Brown Sugar Cafe in Aberdeenshire

It was a nice day and we were looking forward to sitting outside for lunch. The outside area was closed off, not sure why, and we sat inside. After about 5 minutes the place was humid, full of smoke/steam from the kitchen and it was uncomfortable. Not sure if the extractor fan was working, if it was then it didn't do the job. The place wasn't that busy. I couldn't get out fast enough to get some fresh air.

What a gem of a find. Excellent friendly service and delicious food. Will definitely be back and would highly recommend.

Had lovely soup and a scone for lunch here while on a 4 day break in Ballater. Very friendly staff. Definitely recommend.

on this visit to deeside we stopped in past this cafe for tea and a cake , quite a basic kind of place ,staff were pleasant , but 12.50 for 2 teas and dry scones was pretty disappointing so there wont be a return visit .

We stopped off in Ballater and saw this cafe. Looked quaint. Quiet on a sunny Saturday afternoon and the staff were very nice. Only gripes were re the cake choice (only orange cake which was nice enough although perhaps a little dry). Great big slice. Coffee and tea very nice. Would definitely try it again if we are in the area.

This is a very simple breakfast and lunch cafe with basic sandwiches, friendly service and amazing homemade deserts. The prices are very reasonable and they have a good selection of drinks. Parking can be challenging but there are a few public lots nearby. Worth a stop for the deserts alone!

I’m a bit strange in my requests for food. But the girls always pull out the stops and make me what I fancy! Also lovely oat latte !! Here is my go to when I go to Ballater!

Our goto cafe on Royal Deeside! Great food, great price, great welcome and great fine pieces - especially the GF Date & Oat slice (have started baking my own at home to save money on takeaways!!). Visited most of the cafes around Ballater with family over last 3 years (when not in lockdown) and our teenage children opted for this in 2021 as our goto cafe of choice for all family visits when we’re staying there during April - November. Glad they agreed with me . My son and I always have a vegetarian breakfast, regardless of the time of day we visit and I have non-dairy options in the coffee. Wife and daughter love the panini sandwiches and different choices available. You shouldn’t be disappointed and the price is, metaphorically, icing on the cake!

This is a no frills and relaxing coffee shop in Ballater. We had an excellent breakfast, well cooked and plentiful and the service was very welcoming and friendly. The counter cakes looked great too.

Tasty food (obviously homemade), friendly, helpful service and reasonable prices. We had the soup and cheese scone combo. I had vegetable broth and my partner had broccoli and Stilton soup. Everything was delicious.

We wanted a light lunch and everywhere was either closed or offered too little or too much. This cafe was perfect. The food was delicious - obviously freshly made with care and the service was friendly, quick and efficient. Not overpriced either. Strongly recommend.

We were passing through Ballater and stopped off to stretch our legs. What a lovely place, very beautiful and well kept. We spotted the Brown Sugar Cafe and asked if they had any outside seating as it was the first sunny day in ages and it seemed a shame not to take advantage of it. There is a lovely area to drink and relax outside at the rear of the cafe, away from the hustle and bustle of the street, some under cover and some not. We were a party of 2 adults and 2 teens, ordered 2 hot drinks and 2 cold drinks and one cake. There was a varied choice on the menu, of sweet, savoury and even Haggis Panini, which sounded tempting, but as we had eaten a full hotel breakfast we had no room for more. The cost was very reasonable for what we ordered (around £10)We were there for just over 30 minutes, used the bathrooms, which were clean and functioning (there was a baby changing station in the larger one) and enjoyed the chance to relax. The servers were helpful and friendly. Overall a lovely experience. Highly recommended

Lovely experience at this village eaterie. Really friendly staff and a good selection of lunches and cakes. Every care taken to keep us safe and nothing was too much trouble. Highly recommend this place and there is, apparently, seating out the back if you don't want to eat and drink inside.

Friendly cafe and more importantly, they’re dog friendly. Decent coffee, tray bakes, scones and the usual panini etc. Reasonably priced.

