Tarmachan Cafe in Aberdeenshire

The soup and other dishes were all make by the chef to a very high standard. Extremely tasty and highly recommended. Great cafe

It's rare that I would travel two hours just to have lunch but the Tarmachan is one of only two places in Scotland that make that grade. It's not the poshest or the fanciest or the biggest, but it is superb. Not just for the freshness and quality of the products on offer, most of which appear to be home made, but for the originality. The choice is not vast (it can't be for a small place) but everything on offer is tempting. Often there is just one thing on a menu that appeals but at the Tarmachan I would happily have eaten my way through all of it (not all at once of course). Combine that with excellent, friendly, informative service, an interior that is as original as the food, and just as well made, and you have a winning combination that is exceptionally rare. That it sits within easy reach of Balmoral Castle is all the more remarkable. You might not live two hours away but it is worth making a trip to enjoy its delights.

Wonderful place, a little zen(garden) next to the busy road into Ballater. Delicious food (homemade bread) and drinks. Very popular and busy place, so be patiënt, it is worth it.

We have come back to this cafe every year for 3 years on our family holiday. I dream of their sourdough cinnamon swirls (which are heaven sent in my opinion and are the only cinnamon buns I eat now) not to mention their delicious venison sausage rolls. My hubby is a bit of a coffee snob but is thrilled with their selection and regularly asks to come back. It’s always clean and tidy with a modern vibe, being attached to an architectural business which gives it a hipster edge. I feel the selection of food, layout of building and feel are encapsulated by the contrast of the rural landscape and the modern building. There’s also a range of milk options, gluten free and vegan 🌱 goodies! I can’t wait to be back again!

Great place to stop for a banging coffee. Food also delicious. We had a venison roll and a rhubarb frangipani, would recommend There’s lots of light, space and an overall relaxed welcoming ambiance.

We popped in late ish after a long walk around Ballater. I had the most delicious salad with amazing fresh bread , my husband had a cheese & venison toastie. I couldn’t decide which of the cookies to try so took one of each and they were both amongst the best I’ve ever eaten. Lovely staff, great coffee, dog friendly

One of our favourites. Happily go out of our way to visit and have never been disappointed! Don't leave it too late in the day or your favs might be sold out as they're cooked fresh with limited amounts. Great gluten free options and pet friendly.

We visited this cafe twice during our time in Scotland and their food, organic and locally sourced, was very good and well prepared. Venison sausage roll was particularly note- worthy as well as their soups. We did see a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches being served as well. We look forward to stopping by again when we are in the Ballater/Braemar area. Great coffee and sweets too.

The food and coffee here is without question delicious. This is our second time and deliberately drove out as we enjoyed so much the first time. I would say though that the atmosphere this time was not great and cleanliness not the best. My pet hate, staff cleaning chairs then using the same cloth to clean the table. The floor was also full of food .. a quick brush would have sorted. Maybe just a bad day but not the friendly welcome we had before and we felt almost an inconvenience arriving an hour before closing. I would still recommend though and as I say maybe just an off day for the staff.

The staff were very friendly, and the food was absolutely beautiful! Thoughtfully created menu with healthy and delicious, well presented food. Well worth a visit.

I found the atmosphere dull and boring. The soup was bland. The sausage roll had to be returned to be properly heated. All in all....underwhelming experience not to be repeated

Absolutely epic top quality food and coffee. Friendly atmosphere, really well worth a visit. Thank you for a wonderful lunch.

Have visited a few times for lunch and always enjoyed the food and staff are lovely. Home made soups and really nice home bakes on offer and outside seating, which is really nice when the weather allows!

Absolutely first class cafe. Excellent location on the A93 near Balmoral. Warm and welcoming with lovely ambiance and great food. We had freshly made soup and vegan salads with home baked sourdough. Great coffee too.

We were recommended to visit this cafe as part of our visit to the Balmoral Castle area; it is a mere 2 minutes drive from the Crathie Carpark. We are so glad we did! Not only is the building architecturally designed, the food is utterly sublime. We shared the venison sausage roll and beef pie with side salads followed by the chocolate/ salted caramel brownie. They were so delicious that we wished the owner had a cookbook. We were served by a delightful Canadian girl. This cafe is an absolute gem! Don’t hesitate.

Really friendly staff, arrived late in the afternoon but accommodate us with kindness, very busy. Lovely feeling and food absolutely delicious. Great salad, venison sausage roll, homemade soup and pie. Took away some cakes to eat late, all boxed wonderfully. A gem of a place. Dogs made very welcome too. High recommended.

