Here are some excellent, yet affordable places to try out the next time that you happen to be in the capitol of the Highlands.
Velocity Café and Bike Shop: If soups, sandwiches, tasty coffee, and bikes are among your favorite things, then this place is not to be missed. Velocity Café even holds Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence. Entrees found here start at £3.75 ($5.50 USD) for a bowl of soup and £4 ($5.85) for a basic sandwich. In fact, the priciest thing on the menu is the large seasonal salad at £6.50 ($9.50). The café also has a good variety of sweets and beverages available for purchase. Various bike maintenance courses are also held here from time to time as well. The eatery can be found at 1 Crown Avenue where they are open from 9 am to 5 pm most days of the week.
Rendezvous Café: Despite the rather industrial style exterior, this eatery should not be overlooked. After all, the breakfast here is one of the best in town and its available all day so even travelers that plan on sleeping in can still enjoy it. The friendly staff also serves up lunch with a basic salad starting at £3.95 ($5.80), soups at £2.80 ($4.10) and sandwiches at £4.50 ($6.60). From 8 am to 9 am, customers can take advantage of the café’s so-called ‘unhappy hour’ where coffee drinks are only £1.80 ($2.65) apiece. There is also a 10% discount on any takeout food. The establishment can be found 14a Church Street. Operating times generally are from 8 am to 4 pm, except on Sunday when they open an hour later than usual.
Simpson’s Garden Center & Café: This is certainly the place for scenic city views and good value food near Culloden Battlefield. This spotlessly clean eatery is known for their kid-friendly vibe but, in keeping with that fact, it’s not always the quietest of places to have lunch. While the lunch menu rotates with the seasons, traditional Scottish breakfasts, Sunday Roasts, and baked goods are staples at Simpson’s. Another tasty feature found here is the restaurant’s high tea which takes place from 2 to 4:30 pm most days. This repast is priced at £12 ($17.55) for two people and comes with sweets and sandwiches as well as a pot of tea or coffee. Those that really want to splurge can even add Prosecco for another £4.95 ($7.25) each. Shoppers may also want to browse their wares which not only include the expected gardening supplies but also imported foods, housewares, books, and other items.
Sources: Yelp; Trip Advisor; Lonely Planet; Velocity Café; Rendezvous Café; Simpson’s Garden Centre
**The food shown in the above photographs is merely a representation of the items that are available at each of these restaurants**