Utopia returns to Inverness as cafe owner opens up about his own mental health battle

One of Inverness’s best-loved cafes has reopened its doors after a turbulent year away.

Utopia Cafe made a big splash when it arrived in the Highland capital in 2019, quickly building up a loyal following and landing a string of top-rated reviews.

But it was hammered by the Covid pandemic and the maze of restrictions that followed.

And on top of that, owner Kevin Paterson was working himself into the ground trying to take on everything and keep standards high.

It reached a tipping point in May 2023.

Kevin was in a dark place, struggling with his mental health and exhausted.

He pulled the plug on Utopia and didn’t know what the next step was.

But after more than nine months of soul-searching, the cafe is back.

And this time, things will be different.

Social buzz at return of Utopia

Utopia was a victim of its own success in the early days.

Among one of its many glowing reviews on TripAdvisor was one that remarked that it felt like something that belonged in Glasgow’s leafy West End rather than in a residential street in Hilton.

That feeling that it was something people in Inverness weren’t used to seeing created a buzz.

And that buzz created an expectation.

“I just wanted us to do something a bit different,” said Kevin. “It blows my mind the following we built up.

“The pressure of running a business, the reaction we had and the expectations we set for ourselves.

“Trying to manage and maintain that, it was a massive source of stress and pressure.”

To avoid falling into that same trap, Kevin is ready to relinquish some control.

He’s hired a manager, a new chef is in the pipeline and the whole menu has been simplified.

That might mean things look a bit different at Utopia – but it will also give the business its best chance of surviving long-term.

Kevin, who grew up in Smithton, said: “Part of my problem before was that I was a bit of a control freak.

“I don’t want to try to do everything and spreading myself too thin. I struggled to delegate things and this time it has to be different.”

Return is welcome boost for Inverness cafe scene

Kevin started working in the hospitality industry when he was only 13, working as a pot washer.

Since then, he’s worked in all manner of takeaways, sandwich shops, restaurants and cafes from the Highlands to London.

Opening a cafe in his hometown fulfilled a dream and the opening year was a whirlwind as Utopia established itself as a firm favourite in the city.

Its Instagram-friendly dishes helped it boom on social media.

And that powerful online presence helped dig the business out of a recruitment hole in 2022.

But taking on too much himself took a toll on Kevin.

Kevin said: “When Covid hit, my mental health went off a cliff.

“It’s something I’ve struggled with since I was 15 and it’ll always been a part of my life.

“In some of those dark days, I felt so lonely and isolated.”

Having taken time to recover, the 34-year-old wants his cafe to be a safe space for anyone in the city that is struggling.

Kevin added: “I am so excited to be back doing what I love. And I really want people to know that this cafe is a safe space for anyone struggling.

“If you’re alone, if you have no one to talk to or nowhere to go or just need a listening ear, Utopia is a place you can go to.”

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