Salento Marleigh — Restaurant in South Cambridgeshire

This is the first cafe we've had in this part of Cambridge, ever!, and it's excellent. I've been here for coffee, a few glasses of wine, and for dinner, and all have been excellent.

First, the drinks. Coffee is Lavazza. Not my favourite, by a long way, but it's very well made. I'd urge the owners to give me a choice of coffees (think Hot Numbers), especially given that there are options on the market shelves in the corner of the cafe. Something medium roast rather than the generic Lavazza burnt-to-a-crisp roast would be great.

I very much appreciated the sockets for laptop users, as I had work to do while enjoying the coffee.

Secondly, the wines. There's an Enomatic behind the serving bar, with eight bottles (seven, as one was empty) from which to choose. I had a small shot of each red, then chose one which was ok. The wines are not of the highest quality that I'd expect in a wine bar, but still fine. I recommend the (white) Gavi - excellent price for the quality, also available for dinner. Still, the selection is something that could be improved for sure, even if it's ok.

Finally, dinner. This was the best experience yet. I took the neighbours, two of whom are Italian and skeptical having had a bad experience at the Signorelli's in town (where the service was not great, to say the least, according to their time there). I've lived in Italy so high standards are expected! I had the pizza l'Italiano - pesto, burrata and sun-dried tomatoes. It was very good. The base was fluffy, Sicilian style? My Italian friends described it as "house style", and if it is I'll be back for more. Very tasty. The wine was the previously-mentioned Gavi, they had a chilled bottle in the fridge and it was enjoyed. Dessert was gelato. The pistachio isn't too sweet, it has flavour and I'll have this again for sure.

Service is superb. All the staff are friendly, attentive, helpful and have a cheery smile. One couldn't ask for more.

The only minor flaw was that the neighbours' cod and chicken dishes were confused on serving by the kitchen staff. Perhaps the service staff should serve? This might prevent this problem. Soon rectified by us though.

A great night out was had. It's open until 10pm Friday and Saturday, and I will definitely be back, regularly. Thanks all!

One last thing: there's a small market in the corner. My Italian neighbours were skeptical about this, expecting "supermarket crap". Well, they were impressed that there were good things from which to choose! The sausages (not my thing, but theirs) and green olives, especially, were popular. I'll be back for the pistachio croissant though ... can't...

What a delightful restaurant/cafe/tavola calda! I visited with my wife and mother-in-law for the first time today for lunch. We shared the Primitivo bottle & Antipasto Platter (very good value for £30). My m-in-law prefers white wine so they kindly let us swap out the Primitivo for a delicious Fiano. The platter of Italian cured meats & cheese, olives & focaccia slices was absolutely yummy and very authentic. The focaccia was light and oily, just how we like it. The platter included a burrata, 5 different salamis and cured meats and four different cheeses. It was abundant for 3, and we followed with desserts: chocolate profiteroles for me, and tiramisu and fruit torte for the ladies. And we finished with coffee. The bill came to £58, which we thought was good value. We asked the owners if they could accommodate a family party of c25 and they said that the more the merrier! We’ll be back. Not least to savour their...

We can highly recommend this amazing Italian cafe/deli/restaurant and will be, I expect, ice cream parlour in the Summer. I had to have 3 scoops even in Winter as the delicious variety was too enticing. The food is incredible, generously portioned and great value for money. My Dad discovered it and we went there for his birthday. We can tell it's going to become a real community hub. The family who run Salento are patient, passionate and so friendly. Love the inventive soup bowl and the pizzas are wonderful. There is also a fantastic selection of pasta dishes and pastries. Seating is limited, but comfortable and there is plenty of space outside for when it's warmer. I would adore it if there was a Salento for every community; my family said Northstowe could use one... No superlative would be enough to describe this place! We will certainly be...