Handy stopping place on the way to Glenshee. First class coffee, excellent, slightly quirky eats. The staff are friendly and the service good. This was a first visit but will definitely stop there again when we are in the area.

Fantastic food. Venison sausage rolls were delicious. Cakes were fabulous too and the coffee was great. Options for gluten free and vegan. The GF bread was particularly good. The staff were super friendly. Dogs allowed.

A real gem of a find. After visiting Balmoral Castle, our party was looking for somewhere local for a sandwich lunch en-route to the Ballater Highland games. Being both gluten & dairy intolerant, eating out can often be a challenge. However, the staff here clearly understood my issues & offered various options. All of us thoroughly enjoyed our food, particularly our American visitors who loved the venison grilled sandwich! Thanks to all staff who were friendly & helpful. Will definitely be back!

We were recommended this by our airbnb host and didnt get there until just befoer closing (after touring Balmoral) and I had a tea and my husband a latte and we shared a cinnamon bun, tried so many artisan bakeries and been dissapointed by their buns but this was declicious! On the way out the owner was delighed to hear this and gave us and addiitonal one as the cafe was closing. It was my husbands birthday unbeknown to them and was just a lovely touch to an overall lovely day (we did the balmoral tour, had tea and cake here and then went to Hilton Grand Vacations for a beautiful dinner) = cant wait to come back (and we will definately be back to Ballater).

I don’t always get super gushy about places but this a gem of a place and worth a stop. Brunch is good. Space is good. Coffee is good. Service is fab.

5* all round. Fantastic staff who gave great welcome. The beef pie and venison sausage roll were tasty, but with the addition of the delicious rhubarb ketchup, made them even more delicious. The chocolate and peanut tart was to die for. Together with great coffee, it’s a place to visit when in the area.

Great choice for when some are on breakfast and others are on lunch - we had everything from French toast to lamb pies, all delicious. Very pretty sitting by the wildflower meadow and natural pond.

Have visited the Tarmachan several times now and have been just as impressed with the savoury food as the fine pieces. Everything is fresh and great quality without being overpriced. The space isn't huge inside, but there are a good few tables, and additional outdoor...

Lovely fresh and tasty coffee. Wonderful desserts. Very friendly Staff. We stayed in Ballater and visited twice. Would definitely recommend.

Visited in July 2023, very friendly staff, incredible tasty food and coffee. A lovely location and building! Highly recommended.

Fantastic cafe in a beautiful setting. We visited the cafe each morning while we were staying in the grounds of Balmoral Castle next door. Our breakfasts were healthy and delicious with freshly prepared food including wonderful vegan options. It was also a great place to...

Really charming and delicious supper club, eaten Al fresco, with fine folk music from Mango Lassy. We enjoyed an excellent Mediterranean menu, fresh, healthy and colourful. What a treat.

Really lovely cafe in a beautiful setting. Staff were friendly and welcoming. The salad was really tasty as were the toasted sandwiches. The custard tart was to die for! Poor choice of soft drinks but everything else was perfect!

From a Melbourne girl who knows her coffee: this is the place to go for a flat white. Soup is delish: now that I’ve discovered this brilliant cafe, lunching there as much as possible. Nowhere else comes close. Bravo to the owners. Caitlin is a...

good coffee and a beautiful slice of chocolate brownie, perfect pitstop. not a huge carpark and limited space so I would expect it to be very busy in season

Stopped for coffee and cake. Rewarded with cinnamon buns straight out of the oven and a well made flat white. Perfect start to the day

Wonderful food, great service and it’s lovely that they are dog friendly. Lunch was so good we went back for breakfast the next day.. Turkish eggs were absolutely delicious. Highly recommend and so glad we found this treasure on our short visit to Crathie. Nearly...

Food tasted as good as it looked, service pleasant and welcoming, slightly heavy on prices but would not put you off

First time visiting but won't be the last. Friendly staff Cool building Excellent toasty (buttered leeks, brie and mustard) Lovely soup and bread Probably the best coffee I've had outside of Glasgow, and one of the best in a while Nice location Tasty brownie (salted...

We stopped here after a walk round the Balmoral cairns, and ordered the grilled cheese sourdough sarnie and a lamb pie with salad, with coffee and hot chocolate to drink. The food was excellent, and the cakes afterwards finished off lunch perfectly after the morning's...

On holiday and stopped here today and what a find. It was amazing. Spotlessly clean, fab friendly guys and food and coffee to die for. Had the venison and apple sausage roll with their chilli jam it was super tasty. Also had a fab carrot...

Such a stunning cafe - its layout - its design - its food - its ambiance. Attention to detail and customer consideration- example the blue badge disabled parking area is on tarmac and not gravel !! Make a huge difference