fantastic” coffee, mind-blowing interiors, and a blonde staff member’s energy. Phil Hertel from Windsor, January 2022, appreciated trained staff and free cucumber water.​

Pocketwanderings.com in January 2025 listed it among Cambridge’s 18 best cafés for “top-drawer coffee,” with real Belgian chocolate mochas popular among locals.​

What Is the Atmosphere Like at Bould Brothers Locations?

Locations vary: Round Church Street offers quirky upstairs views and steep stairs; Regent Street impresses with interiors; Hills Road features roasting smells. Sarah in August 2020 called the decor “just lovely,” with chatty staff serving loose leaf tea gorgeously. Lauren N in July 2021 noted friendly takeaway service at Regent Street. HappyCow’s LittleAliceFell praised vegan/GF options but noted expense and seating challenges.

Outliers include Jud F’s dramatic May 2025 claim of a “haunted” graveyard atmosphere and possible poisoning from a latte, rating it poorly across board.​

Why Is Choosing a Cambridge Café Challenging?

Cambridge‘s scene includes Fitzbillies’ famous sticky Chelsea buns since 1921, noted for hot strong flat whites but sickly sweetness by Goosterontheloose.com. Reddit discusses pour-overs at Harvey’s and Pages. Bould Brothers fits among independents like Espresso Lane and Urban Larder, per Pocketwanderings. The reviewer’s experience underscores subjective tastes: coffee hype unmet, but cinnamon buns shining, reflecting diverse patron views from raves to regrets.

This coverage draws from aggregated visitor accounts, maintaining neutrality on a café beloved by many yet divisive for some.