SYMPOSIUM coffee house in Aberdeenshire

The staff serving are lovely but the food quality really let our visit down. The Canadian pancakes were stone cold, the streaky bacon barely cooked. The crispy bacon bagel was anything but, the streaky bacon again barely cooked and smelt like it was off. The cappuccinos were just a milky coffee with no froth. £20 for inedible food means sadly with regret we won't be returning.

Hello, I was in having a spot of lunch with my husband when the woman behind the till was very rude and it looked as thought she was on drugs she was dropping money and spilling my coffee, both mine and my husbands sandwich was very badly presented. I didn’t manage to get the woman’s name, she had glasses blonde hair and hair tied up. I won’t be back.

4 of us are at the Ellon Symposium after hearing lots of positive feedback. However, I cannot agree. I ordered a triple deck sandwich. The bread (a bloomer) was stale or had the consistency of gluten free bread and in my opinion was inedible. I just ate the contents of sandwich which was very nice. Also the homemade coleslaw was fizzy. My granddaughter had ordered a pancake with maple syrup but the waitress had completely forgotten about it and was only served when we were nearly finished our meal and only after being reminded. This too was inedible! She loves pancakes but one mouthful was enough, it too, was hard and stale. We all taste tested it and agreed with her. At the end of the meal, I informed the waitress of our findings. She apologized and said the bloomer bread was brought fresh that morning?!? Also that the pancakes were made fresh in that morning?!?!

Immediately following my order being taken and being told to sit at a table, that particular member of staff promptly left the premises. Subsequently. it was clear that staff training was being undertaken (one on one) but I sensed that all was not well. Customers came and went and it took over half an hour for my order to arrive. I was told that they thought I was with some other customers??!!? . Although apologies were made and I was seated at a table directly in front of the counter throughout, I was not impressed with the experience.

On a recent leisure visit to Peterhead I dropped into the Symposium Coffee House. The good: lovely staff and they serve large flat whites. Almost no other cafe does this. An eight ounce flat white might be the tradition, but it is too small. The crispy bacon bagel was very nice. The not so good: I didn’t enjoy the coffee. I don’t know which blend is being used, but you could do better. The coffee had 6 shots in a 16oz mug. I wonder what size the shot is? At home I use 18g of coffee to 36g of water then top up the rest with steamed full fat milk in a 12oz cup. There was too much water to too little milk, and the milk was semi skimmed. Full fat really is a must to make a decent coffee. I needed four sachets of sugar to make it palatable. Although honey for pancakes was on the menu, none was available. I wondered if the coffee making was poor at this branch so I nipped along toFraserburgh for a comparison. The staff were lovely again, but the coffee wasn’t. It was the same quality as the Peterhead branch. I have come to the conclusion that getting a decent coffee in Peterhead is probably a difficult thing, but have noticed in the other reviews that people really rate the coffee. My first decent flat white was back in Costa Coffee in Aberdeen, where they use full fat milk and a decent blend, with a decent ratio of milk to water.

The cafe is very central and ordering was done via the mobile. Lovely coffee and cake and good service

Had never been here before but since we were in the area we decided to give it a try, both had cappuccino and shared a large pancake and both were excellent!! Will definitely visit again when in Peterhead. Staff were lovely and friendly too. Great place for a coffee stop :)

stopped off after going to Prison Museum. Excellent coffee. Lively place. Great decaffeinated americano. Great covid secureness

Had a really marvellous 3 course meal last night. Minimalistic Menu which saves lengthy decisions, and it was a no-brainer for me. Cullen Skink, Haddock 😋 Bruschetta, Chicken Goujons, and a cheesecake to share. The meal was very cheap too, as it was in-line with the current deals going on around Covid. All tables were well spaced and all health and hygiene regulations were adhered to. Excellent service, and great tasting food. Thank You

My Husband and I placed an order with the click and collect. The coffee was great however when we got it home we found out that the food we ordered was wrong. I specifically asked for no cheese on my chilli chicken bagel, it did say no cheese on the recipt. Which is why I didn't check it in the car. Opened it up to find it did have cheese on it and had to try and pick it all off before eating the bagel. Everything else was fab just a shame about the mistake as it ruined the bagel for me as I couldn't get all the cheese out. Still an awesome place to grab a coffee or hot chocolate.

Symposium are our local coffee shop in Peterhead, have visited all three here, the ones in Longside & Ellon too. Hot chocolate & coffees are amazing! Their food is great and their staff so friendly. Open for takeaways just now at Asda, Peterhead...go for it, you will not regret it & you will be back!

