A cozy spot with a warm vibe, great cakes, and local walk tips, perfect for a relaxing break in the heart of town.
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Holly O'Neil
Best for gluten free breakfast in Ballater! I had fried eggs, bacon and beans with gluten free toast, then the GF Cranberry Almond cake which was so delish. Tried the other cafe on the street and was turn away for asking for gf 🙄 but Brown Sugar Cafe were super accommodating and lovely. Plus dog friendly! And very knowledgeable about local walks. Deffo a great stop whilst you’re in town - gluten free or not.
Subjective? Perhaps but we were not alone in our experience today. My daughter met the mother of a family of six - eating by the window - in the Ladies who, bemoaning the cleanliness of the bathrooms, shared our thoughts on both the food and service. We did follow the lunchtime rush, admittedly, but there were no baked potatoes and little choice of vegetarian paninis. However, it was the attitude of the older woman which irked. My son is gluten-free and, eventually, it was agreed that they would make him up a panini/toastie. Happy to wait - but not that long - two paninis were brought (£9.95 each) on plates filled with non-descript crisps and the most basic of salads. The gluten-free one? Whoops! They made a mistake - after 15 minutes - and would make one up! Five minutes later, the same plate of cheap crisps and salad arrived with a tiny toasted sandwich - the END of the loaf? Filling? Apologies for pieces of chicken and bacon! To serve up THAT at a cost of £8! Aware of our feelings, it was clear that our table was avoided ...
In summary? A bad day? Perhaps but the cost of mediocre food and service is prohibitive. Remember, we were not alone in our experience.
Accommodating Gluten-Free