Al Pomodoro, Cambridge Travel Guide

History and Ownership

Al Pomodoro opened in 2019 on Homerton Street, founded by cousins Umberto Rosso and Emiliano Zarra after their experience in UK Italian chains. They aimed to serve authentic Sicilian recipes and support the local Italian community. The team expanded to include Concetta Davi as head chef and Antonino as head pizzaiolo. Growth prompted a 2021 move to the larger 152-154 Hills Road premises, where the restaurant continues as an independent family operation.

Cuisine and Menu

The kitchen focuses on Sicilian dishes using ingredients imported from Sicily. Wood-fired thin-crust pizzas form a large part of the offering, alongside fresh pasta, seafood, antipasti and specials such as arancini, caponata, linguine allo scoglio and involtini alla norma. Desserts include tiramisu. Breakfast and deli-style items are available earlier in the day, with à la carte and occasional set menus at lunch and dinner. A full bar supplies wine, beer and cocktails. Portions are generous and the style is straightforward table service.

Physical Setting and Atmosphere

The restaurant occupies a mid-size street-front unit on the busy A1307 Hills Road corridor, among shops and opposite Cambridge Leisure Park. The interior is entirely indoor, airy and relatively spacious, with contemporary-traditional décor, a Sicilian mural and a bar area that sometimes includes a piano. The setting is practical urban rather than scenic or historic-core. Casual dress is standard and the pace follows conventional restaurant timing: seating, ordering, eating and payment.

Visitor Experience

Dinner is the busiest period; lunch tends to be quieter. Guests share starters, order pizzas or pasta, and finish with desserts. The space accommodates families, couples, groups and solo diners, including business lunches. Takeaway and delivery are offered alongside the in-house delicatessen. Reservations are recommended for dinner and larger parties. The operation remains family-led rather than chain-style.

Access and Surroundings

Frequent buses run along Hills Road, with stops near Hills Road Sixth Form College and Clifton Road roughly 80–90 m away. The city centre is about ten minutes by bus. From Cambridge railway station the walk south along Hills Road takes 10–15 minutes. The location sits on a mixed commercial-residential arterial road near schools and the leisure complex, with easy street access and no requirement for hikes or special transport.