I find that all the Symposium coffee houses in, Peterhead/Ellon/Longside very friendly and helpful. During the lockdown I am so gratfull that they had the insight for click and collect or delivery. I can not fault them in any way at all. And the coffee is so fine, I bought my own supply which they also sell. 10 out of 10 from me. Well done guys.

Best coffee around by far The Staff Are always friendly and remember my order Very Quick service with a smile

This coffee shop and the other branches of Symposium Coffee Shops my friends and I have visited, have been amazing. Great coffee,great fresh homemade bakes and instore pancakes, great staff in all the shops we visited great atmosphere. Highly reccomend by myself and my pals and visitors we haven taken to the shop. Dont forget you can take home their own selected ground coffee or beans blended by themselves. Very happy customer.

First class customer service, not impeded by current restrictions. Very professional and awesome coffee as always!!

Amazing service from every shop i have been in every time! Can not beat the coffee or pancakes!! Even delivery to my house has been amazing every time and always greeted with a smile!

Love symposium Peterhead best coffee and staff for miles Perfect every visit Bagels are fab as well ❤️

My wife and I (more wife) is obsessed with the place! Being that she can only drink decaf, and not a lot coffee houses do decaf! Been going since the start, never been an issue! The food is great, coffee is great! ☕️🖤

This is a nice, smart coffe shop in the centre of town. It is so much better than a greasy spoon tyoe place , or a tired drab place your Granny might frequent. The staff are pleasant and motivated, but most importantly, the coffee is really nice and tastes the way it is meant to and is made the correct way. Plenty of places have everything tasting the same, but not here.The seats are comfortable and you can quite easily relax here. The cakes, etc looked delicious and fresh.

Good coffee and friendly service in an otherwise deserted town! Popular and busy in centre of town. Went twice this week so must have been good!

Was in Peterhead for work, and after a 4 hour drive from the central belt, doing what I need to do, and then the prospect of a 4 hour drive back, I decided that I needed a coffee to start with.

Stopped here on a cycle and had Tea & scones. Limited choice of scones being only toffee ones at the time which were interesting. They came warmed up via microwave i think as were a bit sloppy but nice enough. No pots of tea for two or one but could only have in a cup. Service ok but not much welcome as seemed busy and had to wait a little which was surprising as only one needing serving. There was plenty of fancy coffees and other cakes to try so maybe worth a try and hopefully hit them on a better day.

Symposium in Fraserburgh is a smart looking coffee house that serves decent coffee as well as various cakes and snacks. Reasonable prices and good service.

Had a great coffee and cake stop here. Coffee (lattes) was good and cakes delicious. Friendly, helpful staff offering tourist information as well. Listening to the orders being taken and the choices being offered there seems to be an infinite number of options available.

Every time iv been in there has always been good customer service. Always get the caramel latte and its always nice. Definitely sure staff all have barista training.

As always the coffee is top notch! Girls working are always attentive and friendly. It was one of the staffs 21st today too and it was good to see the company went all out and decorated the place for her. That’s a sign of good partnership. X

Popped in for a coffee, decided to have pancakes too. Excellent little place, friendly staff and reasonably priced.

Goede koffie en leuke bediening. Verder niet veel te doen in het stadje. Grote offshore haven en verder niets.

Heard good things about Symposium Coffee Shop and decided to visit the one in Queen Street in Peterhead. I asked for a large flat white but was told they couldn’t make large ones! They concocted what they thought I’d like but unfortunately the coffee seriously lacked flavour possibly because it had been weakened down a good bit! One of my friends had the chocolate and he said it was ok.

Best coffee in town 👌 View onto the Bay is great- best venue in town! Nice home bakes, nae sure they were low- cal!!

With the upsurge in huge chains opening up in our small towns, it is a delight to support this locally-owned coffee shop. The staff are always welcoming and cheerful, and actually know my drinks preference off by heart now (skinny decaf mocha). The food is well priced and delicious. I can recommend the cheese and ham toastie!!

During a road trip along the north coast, we struggled to find anywhere open on a Sunday serving coffee in Fraserburgh but were very happy with our experience of the Symposium in Peterhead, which was busy with locals.

Lunch today was a very poor experience. Poor service at counter. All tables were cov ered with dishes and we had to move them to another table. Had to ask the assistant to wipe the table. Sandwich and Bagette were acceptable but compared with the same in Tenerife (we have just returned) were very poor in quantity, quality and price!! Ham and Cheese toastie lacked ham. BLT Bagette lacked bacon - mostly lettuce and was soft and not crisp on the outside!! Lack of crockery available due to dirty dishes on tables. Female staff seemed to be doing very little - once male member came through he got tables cleared and the place looked a bit better. General impression that it could do with a good clean and tidy up. Previous visits we have found a lot better although food much the same.

