Perth has a new cafe, as well as a new museum this weekend.
Stone is sited inside the £27 million Perth Museum, in what used to be the Lesser City Hall.
It boasts its own coffee blend, called Destiny, supplied by the Bean Shop in Perth’s George Street.
A flat white is £3.60 and an espresso £2.30. Prices start at £3.40 for a latte, £3.35 for an Americano and £3.60 for a mocha.
And other local suppliers are sprinkled elsewhere throughout the menu.
The soup of the day (£4.95) is served with oatcakes made by the Giraffe social enterprise cafe on South Street, or sourdough bread from Casella and Polegato bakery in George Street.
Other starters include Simon Howie haggis Bon Bons (£7.25), ham hough and pickled
vegetable terrine (£7.25), and Stone sausage rolls (£9.75).
Perth Museum cafe in nod to local place names
Main courses tend towards the traditional, such as chicken breast stuffed with
gluten free skirlie (£11.95), stovies (£11.95), macaroni cheese (£10.95) and more Simon Howie haggis, this time with neeps and tatties (£10.95).
There’s a selection of platters, named after local landmarks and priced £9.95 for individuals or £18.50 for sharing.
The Tay selection features steamed and smoked Scottish salmon and smoked trout pâté, while the Moncreiffe version boasts venison salami and bresaola, chorizo, fennel salami, pickles and walnuts.
The Kinnoull is all about Scottish cheeses, while the Inches selection contains beetroot falafel balls, golden beetroot hummus, roasted vegetables and chutney.
Open sandwiches range from £8.25-£8.95, and breakfast rolls (from 10am to noon) are £4.50.
There’s a kids menu, starting at £3.95 for a small portion of soup and rising to £5.95 for cheesy pasta.
And for sweet-toothed visitors, there’s a daily selection of cake, traybakes and scones from £3.75, not to mention a tipsy laird trifle or the classic cranachan, made with toasted Aberfeldy oats (both £6.25).
Breakfast tea is £2.85, specialty tea £3, and fizzy drinks £2.50.
Cafe pledge to ‘think local’
The Perth Museum project came in for criticism over the decision to include a cafe.
The attraction is right in the centre of Perth’s “cafe quarter”, and critics said it would divert trade away from existing businesses.
There was further anger in February when it emerged Perth and Kinross Council was set to bankroll the museum cafe to the tune of £230,000.
Perth Museum bosses say they will strive to work with local and Scottish food and drink businesses wherever possible.
The list of suppliers includes Campbells Prime Meat, Simon Howie Scotland’s Butcher, Ochil Foods, Casella and Polegato Bakery, Wild Hearth Bakery, Highland Health Store, Clootie Mctoot Dumplings, Highland Industrial Supplies, Brakes Foodservice, the Bean Shop Coffee, Allan’s Chilli Products, Malcolm Wood Fresh Express Produce, Giraffe Perth and the Wee Tea Company.
Stone is open daily from 10am-5pm. Well-behaved dogs are welcome.
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