Coffee Bothy # 3

So we have a blog about scones in Central Scotland containing an entry about Portuguese cakes in London, hmm, how can I redress this? No scones at the weekend, but a new café visited.

Coffee Bothy # 3 - Callander

The town was Callander, the café was the latest branch of The Coffee Bothy. This is the third Coffee Bothy in the area, the original is in Blairlogie alongside a farm shop, the second is in Deanston in a distillery visitor centre and this latest branch is upstairs in the Caledonian Country Wear shop. The town of Callander used to be full of Scottish woollen shops, but these have recently reduced in number, and the clothes shop which contains the café is certainly catering for a more discerning market. Callander has a great location at the edge of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, it’s surrounded by stunning scenery and has ample opportunities for pre or post-cake eating walking or cycling.

I’d not really planned on anything other than a coffee, but once I’d looked at the extensive breakfast menu I knew resistance was futile. It was a close call between the croissants or the pancakes, with the latter being the winner. No photos I’m afraid, you’ll have to trust me that the three homemade pancakes with raspberry jam were delicious as was the accompanying latte. Signs at the counter informed me that the café has recently introduced table service; the couple at the next table seemed delighted to learn this news, ordering at the counter clearly not the done thing in the Trossachs. Their breakfast menu is extensive, better than their website menu suggests. The savoury version of the pancakes with bacon and maple syrup is my list for another time as is sampling one of their many cakes.

Three branches of a coffee shop surely means that the owners are onto something good, it makes me wonder when I’ll start to think of them as a chain? Their choice of shops to locate with is rather intriguing, I wonder where’s next, a café in a dry cleaners? A coffee shop co-located with a bank?