Coffee was ok but a bit expensive, place could do with the tables cleaned more regularly, however nice staff and a local run business.

Great coffee, well located, comfortable surroundings and friendly, professional service. The best flat white I’ve had in ages.

Went here earlier today for a hot chocolate and slice of cake. The staff were friendly and efficient. The atmosphere was warm and relaxing. The drink was perfect and served with whipped cream and marshmallows. There was free and fast Wifi. The perfect place for meeting friends for a coffee. I will definitely be back soon.

A wide variety of coffees, lattes,teas etc, and a great selection of home bakes. Pancakes tasted like rubber although pretty popular wasn't to my taste. Lovely seating area, although you couldn't see out the windows for condensation. Overpriced for what is is and Starbucks prices to match but not near close.

Amazing coffee 😌 staff are so friendly & Always welcoming, the home bakes are super good to ☺️☺️😋😋

Lovely coffee I had a vanilla latte and tea. The staff was very smiley, i definitely would go again.

Good to visit a coffee shop that was a bit different and not one of the big chains. Takeaway americano on Saturday (handy for bus stop), cappuccino and cake on Sunday.

The best coffee in Peterhead! Have heaps of dairy free alternatives to have in your coffee and plenty flavours too. The cakes are tasty too! Can use your own cup!

Firstly it's exciting that this is a home grown enterprise. A family business by people who care about their community and want to serve great coffee in a little town where many would not bother. The coffee is very good and they make very nice toasted wraps, bacon and chicken is a favourite of mine. So those two things should be enough for you to give them a try. The friendliness of the staff and lovely coffee and home bakes might make you a repeat customer too.

Didn't like the service it was confusing and very cramped seating. It was busy and noisy but no more than average for this place

The most urban feeling you are able to get in Peterhead as the city is sad and old fashioned . Cosy small place to enjoy your coffee

Rather go home and make a cup than buy there’s ,a fortune they charge also , cramped surroundings also on queen street and one down beach better for getting a seat

We often stop into Symposium when in town and it's great to see they are now expanding into premises all over the shire.

A small and friendly place with delicious coffee.

Nice coffee and bacon panini too. Good service by friendly young staff. Places like this deserve support over corporate giants where possible.

great tea and coffee and great cakes there pancakes are super great staff and very helpful to all customers

You get a lovely cup of fresh coffee here and a good selection of things to eat. Have friendly, helpful staff.

Expensive coffees and food but it was nice. Lovely clean bathrooms, nicely decorated cafe area and friendly staff.

A fantastic family friendly oriented coffee house, and the food is just a treat. The pancakes with maple syrup are a must!! Nothing is too much trouble for Paul and his Staff. Always smiling and very welcoming. A very relaxed atmosphere and a nice place...

The staff are polite. The prices are a bit steep. The coffee is awful. It's very bitter. It was much better when they sold costa coffee. But then they decided to sell their own blend. The locals seem to like it though as it is quite often busy.

Metimos en un café por la tarde. Había un constante comercio de los lugareños, que siempre es una buena señal. El personal era amable y alegre.

Visitamos el viernes pasado. Que no podía pagar con atención ya que no tenían ningún cambio. Ordenados dos cafés en £2. 95 cada uno, esperamos 25 minutos sin signos de una bebida. Finalmente él tuvo que perseguir. Máquina de café supuestamente no siempre funciona correctamente. La zona del sofá agradable con excelentes vistas de la bahía, llegar antes a las chicas locales con todos sus hijos tome más de 5 mesas para la tarde. Olvidar el café o comprar un helado magnum y por £1. 60 y disfrutar de ella en el exterior, lejos de la locura

we have been here a few times, the coffee is fab the cakes are standard to a coffee shop, we like in here only problem is when its busy because the place is small sometimes you cant get in, which is a good sign, but not when you want a coffee

Amazing coffee, lovely staff and great cakes and scones! Nice to go in and sit down or in a rush you can get a take-away.

Need more staff? A few sandwiches/toasties went back as they were so poorly made by the proprietor 's wife. The waiting staff were so helpful but let down by the toastie maker, as she seemed to be in a hurry to leave. This was all at The Lido establishment.

