20 Years of Rendezvous Cafe: Celebrating Our Journey and What is Next

A look back at two decades of great food, music and Highland hospitality in the heart of Inverness

Next year marks a massive milestone for Rendezvous Cafe. We will be celebrating 20 years of serving the Inverness community. For two decades, we have poured our passion into every cup of coffee and every plate of hearty food. It is the perfect time to look back at the incredible history of 14A Church Street and share a glimpse of what the future holds for us.

Whether you have been coming to us since the very beginning or you have only just discovered us, we hope this story reminds you why Rendezvous Cafe is so much more than just a place to eat. It is a place to belong.

Echoes of the Past: A Historic Location

Long before we served our first legendary Full Scottish Breakfast, our home on Church Street was already an iconic spot. Back in 1790, the Northern Meeting Rooms stood right here, serving as the heartbeat of the city’s nightlife and social scene. The annual Northern Meeting Society ball drew royalty and the great and good of the Highlands, while traditional Scottish music rang out downstairs and something altogether more electric happened upstairs.

Perhaps the most famous chapter in the building’s history came on 21st May 1960. A young Liverpool band known as the Silver Beetles performed here, backing singer Johnny Gentle on one of their very first tours as a group. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and Tommy Moore took to the stage in the Highland capital. Just a few weeks later, they changed their name and their lineup, and became The Beatles. That connection has never left us. Beatles fans from all over the world visit 14A Church Street just to stand where those first performances took place.

By the 1980s, the space had transformed into Record Rendezvous, a treasure trove for vinyl lovers that kept the local music scene alive for years. When that chapter came to a close, the name and the spirit lived on. When Rendezvous Cafe was born, we wanted to honour every part of that rich heritage. We adorned the walls with pictures highlighting the building’s showbiz, music and cinema heritage, and we have never stopped celebrating it.

The Last 20 Years: Coffee, Cinema and Community

We embraced a vintage cinema theme from the very start, decorating our space with showbiz and music memorabilia that tells the story of this remarkable corner of Inverness. Over the past 20 years, we have grown into one of the most well-known eateries in the city. The Times named us one of the Top 5 Coffee Shops in Inverness, and we are proud to appear among the top-rated cafes on TripAdvisor.

We have built our reputation on Highland hospitality and comforting food. From our legendary all-day breakfasts to traditional Scottish meals, gluten-free options, vegetarian dishes and our build-your-own breakfast format, we have always aimed to make sure there is something here for everyone. Our brunch runs all day, so whenever you arrive, you can enjoy your favourite morning dishes.

A big moment in our story came at our 15-year milestone, when owner Benny Karoci Hadar merged Rendezvous Cafe with The Dark Kitchen, a takeaway operating from the same address. The idea was to give guests the chance to enjoy their favourite food in the comfort of the iconic restaurant. Alongside the classic Rendezvous menu, we began serving sharing platters, gourmet burgers, wok-fried umami noodles, ramen, Dutch fries, fried rice bowls and an eclectic selection of world wines and beers. As Benny put it at the time:

“We decided to blend the two separate sister brands together as people tell me they love the takeaway food at The Dark Kitchen, but now we’re giving them the chance to relax and enjoy their meals in the comfort of The Rendezvous. The first 15 years in Inverness have been really special and I would like to thank everyone who has visited us over the years. Here’s to the next 15 years!”– Benny Karoci Hadar, owner of Rendezvous Cafe

More recently, we launched GoGo, The CBD Experience, bringing a whole new offering to the cafe. We now stock GoGo Green Organics’ full range of premium-grade CBD products, including 21 flavours of CBD tea and CBD coffee, which you can enjoy in the cafe or purchase to take home. It is one of the things that makes Rendezvous Cafe a genuinely one-of-a-kind experience in Scotland.

What Our Guests Say

The most honest reflection of any cafe is the words of the people who visit. Here is a selection of what guests have shared on TripAdvisor over the years.

Feedback like this, from locals and visitors alike, is what keeps us going every morning when we open those doors at 8am. We are proud of every one of those reviews and grateful to every person who has taken the time to share their experience.

Staying Strong Through Difficult Times

No honest look back at the last 20 years would be complete without acknowledging the challenges. Like every hospitality business in the country, we faced an extraordinary test during the Covid-19 pandemic. Doors that had been open every morning for years were forced to close. The hum of conversation, the clatter of plates and the smell of a fresh breakfast all went quiet.

But the connection between Rendezvous Cafe and its community proved to be unbreakable. When restrictions eased and we reopened, customers came back in a way that reminded us exactly why we do what we do. As Benny noted at the time, the previous two years had been the most difficult, but seeing people come back through the doors again made it worthwhile.

That period also gave us time to think about what Rendezvous Cafe could become. The merger with The Dark Kitchen and the launch of the GoGo CBD range both grew out of that time of reflection, and both have gone from strength to strength ever since.

Looking to the Future

As we prepare to celebrate 20 years, we are planning some exciting new developments to keep growing and serving our guests. Here is a glimpse of what is coming.

A Bigger Evening Experience

The Dark Kitchen concept has proven very popular, and we plan to build on it. Expect new additions to the fusion menu, seasonal specials and more reasons to visit us in the evening. We have always been a great daytime spot, and we are now becoming a genuinely exciting evening destination too. From sharing platters of cheese and charcuterie from 3pm to gourmet burgers, noodles and ramen from 6pm, there is a Rendezvous experience for every part of the day.

Locally Sourced and Sustainable

Our commitment to fresh ingredients will only grow stronger. We want to deepen our ties with Highland producers and local suppliers, so that what arrives on your plate is as local as it is delicious. Being part of Inverness means caring about the community and environment around us, and that will shape more of the decisions we make going forward.

Growing the GoGo CBD Range

The GoGo CBD Experience is still at an early stage, and there is a great deal more to explore. New products, new flavours and an expanded wellness range will make Rendezvous Cafe an even more interesting destination. Whether you are curious about CBD tea, CBD coffee or the wider GoGo Green Organics product range, we are here to help you find what works for you.

Community at the Core

We have always believed that a cafe without community is just a kitchen. Over the next chapter, we want to strengthen our ties to Inverness even further. Supporting local events, championing local talent and continuing to be the kind of place where strangers become friends over a good cup of coffee. Come and find us on Church Street, or order online through Just Eat and bring a taste of Rendezvous home.

Thank You, Inverness

Twenty years is a long time. It is long enough to see children grow up and bring their own children in. Long enough to become part of the daily rhythm of a city. Long enough to understand that what makes a great cafe is not the awards or the press coverage, but the relationships. With our customers, with our community and with the remarkable city of Inverness that has welcomed us through the door every single morning.

We are deeply grateful. To every customer who has visited us, left a kind word, recommended us on TripAdvisor or simply sat quietly with a cappuccino and watched the world go by on Church Street. You are the reason we are still here. And you are the reason we cannot wait to see what the next 20 years brings.

Here is to the next chapter. See you at the table.

The Rendezvous Cafe Team