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Potarch Café's room of wooden tables beside a stove and a window.
Aberdeenshire

Potarch Café

A café by Thomas Telford's bridge over the Dee at Potarch, where the famous Dinnie Stones sit outside the door, for breakfasts, brunch and scones.

Welcome

At Potarch, Thomas Telford's bridge carries the road over the Dee in three arches, and at its south end, on the Ballogie Estate, stands Potarch Café.

Outside the door rest the Dinnie Stones, two granite boulders of 733 pounds between them. In 1860 the strongman Donald Dinnie carried them across the width of the bridge, and people still come to try to lift them.

The café is best known for brunch: brioche French toast, Turkish eggs, sausage and eggs, and a double burger at lunch, with a children's menu, vegan and vegetarian dishes, and good coffee and cakes. It can be fully booked at weekends. Dogs are welcome, and it is easy to get into with a wheelchair. It opens from Thursday to Monday, and the paths to Kincardine O'Neil, the oldest village on Deeside, start close by.

A short drive awayFinzean Farm Shop and TearoomA farm shop and tearoom in the Feugh valley.7 min by roadSee itFinzean Farm Shop and tearoom with the Feugh valley beyond.
Before you go

Open Thursday to Monday, 10am to 4pm; closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Dogs are welcome.

Where
The B993 at Potarch Bridge, south of the Dee.
Outside
The Dinnie Stones.

Opening hours

Their website
Monday
10am–4pm
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
10am–4pm
Friday
10am–4pm
Saturday
10am–4pm
Sunday
10am–4pm
Where it is

On the B993 at the south end of Potarch Bridge, just off the A93 between Banchory and Aboyne.

Close byPotarch.
  1. The Dinnie Stones, BanchoryThe Dinnie StonesTwo granite lifting stones of 733 pounds, by the door.Under a mile1 min by road
  2. The roofless Auld Kirk at Kincardine O'Neil among its gravestones under a cloudy sky.Kincardine O'NeilThe oldest village on Deeside, with a ruined kirk.2 miles3 min by road
  3. The stone front of the Old Smiddy with a red telephone box outside.The Old SmiddyAntiques, vintage and upcycled finds in the old blacksmith's shop at Kincardine O'Neil.2 miles3 min by road
  4. The Burn of Dess tumbling down its gorge among bare trees.Dess WaterfallA short walk on the Deeside Way to a waterfall tucked into a wooded gorge.4 miles6 min by road
  5. A golden, fruit-studded scone fresh from the oven at Platform 22.Platform 224 miles6 min by road
Directions
A concrete block on the grassy hill ground above Balnahard, the Finzean hills beyond.ActivityBalnahard Farm4.4 miles
Finzean Farm Shop and tearoom with the Feugh valley beyond.CafeFinzean Farm Shop and Tearoom4.8 miles
Aerial view of a golf course fairway lined with forest and hills beyondAttractionsBanchory Golf Club6.0 miles
Tease's black shopfront on Banchory High Street, with benches and plants at the door.CafeTease Coffee Bar6.0 miles
The Birdhouse café's teal shopfront on a granite street in Banchory.CafeBirdhouse Cafe Banchory6.1 miles
A bottle of the Strong Water Co.'s own whisky held up at its Banchory shopfront.ShoppingThe Strong Water Co6.1 miles
Ride Coffee House, a white building with a glass gable and garden chairs.CafeRide Coffee House Banchory6.6 miles
Espresso streams into an orange cup on a chrome machineCafeSpider on a Bicycle Cafe6.7 miles
Shelves of floury sourdough loaves at Courie Courie.AttractionsCourie Courie Bakery6.7 miles
Stay nearby

Places to stay near the café, and when each is next free.

Woodend
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Aberdeenshire
  • 7 miles from Potarch Café
Free 1–3 NovWest Millfield
  • Sleeps 5
  • In Aberdeenshire
  • 7 miles from Potarch Café
Free 1–3 NovA stone gate lodge with steep gables and green-framed windows sits beside a stone boundary wall, a planter of flowers by the green door.Joiners Cottage
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Aberdeenshire
  • 7 miles from Potarch Café
Free 30 Oct – 1 NovA round metal garden table with two chairs stands on a lawn beside a bottle of wine and glasses, pink flowering shrubs and a green-framed conservatory behind.Garden Cottage
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Aberdeenshire
  • 7 miles from Potarch Café
Free 7–9 NovPlaces to stayEvery stay in AberdeenshireAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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