Best coffee in town and friendly staff large homemade pancakes as you wait in main street easy parking close by well worth a visit

Wide selection of coffees and meals available. Friendly, helpful staff! Food is always really nice and served quickly.

I have visited a few times now, can be very busy but that's because it's a top notch coffee house....coffee and pancake with maple syrup.....pancake was huge and takes some eating......all the symposium coffee houses are well worth a visit.

love the white hot chocolate!! as someone who doesn't drink coffee or normal hot chocolate it's great there are differant option's

Staff are super friendly! Good selection of food made fresh on the premises, always quick service and amazing hot chocolates and white hot chocolate.(don't drink coffee) Various syrups available, new ones for different seasons. Love coming here and taking friends and family! Home bakes are amazing also

Not a great lover of the coffee here either too strong or if I have one shot it's too weak but that's a personal choice. Food very nice and staff always very helpful and nice.

I had breakfast and lunch at Symposium while spending a day working in Peterhead. Tracked down on Tripadvisor and delighted with my choice - very fine coffee, great soup, great wraps/toasties. Recommended.

Came here after the museum as it's a two minute drive. Great views of the harbour area and there's an outdoor play but which is ok. We went around 3pm and there was no pancakes left which was disappointed. Kids bucket meals half a sandwich and pick four things from crisps, fruit, cheese string, chocolate and juice was £3 which is good.

Just had lunch here with the children. Busy place but never seen such hardworking and efficient staff. Food is standard cafe fare. It was the staff that impressed me most and great coffee.

Great friendly place for a real coffee. Staff always pleasant. Best place in Peterhead for a real latte from an expresso machine. Very clean and tidy

Always a lovely cuppa and always friendly and helpful staff. Could be a little comfier but hey, it doesn't take long to have a cuppa and glorious pancake accompanied by a chat with a friend. Decor quirky, good pictures. Not really a restaurants, they serve snacks for lunch. Always fresh.

Go here often. Staff are friendly, Coffee is fine. Food however leaves much to be desired, but who's going to a coffee house for food? Pancakes are fine though!Needs some new furniture.Sometimes the queue is out the door and you could be waiting 15 minutes for a coffee.

Popped in here for lunch. It is a very nice looking place and the staff are friendly. We ordered baked potatoes. When they arrived they were presented well, however the potatoes were really dry. There was no taste to mine whats so ever. I just didn't enjoy this.

It was late in the afternoon and I was wandering the streets of Peterhead, seeing a number of closed cafes. Just when I was about to give up hope I noticed this place was still open. I went in fearing that I would be told they were about to close, but the young male assistant was extremely welcoming. I ordered a latte and a fruit scone and was asked if I wanted it warmed up, which I did. The coffee was really tasty with a nice rich flavour, and although I ordered a medium one, it came in a large mug which impressed me. The scone was very nice too. The toilets were clean. Definitely a place to make a return visit.

there are places and places, this one is the kind of place that you want to be.the quality of the coffee es outstanding, if you are someone in town you must be there.

Had a great cup of coffee, would certainty go back. Every looked clean and tidy and well presented and the costumer service was great.

Visited on a Saturday afternoon. It wasnt too busy. The staff were welcoming and friendly. Service was quick. Coffee and tea were good and cakes just ok. The chocolate and orange cake was a bit dry and not that tasty and the malteser slice tasted a bit sweet. Didnt look and taste much like malteser slice that weve been use to being a caramel colour. Just one other thing to improve would be to make sure the empty tables are wiped down. Stuff had been removed but there was still bits of food and crumbs on the table. Apart from that the decor and friendly staff are a bonus.

Called in as we were visiting the town, and the first thing that you are greeted by is the overwhelming hospitality, the staff are really friendly. I was struggling to hear them due to a problem with my hearing but they were very understanding and patient. The food once I managed to order it was brought to our table very quickly and was exceptional in both taste and quality.Would highly recommend a visit.

Absolutely fantastic visit, great friendly staff and yummy hot chocolates, and fancy pieces. Highly recommended

My friend and I went to symposium at lido. Greated by lovely friendly staff. Cakes to die for. Lovely views of the Bay.

Visited the Symposium at the Lido in Peterhead today with a friend, although we have been to the town centre cafe this was the first time at the Maritime Centre Symposium.There is a great selection of home bakes made on the premises and very tasty coffee. The setting at the Lido gives commanding views of the harbour and the breakwater beyond. The cafe area is well laid out, and kept beautifully clean. The staff are extremely pleasant and welcoming, with a great attention to customer service. Megan who took our order is particularly chirpy, with a constant smile and Ethan deserves a special mention for his customer care, he is chatty, interested in the customers and very pleasant as well as brewing a brilliant Americano. Oh yeah, try the orange/chocolate cake (forget the calories) it's stunning!All in all brilliant!