We visited this cafe today table 5 and the staff were very friendly and welcoming. The hilarity was worth it alone. I think the staff enjoyed it more than us. Well worth a visit and the GF cake was Brill.

We have often been to Ballater but never eaten here before. We were with friends from Aberdeen and were in need of lunch so decided to try it. The panninis were delicious and there was a variety of fillings. We chose the bacon Brie and cranberry and all agreed they were delicious. The helpings were generous and they came with crisps and coleslaw. There was a large choice of coffees and my flat white was delicious. We also enjoyed the homemade cakes afterwards. We will definitely look forward to returning on our next visit to Ballater

We made our way into Ballater at the end of a very long country walk and were worried about finding someplace still open for lunch. We were welcomed into Brown Sugar Cafe and shown to the peaceful back garden for a relaxing light meal. I had a soup that really surprised me - the choices were more than just the usual ones in a small cafe, and I had a sweet potato and coconut soup, great flavour and really satisfying. My husband had a toasted sandwich and he was also very happy with this. We each had dessert and I can honestly say the homemade apple and ginger cake was a simple delight - fresh, good ingredients served with a smile. I also appreciated that we were not rushed in any way and had a proper sit-down - good COVID hygiene and plenty of space between tables too.

We stopped by there today to order two coffees while travelling through the town. If I was a nuclear bomb with a ticking timer on my forehead I don’t think I could have had a more hostile reception. My partner and I are both NHS frontline staff who worked trough the whole of the covid epidemic this year. Clearly the lady behind the counter needs a little perspective. She was edgy and shouty and couldn’t get us out of the shop fast enough looking obviously afraid of the people with the foreign accents. Then there is the product: the coffee so watery that you couldn’t tell which was the latte and which was the americano...Save your money and give this a miss..

Best place for lunch in Ballater, highly recommend the teacup lunch (small soup, sandwich and traybake). The backyard is a lovely space to sit outside on a nice day

Nice cup of tea and coffee. It seems to have lost a little charm but that could just be due to the current covid precautions. Lots of nice cakes on the counter to choose from. A nice hidden yard out the back to sit out in. Will go back next year.

Just out for a drive on a sunny Winter’s day & looking for somewhere for an afternoon cuppa - and stumbled upon here. Was quite late on so not a huge choice left, but the square wedges of carrot cake & coffee cake looked very tempting - and were deliciously yummy. A pleasant and homely place to take refreshments in a pretty town.

To be honest I normally go to Rock Salt & Snails but it was closed so I opted for the Brown Sugar Cafe a few doors along. I was very impressed with the service and quality of the coffee and cake. I will definitely be coming back.

Great breakfast, good coffee and friendly staff.Well worth a visit. The breakfast is freshly cooked and very filling.

Brown Sugar is a decent little cafe at the top end of the Main Street. The menu is simple but includes cooked breakfasts and soups as well as the expected sandwiches, toasties etc., and prices are very reasonable.We just came in for tea and cake and they were both very good, as was the service.As we are staying in a local hotel, our breakfast needs are well catered for, but I must say that the Scottish breakfast that they serve here sounds fabulous! Couldn’t possibly have two breakfasts on the same day could I?

We came here for a proper Scottish breakfast and were not disappointed. Everything you want in a breakfast and not greasy at all. We had a lovely time and the staff were very friendly too.

Very welcoming and friendly. The food is delicious. Big portions too. It is genuinely dog friendly. Frequented by villagers and visitors with great appreciation and joy. It is a pleasure to enjoy the atmosphere , food and chat with the people working there. Highly recommended from us.

We called in for a mid morning snack and found the cafe warm, comfortable and friendly. I had coffee and a very good homemade cheese scone, just what I wanted. I did note that they had a good range of cakes and hand made chocolates.

Luckily we chose this cafe in Ballater on our way through. Highly recommend the tea cup lunch - fab soup, small roll with tasty filling and a small cake. Good value. Cup of tea good and from a tea pot that didn't drip! 10/10

Enjoyed a lovely lunch on a rainy day in Ballatar. Service was quick and the food tasty. Located in the center of town.

