Baked buffalo milk Camembert served with ciabatta bread at Limoncello, an Italian restaurant and deli in Cambridge, England. The cheese dip is topped with rosemary. (Loretto Morris/Stars and Stripes)
The photos of the pasta at Limoncello in Cambridge coaxed me in right away, evoking strong memories of meals that surpassed my wildest expectations during a recent two-week trip to Italy.
Escaping the midday bustle of Mill Road, the green-arched entrance of Limoncello leads to a cozy deli where you’ll see older folks reading the daily newspaper along with others swinging by for quick ciabattas and coffee.
Since its 1977 founding, Limoncello has grown to have two dining areas, a coffee shop and a patio appropriate for a date night or intimate gatherings.
I arrived around 2 p.m. on a weekday and had no difficulty finding seating. The wall before me was lined with a vast variety of wines, pastas, olives, oils and a refrigerator full of sliced meats and cheese blocks.
Limoncello is a family-owned restaurant and deli in Cambridge, England, that's been in business since 1977. The outdoor patio features grassy walls and fairy lights, creating an intimate ambience. (Loretto Morris/Stars and Stripes)
In the deli section of Limoncello, an Italian restaurant in Cambridge, England, a plethora of food and beverage items is offered for sale. All products are sourced from various parts of Italy. (Loretto Morris/Stars and Stripes)
The restaurant wasn’t at capacity but I felt a little cramped, since extending my legs might have tripped some of the nearby patrons. That wasn’t too different from some experiences I had while dining in Italy.
The first thing I noticed on the menu was the steep prices. However, my miserly mindset waned after the manager said the ingredients are sourced from Italy and the owner frequently travels there to keep his dishes avant-garde.
I looked over the diverse selection of antipasti, ultimately settling on the buffalo milk Camembert served with baked ciabatta bread.
The piping hot cheese dip was topped with rosemary, while the warm bread was drizzled in oil on arrival and came apart with minimal effort. However, the crust was a bit chewy. I watched another patron separate and discard the crust altogether.
The elderflower cocktail I ordered paired nicely. It was refreshing and went down like juice. The drink had notes of lemon along with a lemon garnish.
The truffle and Italian sausage pasta at Limoncello in Cambridge, England, is topped with bits of fresh truffle. The pappardelle noodles and Italian sausage that make up the dish are served in a bechamel sauce, which contains truffle oil. (Loretto Morris/Stars and Stripes)
My entree, the truffle and Italian sausage pasta, was absolutely phenomenal. The pappardelle noodles were al dente, the truffle oil in the bechamel sauce had me fighting to not lick the bowl and the Italian sausage was a knockout.
For dessert, I had a much anticipated pistachio tiramisu paired with the classic espresso martini. Unfortunately, I’ve always had a feeble sweet tooth, so it’s with a heavy heart I say that this dish was too sweet for me.
However, it must not be understated how moist and airy the cake was. The pistachio-and-chocolate cream was rich and flavorful, too, so this is just the dessert for those with a tolerance for the ultrasweet.
Pistachio tiramisu is a dessert menu star at Limoncello in Cambridge, England. The moist and airy cake is bathed in pistachio-and-chocolate cream. (Loretto Morris/Stars and Stripes)
Afterward, I asked the manager to recommend a takeout entree. He went to the chef and had a meal custom made for me: a truffle and porcini risotto cooked in Gavi white wine and topped with Grana Padano cheese.
Attached was a lovely note reading “Buon Appetite, Limoncello.”
It’s no exaggeration to say this was the best mushroom risotto ever to grace my palate. Too bad I didn’t have a chance to see it presented on a plate at the restaurant.
But from the creaminess of the cheese and saporous mushroom-flavored arborio rice, I think I might have a new favorite dish.
Limoncello clearly isn’t pulling its punches on bringing the taste of Italy to England — and rivaling the land of la dolce vita’s cuisine every step of the way.
The deli area of Limoncello doubles as a breakfast nook. Patrons at the Italian restaurant in Cambridge, England, can sit down in this area to enjoy jelly-filled pastries along with their morning coffee. (Loretto Morris/Stars and Stripes)
The green entrance of the Limoncello stands out from the surrounding shops, drawing in patrons. Limoncello is a family-owned restaurant in Cambridge that started in 1977. (Loretto Morris/Stars and Stripes)
Limoncello
Address: 212 Mill Road, Cambridge, UK
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Prices: Antipasti ranges from 8.75 to 15 pounds for salads and bread and cheese; 22 pounds for a charcuterie board. Pasta dishes range from 14 to 24 pounds. Pizza ranges from 13 to 17 pounds and ciabattas are 9.25 pounds. Desserts are 6 to 9 pounds and cocktails are around 9 to 15 pounds.
Information: Phone: +44 1223 507036, Online: limoncello.co.uk
