Bobbins Kilbarchan lunch review by Robert Blair

Our trusty team of Robert Blair and Paul Dickson take their taste buds to Bobbins in Kilbarchan to sample this beloved café

One of the beautiful things about village living is that establishments can come to typify the spirit of the area. Rather than being ten a penny, the sparsity of options can allow a café or pub to assimilate into the very DNA of a place. Within moments of sitting down at Kilbarchan’s Bobbins, it soon becomes apparent that this is exactly what’s taken place here. 

Previously owned by the wife of Taggart legend Mark McManus, Susan Arthur and Carole Seeth have been proudly overseeing Bobbin’s for two decades. Located in a building that had once been a greengrocer, it is fitting that this space has always served the locals as when you see the attentiveness with which the staff tend to each person that comes through the door, it’s easy to see why they can always rely on repeat visits. As an outsider, watching the near-familial camaraderie between both those who work there and enlist the café as an integral part of their routine was a joy to behold.

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A meeting point for the old and young alike where local artists’ work adorns the walls, the café boasts a simple, but robust menu which is filled with local produce and capped off with impeccable, homemade tray bakes. 

As I sipped at a peppermint tea, Paul indulged in a decaf oat milk latte which he quickly lavished praise on. Before long, I was treated to a perfectly executed veggie breakfast, consisting of two fried eggs, potato scones, tomatoes and toast. It was by no means flashy, but that’s not the intention at Bobbin’s. While other cafés look to reimagine breakfast, Bobbin’s have hearteningly focused on keeping it as tasty and comforting as possible and that’s precisely what they did. 

Soup with haggis melt toastie, photo ©Mill Magazine

Meanwhile, Paul was eager to sample the haggis, cheddar and onion toastie. Served alongside a homemade pea and ham soup, the addition of cranberry to the toastie brought an extra tang to proceedings which he certainly savoured. 

Next up, there was the co-main event of home baking. Paul opted for a peppermint slice, remarking that it provided every bit of the satisfaction that you’d expect from an Aero. In my case, I plumped for a slice of Victoria sponge which, due to its healthy dose of sprinkles and icing, looked like it had been blended with an old school cake. 

Well-priced, well-intentioned and well-attended, there’s a wholesomeness to the Bobbin’s experience that cannot be overstated. At a time when the world seems to be in a perpetual state of turmoil, what more could you want at lunchtime? 

Bobbins Kilbarchan, 25 Steeple Street, Kilbarchan, PA10 2JF, find them on Facebook.