I grew up in Aberdeenshire, and have tried many a rowie in my time. But I’ve never fully stopped to consider what makes a great rowie – or buttery.
So I headed out in Aberdeen to try a range of different rowies, to find out which I like the best.
- I rank these from first to last at the bottom of this article.
The salty treat is synonymous with Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, and whether you call it a buttery or a rowie, you’ll likely have fond memories of these.
My grandad is partial to a rowie topped with marmalade, which I thought was pretty horrendous growing up.
But everyone enjoys these differently.
To keep things fair, I tried each of these rowies without a topping, and untoasted…
1. J G Ross
The first rowie I tried on my review is an Aberdeen staple. There are several J G Ross bakeries in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, and their rowies are available in many corner shops.
I was able to easily find a packet of four JG Ross rowies from a corner shop in Aberdeen for £2.
These were nice and salty, but a bit too soft for me.
I prefer there to be some more crispiness in a rowie.
Price: 50p each.
Flavour: 3.5/5
Texture: 2.5/5
2. The Bread Guy
Next up on my Aberdeen butteries review was The Bread Guy. I’ve driven by the bakery on Great Northern Road dozens of times.
It was my first time stepping inside, and the woman who served me was incredibly friendly and chatty.
There were lots of rowies to choose from, and I walked out quite happily with it in my wee brown bag.
They looked great, and when pulled apart there was a perfect crispy texture.
Though sadly, the taste was not for me with this one.
Price: 50p each.
Flavour: 1/5
Texture: 4/5
3. Vegan Bay Baker
This Ellon bakery has shops both in Aberdeen city and the shire.
I visited the Castle Street shop, very unsure what I would make of a vegan buttery.
But wow.
This was delightful, with a great fluffy texture on the side, and crispy, flaky exterior.
The taste was salty but not overly so.
Colour me impressed.
Price: 55p each
Flavour: 4/5
Texture: 4/5
4. The Bread Maker
Found on Rosemount Viaduct, this bakery and coffee house is a cosy space absolutely packed with delicious bakes.
Other items caught my eye, including a gleaming focaccia.
The Bread Maker buttery was delicious. A very golden brown colour, as opposed to some paler ones I’ve seen elsewhere.
It’s crunchy, and has a nice bite to it. There’s also some chewiness in some places which I quite enjoyed.
Price: 4 butteries for £2.70 (approximately 68p each)
Flavour: 4/5
Texture: 5/5
5. Murdoch Allan
Next up on my Aberdeen butteries review, I picked up some Murdoch Allan ones from Sainsbury’s.
I found these to be quite soft too, without much bite.
The flavour was a little lacking too, but maybe with a heaped helping of butter on top it would have been more pleasant.
Price: 35p each
Flavour: 2.5/5
Texture: 2/5
Aberdeen rowies review – I rank from best to worst:
- The Bread Maker
- Vegan Bay Baker
- J G Ross
- The Bread Guy
- Murdoch Allan
Read more about Aberdeen’s favourite treat below:
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