Nice atmosphere and very friendly staff. Had a caramel latte to go and the good taste did the trick and cheered me up. Would give this place a go if in the local,Peterhead area.Thanks

Came here with my sister for lunch and I was just so chuffed with the super happy chatty lady who served us - she just made you feel so welcome.There is a great choice of lunch items and can have your sandwich/baguette/panini with various tasty fillings. Lots of fine pieces too and my sister and I fairly enjoyed the HUGE tasty pancake! I will definitley return.

Was not a patch on the Peterhead one needs a bit more paintwork it seems a bit rushed but the hot chocolate was good but it not live up to the standards Peterhead have set sorry try again

Local coffee house... Good selections and nice pancakes. Enjoy the slow pace morning while sipping on really good coffee.... Look out Starbucks...

Coffee is very rough Very harsh needs about 5 sugars to make it drinkableBeen in a couple of times now and never seem to get what I want to eat

Regular visitors to Symposium.Welcome always warm with a smile.Coffee, their own blend of beans, is fabulous.Tray bakes are wonderful and large pancakes are the best around.You will not pay the earth either.First class all round

One of the best if not the best coffee house, such a friendly and welcoming atmosphere and the food is always a treat!

Very friendly , accommodating staff , no matter how busy they are . The latte is my favourite with a delicious home bake , ranging from pancakes to outstandingly large variety of fancy cakes . Definitely a place to go into and never just walk past .Everyone made very welcome from 7am onwards . They also have a loyalty card, a must have x

A lovely place to sit and have a coffee and a cake, although the last few visits i have been disappointed with their food. The soup (Green Pea) would have been better suited as wall paper paste as it was that thick, and the chicken tikka wrap was sorry and used too much mayonnaise. Their cakes are still very nice though. Staff are pleasant and the place is clean.

Love Symposium whether it be for a takeaway cappuccino or sit in with friends. Perfect place to sit and relax. Love the sweet corn soup (although I've not had it in a while!).. Great customer service, friendly staff x

One of the better cafes in Peterhed for a coffee and an energy boost of cakes, scones and homemade pancakes. Friendly staff serve quickly with a smile. Great for popping in or a leisurely rest. Situated on the Main Street of the town inbetween the shops. One of my favourite coffee stops.

Went for coffee and pancakes machine was broken but they got new machine instead of saying I'll make you one got a story instead .sat and had coffee all they did was speak exceptionally loud and they seemed to forget we were sitting there incredible bad manners . Here's me thinking you get paid to work not there it's not the case certainly not worth £7:20 won't be darkening there cafe again poor service bad manners . Overpriced .

Friendly atmosphere, personal service and generous portion sizes make this a great place to meet friends and socialise

The staff give a very warm welcome. Once in the small cafe the smell of coffee tells you that your in for a treat. Coffee price are about the normal throughout the northeast. Sitting by the window you can sit and watch the busy life of the locals go past while enjoying the coffee.

This coffee shop is still the best to sit in or take away. Staff so friendly and very polite. Busy at times but well worth the wait. Been trying the different soups lately aswell and all are recommended as full of flavour and always piping hot. If im working i sometimes go in twice a day for a cappucino take away. If your ever in peterhead and fancy a coffee or a tea then symposium is the place to go. Well done guys :)

great coffee, great food, great service.Open in 4 locations in the North East of Scotland.Free wifi :)Everyone is made to feel very welcome and the coffee is 2nd to none :)

I regularly visit Symposium, because their coffee is the very best in town. The staff are absolutely lovely. Always welcoming and they're always so nice. They really look hapoy in their work. The cafe has a nice ambience too. Just a pleasure to visit!

Excellent small coffee shop use it regularly when in town , coffee is superb , very friendly staff and always busy , great place to go --- soup and sandwich is also always a great choice too.

Sorry but they charge over £3 for a medium hot chocolate with 'marshmallows' then half fill the mug and put in about two miniature marshmallows. The staff are also consistently rude. I'm never going back.

Friendly staff, good fare. It gets quite busy sometimes but when it does the staff up their game to cope. I've been to many places, served by many people, impressed by few.Symposium make the top 5.

Visited several times, had a seeded bagel with chicken and bacon which was delicious with a decaf tea, followed by a gluten free cake bar freshly baked. Very friendly and helpful staff and the views of the bay and marina are amazing.