The Espresso Kart & Coffee Bar Interview
Taking East Ayrshire’s coffee scene by storm, The Espresso Kart & Coffee Bar is a family-run business that offers freshly made barista coffee at a fair price. We sat down with the owner, Stuart, to gain an insight into everything Espresso Kart and of course, coffee!
Tell us about yourself, your journey and your role here?
I worked for Newsquest/The Herald previously and worked at various events. I also spent two years in Australia in 2013/14 where I worked in a coffee shop. It was when I was there that I realised that there was a gap for good coffee in Scotland and that there are minimal independent coffee shops, especially in Ayrshire.
I’ve always been into coffee, I worked at The Jefferson Restaurant when I was younger and learned that there’s more to coffee than what meets the eye. I also worked in The Venice Cafe and really enjoyed making it.
Tell us more about The Espresso Kart & Coffee Bar and what’s on offer here
We started with The Espresso Kart van in 2018 and attended some amazing events with it. Including numerous golf events where we were lucky enough to serve Rory McIlroy! Covid had a major effect on events but we didn’t want it to stop us from serving quality coffee to quality customers. So we set up the Kart in the local community. On our first day, there was a queue that felt like a mile long which felt amazing. Overnight, we grew 3000+ followers on our social media and the rest is history really!
We employed someone after that and after seeing that there was such a large demand for our products, we decided to set up The Coffee Bar at 43 Campbell Place, Kilmarnock, in April 2021.
As well as our Coffee Menu, we serve filled bagels, wraps, sourdough and salad bowls. And of course, amazing cakes! We are mainly takeaway but there are a few tables within the premises.
The original ‘The Espresso Kart’ van recently closed and you’ve set up a new Kart…Tell us more.
We were head over heart to let go of our first van, it’s where it all started. However, it just wasn’t possible to continue with it. The nature of it meant that we were never facing our customers as we were making and serving coffees. Our new trailer means we can connect better to customers whilst still serving quality coffee and cake.
What’s your favourite coffee? & Tell us more about the coffee served here
It’s got to be a flat white. My love for it grew when I worked in Noosa on the East Coast of Australia.
Our coffee is supplied from Thomson’s Coffee in Giffnock, Glasgow. https://www.thomsonscoffee.com/
We even have our own blend called ‘The Espresso Kart’ which is used in our coffees here. We also stock 10-12 different blends, as well as Cafetieres and coffee equipment.
What’s your customers’ favourite item?
For coffee, it’s lattes. We offer unique flavoured syrups that are popular too. Flat whites are becoming more popular too. It’s really heartwarming to see that people come here just for our coffee because they enjoy it so much.
The Scottish Burrito Wrap is favoured by everyone. Filled with chicken, haggis, chorizo, mozzarella, cheddar, garlic mayo & chipotle, it really is something special!
People also enjoy our cake cabinet, all of the bakes are from local suppliers.
What do you enjoy most about your role and what motivates you?
There’s a real community feel in the Coffee Bar which feels unreal, especially only in a space of 2 / 3 years. Locals come back every day and/or week.
I find it rewarding managing people, we’ve now got an amazing team of 7 who are all instrumental in what we do.
I also just love everything about coffee, I love making it too!
What are your favourite things about East Ayrshire?
Can I say Kilmarnock Football Club? Haha, of course, the people too. The community love seeing things doing well and they’ve been a real support in setting up The Espresso Kart & Coffee bar.
Describe Ayrshire Food & Drink (in 3 words)
Traditional, homely, hearty
Your Opening Hours
We are 8am-3pm every day. We’re the only coffee shop open in the area at that time so we’re the perfect place to get your coffee fix in the morning! We are hoping to open up on Thursday evenings too.
It was a pleasure to meet The Espresso Kart team and learn about their story and everything about coffee. It’s amazing to see that Stuart and his team are putting Ayrshire on the map for the quality of their coffee and that they have created a place for the community.
Keep up to date with them here - Facebook
And learn more on their website - The Espresso Kart | Coffee Bar
Check them out in the Independent Coffee Guide, Scotland, No.6 @indycoffeeguide Buy the book here