On a recent visit to Ballater, in the rain we stumbled across this little cafe.As a group of 5 with 2 dogs, we didn't hold out much hope for finding somewhere suitable for a spot of lunch and a coffee.We were warmly welcomed by the lovely staff and offered a table outside in a covered area. We had plenty of choice from the menu including for the gluten free and vegetarian amongst us.I cant praise the staff enough for their welcoming attitude pleasantness and for being so accommodating. Highly recommended

iItalian coffee and hot chocolate. Soups are good. I dont find the decor as uplifting as Rocks.... next door.

Popped in for a quick cuppa, ended up having the delicious carrot cake and only narrowly avoided indulging in the very tempting looking chocolates. We sat outside at a pavement table, more for the novelty of being able to do so in north east Scotland than anything else. The coffee was great and the service delightful. Loved the coffee cups!

Spent a short time in Ballater on a very hot day. Able to take dog through to the outside seating. Had a nice coffee, hubby loved the cheeas scones. Would recommend

Had a nice breakfast here tad expensive for what it is and you have to pay extra for tea an toast. Enjoyed it tho an great that its dog friendly. Staff could do with smiling a bit more tho 😃😃

My wife and I popped in for a cuppa while in the village. Nice tea and coffee. Lovely tray bakes and friendly staff.

Went for breakfast was a little more expensive then I expected but was well worth it 5 starts couldn't be better

We enjoyed a yummy Scottish breakfast sitting outside on the back patio. The staff was very friendly too.

Always try to stop here when we're in the area. Large well-filled panninis - brie bacon and cranberry is my favourite. The coffee has changed to Matthew Algie's of Glasgow - great move, it's a great flavour. The home made cakes and tray bakes are always excellent, but we were too full this time - so had to take away!

Lovely lunch, panini for me & my husband had soup, delicious. Nice area out the back for dogs, bowls of water supplied for them. Staff very polite, quick service. Would definitely return. Very reasonably priced

Great cakes and coffee, cheesecake especially good. Warm and friendly service. An ideal place to rest after exploring the various walks from the village.

Good staff. Good foody choice . Good coffe. Clean establishment. Toilets. Reasonable pricing. Great chicks on counter to take away.

Having seen all types of weather, the sunder afternoon outing was coming to a close, but on our way back to Aberdeen we wanted to stop off for a drink and cake. Its not easy finding cafe's open late on a sunday afternoon. We turned up just 30 mins before closing at 5pm but the staff were still welcoming and there was quite a selection of cakes on offer.

Great place to stop for lunch or coffee. Comfortable, warm with spotlessly clean toilets. All home made foods & amazing chocolates. Friendly, welcoming & efficient staff.

Great coffee and hand made scones. Just the ticket after a local walk. Would recommend. They also have soup and lunch snacks on the menu but did not have a chance to try on this occasion

Lovely lunch and home baking. Very fast, friendly and efficient staff. Flat white coffee was spot on.

I have been coming to this cafe every year when I visit Ballater since I was born (23 years ago) and it has been a fond memory from my childhood and as an adult. A delicious hot chocolate and a warm scone after a long walk is the best from Brown Sugar! The food is always fantastic and the cakes are beautiful! I have brought friends to visit and they loved it and I plan to come back soon with my partner! It is such a friendly, beautiful and delicious place!

We stopped in by for a quick cuppa after a walk round the Burn O Vat. Very reasonably priced. Caramel slice was absolutely delicious. Scone came with real clotted cream. We thoroughly enjoyed!

A pleasant cafe with limited opening hours, and an average ambiance . Service was prompt, and food quality good

My friend and I called in for a quick cuppa but were tempted by the bacon and egg rolls ...the bacon was lovely!

My sister claims they have the best Millionaire's shortbread that she has ever tasted. She made 2 (or was it 3) visits to buy the shortbread when we were in town for the week!

The food was okay but other restaurants in town are better. We had paninis for lunch. The service could be friendlier.

