There is no shortage of great places to get coffee in Inverness.
It was a drastically different picture a few years ago, when the types of coffee and places to get it where extremely limited by modern standards.
Major chains like Starbucks, Costa and Caffe Nero have found a home in the Highland capital and most people know what they’re getting from them.
But there are an increasing number of locally-run coffee shops that have developed a strong following in the city.
We’ve put together a list showcasing some of the city’s finest to help you find the Inverness coffee house that suits you best.
Milk Bar, Inverness Coffee Roasting Company
It’s two places for the price of one with the first entry here, but it makes sense to pair them together.
The Milk Bar scores exceptionally well on TripAdvisor, with 160 out of 167 reviewers awarding it five stars.
It serves its own coffee blend from the Inverness Coffee Roasting Company, delicious ice cream and milkshakes from Black Isle Dairy and baking from The Storehouse.
A major contributor to the success of the revamped Victorian Market, it’s a great showcase of local produce and it’s no mystery why it has become so popular.
The Inverness Coffee Roasting Company supplies more than 100 cafes, the Milk Bar being just one, and its own Chapel Street cafe is definitely worth checking out too.
Address: Milk Bar, 8 Market Arcade, Â IV1 1PJ
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 8am-4pm.
Address: The Inverness Coffee Roasting Company, 15 Chapel Street, IV1 1NA
Open Tuesday to Saturday, 9am-2pm.
Xoko
Xoko only opened its doors in Bridge Street in 2021 but has already grown into one of the city’s best-loved spots.
It is beloved for its excellent pastries but its coffee is also very highly regarded.
Its popularity has forced many an Invernessian to correctly learn how to pronounce its name (it’s “shaw-ko”, by the way).
Open six days a week 7am-5pm, closed on Mondays.
Address: 13 Bridge Street, IV1 1HG
Grain and Grind
Coffee is serious business at Grain and Grind and it shows.
Another relative newcomer to the Inverness scene, it branched out in the Glasgow area before making the leap to the Highlands.
One of only two coffee roasters in the city – the other being the Inverness Coffee Roasting Company – it has a large number of different varieties to choose from.
The cafe’s bright and airy atmosphere help make it feel like a great place to unwind, and its food and drink have been roundly praised online.
Open seven days a week, 8am-5.30pm Monday to Saturday, 9am-5pm Sunday.
Address: 1 Tomnahurich Street, Inverness, IV3 5DA
Perk Coffee + Doughnuts
A cafe by day and an espresso martini bar by night, Perk is an independent business that has become a firm favourite in Inverness.
Its handcrafted doughnuts have proved very popular and its coffee has consistently scored extremely highly with its customers.
Owner Nicola Mclennan’s search for a good flat white in the Highland capital ultimately led to her creating Perk and it has blossomed into a terrific hangout in the six-and-a-bit years since then.
Open seven days a week, 8am-3pm Monday to Wednesday. Open 8am-3pm and 4pm-11.30pm Thursday to Saturday and 9am-3pm, 4pm-11.30pm on Sunday.
Address: 36 Church St, Inverness IV1 1EH
Birch
Birch opened in Inverness’s High Street around a year ago and has been quietly making a good name for itself ever since.
Its opening followed a similar venture in Portree, which began just before the pandemic hit.
Birch was inspired by owner Niall Munro’s love for coffee which he developed while visiting his sister in Australia.
It may be situated in one of the busiest parts of the city, but one impressed reviewer called it “a small oasis of calm” while heaping praise on the business.
Open seven days a week, Monday to Saturday 7.30am-5pm, Sunday 9am-5pm.
Address: 21 High Street, IV1 1HY
Who else should be on this list? Send your suggestions to stuart.findlay@pressandjournal.co.uk
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