The Rupert Brooke was recently given two AA Rosettes for its food and service

A restaurant in a Cambridgeshire village has been recognised for a prestigious culinary award. Pascky Benedetto, the owner of the Rupert Brooke in Grantchester, said it is a “great accolade” for him and his staff to have been awarded two AA Rosettes.

Mr Benedetto, who took over the spot in 2024, said: “To get two, that was the thing that made it so great. I had a good feeling, but when the inspector presented herself and rated us at two Rosettes, that was great. It has been an ambition I had for a number of years. It was getting two that has made it more special.”

Mr Benedetto believes the Rupert Brooke’s “consistency” is what helped the restaurant achieve this recognition. He added: “It’s predominantly to do with the food. To get from one Rosette to two, it’s just a step up in the cooking techniques and the style of dishes that we do. It’s down to consistency.

“Having staff that are with you for a long time and a head chef you’ve worked with for eight years, you learn how to work with each other and you are trying to achieve something as a team. You’re not changing the team or the dishes regularly. Your customer base realises what you’re offering and they know they’re going to get a consistent level of service and food.”

The Rupert Brooke offers a range of dishes such as sandwiches for a light lunch and classics like beer battered cod served with chips, crushed peas, and a homemade tartare sauce. For those with a sweet tooth, there are also a few desserts including chocolate fondant, lemon meringue pie, and sweet cocktails.

When asked what dishes he would recommend to first-time visitors, Mr Benedetto had a few options to choose from. He said: “The scallops as a starter. We’ve always had the scallops or the prawn dish on the menu, as it’s the chef’s signature dishes. We vary the dish a little but we’d always have the fresh scallops. Another favourite at the moment is the Barnsley lamb chops that we do at this time of year. We use lovely rib cutlets. I would choose the scallops and then the lamb.

“The most popular things we do on a regular basis apart from the Sunday roast are the homemade pies. We change the fillings twice a week.”

The Rupert Brooke has a “hands-on” approach to looking after its customers, who get to know the staff well during their visits. Mr Benedetto said his team “always try and be better than people’s expectations”.

Mr Benedetto described the Rupert Brooke as being in a “lovely area” with three other pubs in Grantchester that “all complement each other” with the restaurant standing out thanks to the attentive staff. He added: “We realise that it’s not often people get to go out nowadays. When people actually do manage to go out and enjoy an evening, we’ve got to be better than what people expect. We’ve got to look after them and the Rupert Brooke allows us to do that. It’s a lovely space.”

The Rupert Brooke can be found at 2 Broadway in Grantchester. The restaurant is open from 12pm to 10.30pm on Thursdays to Mondays but closes at the earlier time of 9pm on Sundays.