Shrouded in mystery and historical significance, the Stone of Destiny is an icon of Scotland, a crowner of Kings and has now settled into its new home of Perth Museum.
It was a rocky road to get here, as after being seized from Scone Abbey and taken to London, it remained there for 700 years – only making a break for it when four students smuggled it out of Westminster Abbey and home to Scotland in 1950.
Officially, it was returned in 1996 and rested in Edinburgh until this year.
Now, the centrepiece of Perth Museum, floods of people – 40,000 people in its opening month to be precise – have been to see the magical Stone of Scone.
Perhaps it was the stone’s destiny to return to our nation.
For me, after taking in this ancient relic, my destiny was to visit the aptly named Stone Café to deliver the verdict on this new eatery.
What is Stone Café at the Perth Museum like?
The £27 million museum has been hailed a success and was recently awarded five stars by VisitScotland.
However, Stone Café has been plagued by criticism and delays with two failed bids to find an external operator, a £230,000 handout from council bosses and a raft of angry critics who say it is unfair competition for existing businesses in Perth’s Café Quarter.
The eatery is inside what used to be the Lesser City Hall.
It is a stunning venue – airy and bright, with huge windows and elegant lighting hanging from the ceiling.
All the dishes have a Scottish element to them and the café showcases Perthshire produce.
There are also lots of gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options.
Stone operates with an order at the till system, meaning you can take your time and enjoy your meal at your own pace.
Pork and apple sausage roll ‘bowled me over’
While my friend Jodie opted for a lemonade, I decided to try a latte which is made with the Destiny Blend from Perth’s Bean Shop.
The milk was silky smooth, combining perfectly with the robust and rich espresso.
Bonus points for fantastic latte art.
I’m a sausage roll fanatic and had heard high praise for the dish at Stone Café.
I wasn’t disappointed.
Priced at £9.75, there are four options – pork and apple, haggis and sweet potato, miso, mushroom and walnut and vegan cheese and onion – and all are served with chutney, salad and coleslaw.
The pastry was flaky and had a buttery sheen that signifies every layer will melt in your mouth.
Encased within was juicy and flavourful sausage meat, pairing beautifully with the sweetness of the apple.
The portion size was much larger than I expected – not that I’m complaining – and every bite was superb.
The chutney provided a tangy but refreshing element, while the creamy coleslaw added a little zest.
I’d love to try the other variants as this bowled me over.
Jodie had the lentil soup (£4.50), which came with Casella & Polegato
sourdough bread.
With fresh spongey bread, this dish was the perfect blend of flavour with the earthiness of the lentils, sweet notes, a hint of salt and fragrant herbs.
Salty stovies were a let down
For my main, stovies (£11.95) seemed the obvious choice but I was left bitterly disappointed.
This quintessential Scottish dish was made up of potatoes, shoulder steak, carrots, turnip and leeks – all the goodness of hearty stovies.
However, it felt as though the chef had been over generous with the salt.
Stovies are a salty dish typically, but here it was overpowering what should have been a rich, meaty gravy.
Texture-wise, the meat was soft and fell apart in your mouth, and the same went for the vegetables.
With a little less salt, this could have been a tasty dish that embodies everything the café is trying to do.
Jodie selected the chicken breast stuffed with gluten free skirlie (£11.95) and had high praise for the dish.
The dish – which came with honeyed vegetables, baby potatoes and whisky sauce -had tender chicken which was moist and full of flavour.
It coupled well with the sauce – creamy and rich.
While she wasn’t a fan of the honeyed vegetables, I enjoyed how soft and sweet they were.
Impressive cakes at Stone Café, Perth
With no menu desserts on offer during our visit, we opted for the Malteser traybake and the honey and orange cake. Together, this came to £7.70.
The traybake was soft enough to bite but still had the satisfying crunch of the Maltesers, topped off with a buttery and rich chocolatey flavour.
Jodie’s cake was fluffy and had a burst of citrus flavour as well as the notes of honey. It had an excellent icing to cake ratio, with beautiful presentation.
Perth Museum cafe review verdict
With hearty Scottish dishes, Stone Café will make you feel as at home as the Stone of Destiny now is.
The staff are friendly and helpful, while the venue is bright and lively.
I appreciated the local ethos and focus on Scottish dishes, all in tune with what Perth Museum is offering.
Although the stovies were a let down, our starters were delicious and the cakes impressed us.
Most of the visitors around us were having lighter bites or cakes and coffee, and after our experience, I’d say that’s the way to go.
Information
Address: Perth Museum, St John’s Place, Perth, PH1 5SZ
Telephone: 01738 632488
Website: https://perthmuseum.co.uk/plan-your-visit/stone-cafe/
Price: £52.65 for two soft drinks, two starters, two mains, and two traybakes.
Disabled access: Yes
Dog friendly: Yes
Scores:
Food: 3.5/5
Service: 4/5
Surroundings: 4.5/5
For more restaurant reviews, check out our food and drink section.
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