Rendezvous Cafe · Inverness
Cafes in Inverness: The Independent Vintage Cinema Cafe
Inverness is full of places to grab a quick cup, but a truly great cafe is harder to find. When people search for cafes in Inverness, or "nice cafes near me", they are usually after somewhere with warmth, character and food worth lingering over. That is exactly what Rendezvous Cafe has offered on Church Street for more than twenty years. We are a proudly independent cafe in the heart of the old city, and we have built our reputation on Highland hospitality, fresh food and a setting unlike anywhere else.
- 14A Church Street, Inverness
- Open 8am to 4pm daily
- Top 5 Inverness coffee, The Times
If your idea of a good cafe is one with personality, you are in the right place. We are the antidote to the identical high street chain, a genuine local cafe where staff know the regulars and every visitor gets a friendly welcome.
A Cafe With Real Character
Most cafes cannot tell a story like ours. Our building has been a Northern Meeting ballroom, a treasured record shop and a venue with genuine musical history, and today it is a vintage cinema themed cafe, with classic films playing quietly and old Hollywood touches throughout. It is cosy, characterful and the kind of room that makes you want to stay a little longer. Visitors often tell us the atmosphere is half the reason they return. You can read the full story on our history page.
That character is matched by the food and drink. The Times named us one of the top five coffee shops in Inverness, so whether you come for a morning flat white or an afternoon catch up, the coffee is taken seriously. You can explore the full range on our coffee shops in Inverness page.
All Day Food, Made Fresh
A great cafe feeds you well at any hour, and ours does. We serve a legendary all day breakfast, so you can have a full cooked plate first thing or mid afternoon, alongside pancakes, waffles, French toast, bagels and porridge. From 12pm our lunch menu brings soups, sandwiches, toasties, ciabattas, salads and burgers, all made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Whatever time you arrive, there is something satisfying to order.
Our breakfast in Inverness and brunch in Inverness pages cover the morning in detail, and the full spread is on our menu. Save room for our homemade cakes and warm scones, which change regularly, and ask about the daily specials when you visit.
Something a Little Different: Our CBD Range
One thing that sets our cafe apart is our CBD offering. As well as our regular menu, we serve broad spectrum CBD coffee and a range of full spectrum CBD hemp teas, and we stock GoGo Green Organics products to take home. It is a relaxing twist that you will not find in most Inverness cafes. All of our CBD products meet UK legal requirements, and you can learn more on our CBD cafe in Inverness page.
A Welcoming Cafe for Everyone
We pride ourselves on being a cafe for the whole community. Families, friends, solo visitors with a book, tourists exploring the Highlands and locals popping in for their usual all feel at home here. There is a full vegetarian menu, gluten free bread and cakes are available, and there are plenty of plant based milk choices. It is the sort of welcoming, easygoing local cafe that people are really looking for when they search for cafes near me.
Because we sit right in the heart of the old town, we are an easy meeting point and a natural stop while you are out shopping, sightseeing or simply enjoying the city. The riverside, the castle and the main shopping streets are all just minutes away.
Visit Our Cafe in Inverness
You will find us at 14A Church Street, Inverness, IV1 1EA, central and easy to reach, minutes from the tourist information centre. We open at 8am, seven days a week. Browse the full cafe menu to plan your visit, and to book a table or ask a question, head to our contact page or call 01463 718 444. We look forward to welcoming you.
What to Expect When You Visit
Walking into Rendezvous for the first time, people often pause to take in the room. There is the gentle flicker of an old film, the hum of conversation, the smell of fresh coffee and cooked breakfast, and a genuinely friendly welcome from the team. It is unpretentious and comfortable, the sort of cafe where you can read alone, bring a laptop for an hour, gather the family or meet a friend you have not seen in years. We are proud to be a part of daily life in Inverness, a steady, characterful constant in a city that visitors fall in love with. If you have only ever known the big chains, an independent cafe like ours is a reminder of how good a simple coffee and a homemade cake can be when they are made with care.
Frequently asked questions
What makes Rendezvous one of the best cafes in Inverness?
We combine a characterful vintage cinema setting with fresh, locally sourced food, top five coffee as named by The Times, and warm Highland hospitality, all in an independent cafe in the heart of the city.
Are you an independent cafe?
Yes. We are a long established, family friendly independent cafe on Church Street, with our own history, character and menu rather than a chain.
Do you serve food all day?
Yes. Breakfast is served all day, and our lunch menu runs from 12pm, so you can eat well whenever you visit.
Is the cafe suitable for vegetarians and gluten free diners?
Yes. We offer a full vegetarian menu and gluten free bread and cakes, plus dairy free milk options for drinks.
Where is the cafe located?
We are at 14A Church Street, Inverness, IV1 1EA, in the heart of the old city, just minutes from the river and the main shopping streets.