We visited last year and again this month. Very friendly staff. We had a range of hot filled rolls and paninis. All made up to order, good quality fresh ingredients, cooked well and nicely presented. Also a fab range of baking - we love the scones!

Lovely, clean and bright café with beautiful outdoor terrace at rear of café. Excellent quality food - clotted cream scone very fresh and tasty haggis and cheese toastie. Staff friendly and polite.

Absolutely fantastic breakfast and the mocha was amazing. Very impressed and would definately recommend

Food is excellent and reasonably priced, and with a lovely sun trap garden out back.

Stopped here for late breakfast and were delighted at the delicious scones and excellent coffee. We had cheese scones and cherry scones - both were yummy. Small cozy place that felt relaxed and comfortable.

The cafe was very busy and seemed to be understaffed. Service was very slow but the food, when it came, was fine.

Kurz zum Mittag gehalten und dann sind wir statt bei Suppe über die Kuchen gestolpert. Mussten leider Nachschlag holen, da diese ziemlich lecker waren.

Good food and service and lots of nice cakes. Do a great breakfast too. Recommended for everything. Loved it!!

Great for a quick lunch and they did really tasty toasties! Also put salad, tortilla chips etc on your plate which I wasn't expecting.Great for the price!

The option of having breakfast in your own time was a great idea on a mid-week break. We went for the "Full Scottish" great value and used local produce. Fresh orange and tea and toast. Great service.

We went there for a bit or refuelling after a hike, mid morning. Three of us; a couple of coffees and a cappuccino, two scones and a gluten-free cake later we had revived.

You're normal range of lunch stuff - but all to a high quality. The scones in particular are grand..

Staff are very friendly and the selection on the menu is varied and very reasonably priced. They also have home...

Always head here for our coffee when over for a few days. Great coffee and amazing haggis and cheese paninis....

We called in for lunch on very cold day with snow in the town and surrounding hills. Our welcome was...

Whilst basically a coffee shop they do really tasty soup and variety of toasties and sandwiches at luchtime. Outside tables...

Popped in for a bowl of soup and had the pick of three, Carrot,Coconut and Lime/ Leek & Potato ot...

We were dying for a good lunch, and this was perfect. Everything is homemade, fresh and the service was personal...

Down at the bridge end of town which is worth the stroll from the square. I found very friendly staff...

We stopped hear for a lunch break and were not disappointed. We looked at the menus at all the local...

Went a couple of times both for a coffee and later for lunch. Very friendly and good. Well priced and...

The Brown Sugar Cafe is an excellent spot for lunch. We had very good panini sandwiches (several vegetarian options too). But the highlight was the fruit scone with jam and clotted cream. By far the best scone, jam and clotted cream we had during a week in Scotland - and we had them often! Save room for this delight or enjoy it instead of a sandwich. Either way, you can't go wrong at this great cafe!!!

Friendly staff and decent quality of meat, had a great breakfast here, hangover cure ! Would go back for more

Grabbed a take away sandwich and coffee today which was lovely. The staff are very nice and if you want to eat in it has a varied menu and nice seating area. The food to the tables looked very nice.

Only managed to sneek here twice as had a hectic week. Coffee is good and their hot chocolate special is yummy. Various cakes on offer and a savory menu too. Daughter enjoyed their nachos and I had cake both times. Small but friendly. very clean and tidy. good prices and speciallity chocolates too.

Come here often and it never lets us down. Beautiful coffee, cosy atmosphere and friendly staff. Excellent traybakes, Maltese slice is great.

Stopped after a very long walk along the banks of the river Dee. Best scones ever. Extremely friendly service, absolutely clear they have a passion for what they do... I had food envy when I saw their bacon roll. Extremely recommended!

Popped in for a light lunch and enjoyed a lovely bowl of lentil and tomato soup served with bread. It was very tasty. My husband had nachos and my daughter had a toastie. Very reasonably priced.

A cozy and welcoming place to pop into for a coffee. Especially welcome on a wet day as it was when we visited. Warm friendly staff and the most delicious scones and jam went down well with my coffee.

