Stirling’s newest sweet treat shop, HBW Bakery, is set to open February 14 after being bought over in April 2025. Attached to the beloved HBW Cafe, this expansion is highly anticipated by Stirling residents.
A burst of colour on the edge of Barton Street, HBW cafe is a student favourite, and for good reason. The renovations have been hard to miss. Any Stirling resident strolling past HBW will have been watching the bakery come to life each day.
With the exciting news regarding its upcoming grand opening, a review of the cafe, and what it has to offer, felt appropriate.
Walking through the little red door, we were immediately greeted with both a smile from the staff and a delectable display of baked goods. The barista allowed us a few options for seating, letting us choose where we were comfortable, before handing us our trusty menus.
With a quick glance through the exciting selection of brunch available, I was immediately drawn to the pancake stacks. Students have said the pancakes are what makes HBW so great, and I was inclined to believe them.
As we were finishing up deciding, the barista came to take our order – a large cappuccino (£3.80) and a chocolate bun (£3.80) for my friend, and a chai latte (£3.80) and mixed berry compete pancake stack (£12.50) for myself.
The service was fast and friendly, our sweet treats being delivered only five minutes after ordering. Silence filled the air as we dug in— these pancakes deserved all of my attention. Soft, fluffy, and sweet, topped with mixed berry compote, ‘oatgurt’ (a fancy play on greek yoghurt), fresh fruit, their own blend of granola, and a dash of maple syrup – these pancakes are worth the money.
Accompanied by the sweet, warm, spiced chai, the flavours went hand in hand. Whilst the chai latte could have been mixed slightly better (I couldn’t finish the last dregs as they were too bitty), it still went down a treat. With a slightly more tea-like flavour than other chai lattes I’ve had in the past, it was a delightful shock to the palette.
The chocolate bun was equally delicious, with my friend calling it “an exceptional bun.”
As we finished up and drained the last dregs of our coffees, the mood was high. Going up to pay, the display of pastry and cake were calling to me. I had to resist taking another thing to go – the prices are reasonable and they just look so good. Alas, the pancakes were enough and I reluctantly left the pastries behind.
HBW’s atmosphere, coffee, and food, is exactly what Stirling needs – it has certainly earned its slogan “Good Coffee. Good Food. Good Vibes.”
The bakery’s addition to the business had first been teased on HBW’s Facebook page in April.
HBW’s Conor Alasdair posted: “When I first got the keys to my shop nearly seven years ago, I thought it might be cool to one day grow into the shop next door.
“Number 50 Barnton Street is going to be a distinct business for now, but in the near future, if all goes the way I want it to and the applications are allowed as we wish, you’ll maybe see some pretty cool changes on our little corner of Barnton Street.
“This next step I hope to be the phase where we can really hit our stride, and start going places I’d always dreamed might come.”
HBW’s bakery has high expectations to live up to. With the final touches being put on, HBW will have to go above and beyond to fulfill customer’s desires. With the sale of breads, cakes, and sweet treats of all kinds, it is predicted to set itself apart from HBW Cafe in an innovative way. If the quality of the cafe’s service is anything to go by, this bakery will be a hit with Stirling residents.
Featured Image Credit: Kerry Lloyd
Braw Magazine co-editor for Stirling University’s Brig and a third year English and Journalism student.
