THE SHIRE // The Coffee Apothecary, Udny

The Coffee Apothecary Udny Aberdeenshire

One of my favourite ways to spend time is by grabbing a camera, jumping in the car and driving around the Scottish countryside. There are so many photos begging to be taken; so many Geocaches waiting to be found; and so many beautiful sights just calling out for you to stop and gaze. I love all of these things, but one of the highlights of any journey has to be the coffee stop along the way. Scotland's little villages are full of garden centres and charming little tearooms, but it's fair to say that I've never stumbled upon anywhere quite like The Coffee Apothecary before now.

The Coffee Apothecary Udny Aberdeenshire

Situated in Udny - a small settlement about 13 miles North of Aberdeen - The Coffee Apothecary is strikingly bold and contemporary next to its rural surroundings. Taking over the old village shop and Post Office, the new owners have given it a whole new life with most of the building now given over to a beautifully finished coffee shop whilst still housing a small, open plan Post Office near the counter.

The space they've created is incredibly inviting and it seems like attention has been given to every tiny detail: the incredible carving on the front door; the beautiful pictures that adorn the walls; the dangling lights and upcycled furniture; the pallette-built sofa corner; and the fun bathroom with that floor. So cool!

The Coffee Apothecary Udny Aberdeenshire

It's a space that really reflects their passion for community and making good ethical choices -- a recurring theme throughout this little business which uses sustainable banking, fairly traded products and locally sourced ingredients. I asked via Twitter (because I was too shy to ask in person) just how local their ingredients were and was told that their meat comes from a farm in Methlick and a butcher in Stuartfield, while as many of their veggies as possible are provided by a farm just 3 miles down the road. Now that's local! 

Roast vegetable wrap at The Coffee Apothecary Udny Aberdeenshire

Speaking of food.. The menu here is very much focussed on quality over quantity, providing a small breakfast menu of egg and bacon rolls or homemade granola (a new addition since my visit), a lunchtime menu of soup and sandwiches, and an all-day selection of cakes and other bakes. Pleasingly, their small menu actually includes more than one vegetarian option!

I had a roast vegetable and houmous wrap on my visit, served with vegetable crisps and salad, and swiftly followed by a carrot cake muffin, all of which was gooooood!

French press coffee at The Coffee Apothecary Udny Aberdeenshire
And then there's the coffee. 

I'm a pretty regular coffee drinker and I can serve up a decent enough extra hot double-shot decaf skinny vanilla latte (or whatever it is you choose) at work, but I have to admit to feeling like a complete coffee novice here. In addition to the usual espresso-style coffees and some mean latte art, The Coffee Apothecary offer a choice of two or three specially selected beans from Artisan Roast, brewed in your choice of French Press, Chemex or V60. Thankfully, the guys here really know coffee and were more than happy to talk us through our choices, describing the subtle flavourings in each of the beans and guiding us towards a coffee that well suited our tastes.

The Coffee Apothecary Udny Aberdeenshire

With so much choice, I'm not sure why you'd want to drink anything other than coffee here.. but just in case you do, they also serve up a selection of loose leaf teas, some delicious-sounding hot chocolate from Edinburgh's Coco, and craft beers from Ellon's own Brewdog. What more could you possibly ask for?! 

If it wasn't already evident, I was really impressed with this place - as was my mum, who's already dragged my dad and sister along for another visit. I would highly recommend making the little trip out to the 'Shire. I know that I'll be back and I hope that The Coffee Apothecary only continues to grow and flourish. 


The Coffee Apothecary
Udny Post Office, Udny, Ellon

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4 Comments

  1. Wow, what a great place! I must see if I can get out there sometime. I love the name! And that part of Aberdeenshire is very pretty.

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  2. Hey Laura, what a lovely review, The Coffee Apothecary looks great! Will definetly pop by sometime, thanks for sharing xx

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