Lovely friendly welcome,, great coffee and nice big healthy portions,, sandwiches very fresh and the cakes were excellent along with a cabinet of nice tastey chocolates

When travelling between Perth and the Moray Coast we regularly stop for a coffee break in Ballater. Our first choice is always the Brown Sugar as the coffee, scones and cakes are first class. The staff are always very friendly and only too happy to help in any way they can. If you are visiting Ballater do give it a try!

I visited this place in the week and it was pretty quite, I just ordered a drink, and I discovered a really nice seating area they have out the back, on a sunny day I can imagine it would be so lovely to sit around the back. Although I didn't have any of the food, it looked really good as other people were getting served.

Extensively refurbished after the floods of December 2015 but still the same friendly welcoming service. Excellent for coffees and simple lunches

First time was a cycling stop, gorgeous coffee and Victoria sponge that was as light as a feather with a cream layer as thick as a pacing slabThe cafe is in the main street in Ballater opposite the Bank of Scotland, and is fairly nondescript but has a certain "je ne sais qoi" as they say in these parts. I'm not sure whether it was the friendly staff or the superb cake, but the following day I brought my wife out here for a drive.After we had baked "tatties" the size of footballs later she joined the fan club.There may be more picturesque locations with better views but I can't fault this little cafe

A super little cafe with loads of nice food and drink and very helpful staff. Came here twice once by ourselves and once with guests. Has a good loyalty system and we will be back

Visited quite late for lunch at 3 30 with 5 adults and 3 kids.Friendly welcome fantastic food and a little play area for children.Reasonable price at 55 pounds for all of us to have lunch.Baked potato was amazing.

Great service, a hearty breakfast for a very reasonable price. 4 adults had breakfast here last Sunday, on a chilly morning.

Yep! You did read correct. I never thought I would get that light delicate, springy, moist, texture - with cream, jam followed by a latte. In a sunny back garden, with the dogs....I can't thank the staff enough....oh! They were good as well! Did I mention the giant salad the chef whipped up for the wife? I have been here a few times and never been disappointed. Time to let the secret out

We were a family of 6 on a busy Saturday. It was no trouble to the staff who moved tables together for us. We were given extra menus and advised of the specials then placed our order (not table service). The staff were all lovely, we didn't feel rushed, and the food was all great. We had soup of the day (lentil - yum) baked potato, panini, sandwiches and toasties. We also treated ourselves to coffee and cake afterwards. Huge selection of chocolates and desserts and it all looked lovely. The salted caramel cheesecake was great! First time I have ever been to Ballater, lovely place, would happily go back.

Great place for a snack or lunch or afternoon tea. Lovely outside eating area. Great staff and service.

We visited the brown sugar cafe for lunch twice when staying in Ballater for Easter week. We had paninis and coffees which were excellent, as was the service. Lovely cafe!We'll definitely return on our next visit.

came on holiday last week and had a lovely meal in here we are coming back next week so will be popping back in

We enjoyed being outside in the intimate little garden area. The scones with clotted cream and jam and the coffees were most enjoyable. The chocolate on offer is exquisite, if a bit pricey. All in all, a pleasant experience.

Busy wee café even on a Tuesday morning. Having checked out of our accommodation and about to head for home we decided to treat ourselves to breakfast and a treat it was! Good strong coffee and delicious breakfast rolls especially the square sausage one from Sheridan's across the street.Cheery service.

Popped in for tea and a scone on a very old afternoon. We were met with a warm welcome and the tea, scones, jam and cream were delicious. I would imagine that in the high season the home baked fare will be in high demand.

Good coffee, nice flapjack and a pleasant environment for reading today's newspaper. I enjyed my visit and would come back

Small cafe, variety of seating, quick service with a smile. Cafe latte was ok but not great. Bought a large one which was too much.

We stopped in on our way south and it was great to find cafes still open in winter after 1600 on a Sunday. This proved a great choice for a welcome coffee and homemade Victoria sponge.

The food in this cafe is unbelievable. The best pepper & coriander soup I've ever had; paninis to die for; and the cheesecake out of this world. Well done!