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30 Apr 2021

The Hill House café

Written by Claire McCune, Visitor Services Supervisor
The interior of a cafe. Small square tables are set with placemats and candles. The cafe is dark with wood-panelled walls.
Our café is a warm and welcoming space in the recently constructed Box, offering a range of delicious sweet and savoury products seven days a week. Entry to the café is free and the views are incredible!

We opened in June 2019 on the first floor of the new visitor centre. The style of the café reflects the interior of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s domestic masterpiece, the Hill House, with dark, oak-stained wood and atmospheric lighting. On the second floor, above the café, we have an amazing roof terrace with stunning views across the Firth of Clyde to Arran. The roof of the Box shelters the terrace, which allows year-round outdoor seating. Visitors are also very welcome to bring their furry friends with them to the roof terrace, while they enjoy a lovely lunch or sweet treat. The Box has lift access to both areas so everyone can enjoy what we have to offer.

A cafe roof terrace under the Hill House Box structure. It is a sunny day.
The roof terrace

Every morning we serve freshly baked scones served with butter, jam and clotted cream. If you’re looking for something extra special why not try our bespoke Mackintosh-style Empire biscuits – the most photographed biscuits in the west of Scotland!

Empire biscuits decorated with Charles Rennie Mackintosh style roses and geometric lines.
Our famous Empire biscuits

For a delicious lunch we offer homemade soup, freshly made sandwiches and tasty baked potatoes with a range of fillings, every day from noon.

We’re now open again and really look forward to welcoming you to our café. We hope to see you soon!

We’ve got extra measures in place to make your visit safe. In line with Scottish Government guidance, please observe physical distancing in the café.

A table in a cafe with two Empire biscuits on two plates and a drinks cup with a National Trust for Scotland omega sign on it.

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