A new spot has made its way onto one of St Andrews’ three streets. Tucked into the corner of Market St, Five Acres is a farm-to-table café and micro-farm shop serving a variety of seasonal salads, soups, sandwiches, and baked goods made with produce from an organic market garden in Falkland, Fife. With its convenient proximity to nearby lecture halls, Five Acres makes the perfect pitstop between classes for a takeaway coffee or sit-in meal.
The shop has stepped in and taken the place of the beloved Combini café. As a heartbroken lover of the late coffee shop, I had to give Five Acres a try and see if it could be the replacement we’ve all been looking for. So in case you haven’t yet given Five Acres a try, here’s what you’ll want to know.
Overall Vibes:
The inside of Five Acres is warm and welcoming, with ashy woods and beige parchment paper lining most surfaces and highlighting the earthy tones of its food selection. There are six spots to sit inside and one two-seat table available outside for sunny days. Compared with other quick-bite spots in town, this is seemingly standard. So long as you miss the midday crowd influx, acquiring a table for you and some friends shouldn’t be difficult.
One thing I found particularly exciting was their access to Wi-Fi. While Combini Cafe left us to fend for ourselves, without service and (literally) to our own devices, Five Acres proudly displays its Wi-Fi info and password, inviting you to settle in and get your work done or just scroll through Instagram.
The shop also stocks an elaborate shelf display with an assortment of health food groceries ranging from fresh bread to apple butter to lentils. In keeping with their organic theme, they also carry a few cookbooks, such as “Eating for Pleasure, People, & Planet” by Tom Hunt, and an assortment of souvenir tote bags for your groceries (or any of your other tote-related needs).
Menu:
Five Acres’ main menu options regularly rotate to reflect the produce in season. This week, the salad options were beetroot and celeriac hummus topped with toasted seeds; black quinoa with broccoli and kale served with lemon and herb dressing; coconut, cabbage, and curry leaf slaw; and potato masala with yogurt, coriander, salsa, and tamarind dressing. The sandwich option was confit leek, brie, and whole-grain mustard. And finally, the soup option was a Greek giant beans stew with feta, chili flakes, and sourdough toast. For the salads, you can choose between a snack box for £5.25, a lunch box for £7.95, or a sharing box for £9.95, while the stew has a single-size option for £8.50, and the toastie is £7.95. These prices are similar to those of other places in town, and, considering their promise of fresh organic produce, are seemingly fair for the quantity of food you receive in each order.
On top of the main options, the shop has a consistent display of assorted pastries, including rosemary and brown apple butter cake, squash cake with crème fraîche icing and pumpkin crumble, and vegan(!) cinnamon rolls.
Other than food, Five Acres advertises a typical drink menu consisting of teas and coffees. While they unfortunately don’t carry any flavored coffee syrups, there is an abundant station of sugars and stirrers in case you prefer a sweeter drink. They offer hot teas for £2.80, coffee drinks ranging from £2.50 to £4, and hot chocolate for £4. Their takeaway containers are all made from a certifiably compostable paper-like material, which was a refreshing change from the usual guilt-ridden plastic or meltably paper containers supplied at other places in town. In terms of alternative milks, they currently only offer oat milk. As a loyal almond milk fan myself, this was a bit harrowing. But, I made do and was still able to enjoy my flat white.
Food Review:
I ordered an oat flat white, a cinnamon roll, and the black quinoa salad. Because I’d formerly praised Combini’s espresso drinks as the best in St Andrews, I was anxious to see if Five Acres’ coffee beans would hold a candle, which is why I’m happy to report that my Flat White was absolutely delightful and reminiscent of my old favorite order.
The black quinoa salad was warm yet refreshing, making it the perfect pick-me-up lunch and remedy for braving the cold of a St Andrews November.
The cinnamon roll was a perfectly warm and soft blend of sugary cinnamon and indulgently buttery dough. It was the perfect sweet treat to pair with the last few sips of my drink.
Overall, Five Acres in St Andrews offers a warm and welcoming ambiance and a delicious menu to match, making it a delightful place to enjoy a meal or coffee. It’s a welcomed addition to the St Andrews cafe scene; if you’re looking for a new go-to spot, I sincerely recommend that you give it a try.