Sweetpea cafe in Broughty Ferry is getting a sister, the new Sweetpea at the Museum which has arrived in St Andrews.
The new cafe, which opens on Wednesday May 22 can be found inside St Andrews Museum, in the heart of the Fife town.
There’s a grassy area, playpark, tennis courts and bowling green surrounding the museum.
“It’s really exciting to open up another venue,” says Zoe Lawson, who runs Sweetpea in Broughty Ferry.
“It’s kind of a bit scary too to be honest – but a good scary!”
The new eatery will be slightly bigger than her Dundee cafe, with 28 seats for hungry cafegoers to fill.
There will be a laid back atmosphere in Sweetpea at the Museum.
“You’ll feel welcome in our really relaxed in environment,” Zoe says.
“It’s like you’re being taken into our home, really.”
New St Andrews eatery was meant to be
“I’ve been looking for a second cafe probably since a year after opening Sweetpea,” laughs Zoe.
“Just because I felt like there was a demand for our customers. Especially after we opened up seven days and we still had to turn people away.”
Zoe looked at other potential venues in Dundee, Tayport and St Andrews and never found anything that felt right.
“I think I’m quite fussy,” says Zoe.
“As soon as I walk into a space, I can feel it already whether it’s a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.
“It was actually a regular customer of ours who mentioned St Andrews Museum.
“As soon as I walked in, and saw how bright and floral the cafe space was, it felt right.
“It was so open, with the big windows, and you can see out to that grassy area.”
Customers are ‘calling out for’ more from Sweetpea
Zoe’s Dundee eatery, Sweetpea cafe, is regularly fully booked, with queues out the door on Brook Street, Broughty Ferry.
The venue was awarded Independent Cafe of the Year in The Courier Food and Drink Awards 2024.
“I still get so surprised when I look back at five and half years ago when we first opened,” says Zoe.
“When I look at the diary and see Saturday after Saturday fully booked, it feels really good.
“Looking back to where we were, it’s just crazy. I never thought when we first opened that people would be booking to come to a cafe, especially in my mind what is such a wee cafe.
“I still get a shock when people call to book a table, and I say, ‘oh, are you doing anything nice?’
“And they say ‘we’re coming from Edinburgh, we just want to come to you’.
“I think that’s what has made opening this one so good, because our customers are really calling out for it, they’re wanting to see us more.”
What’s on the menu at Sweetpea at the Museum, St Andrews?
While the food offering at Sweetpea at the Museum will start off the same as in Zoe’s Broughty Ferry cafe, the menu is likely to change.
When the museum changes their exhibition, Zoe plans to add themed items to the menu.
The menu is just a “guideline” though, she says, and visitors to her cafes can ask for substitutes, alternatives and more.
“Especially if you have dietary requirements, you shouldn’t be worried about anything,” says 29-year-old Zoe.
“If you’re vegan or gluten-free, you’ll be able to come in and know that it won’t just be that boring, bog-standard brownie that everyone seems to do.
“You’ve got options. We can accommodate anyone and everyone.
“Even if that’s just someone that’s a bit of a plain Jane who just wants a cheese sandwich.
“We say that our menu is very much a guideline, and we can change it to what people want.
“We would rather people leave full and happy, than hungry and a bit disappointed.”
- Address: St Andrews Museum, Kinburn Park, Doubledykes Rd, St Andrews KY16 9DP
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