The mountains, glens, waterfalls, sea lochs and breathtaking landscapes are what Scotlands Isle of Skye is famed for, however, amongst all of this there is a wonderful hidden culinary world to explore.
The island offers everything from traditional Scottish fare to world class fine dining, with a natural larder that is widely regarded by leading Michelin chefs, as the world’s finest for shellfish and game. We have been visiting this island for decades and know it intimately, so please take a look at our thoughts on some of the great restaurants and eateries that the island has to offer.
Loch Bay: 1 Macleods Terrace, Stein, Isle of Skye IV55 8GA – Tel: +44 (0)1470 592235
Located in the fishing village of Stein on the Waternish peninsula, Loch Bay restaurant is the only Skye restaurant to currently hold a Michelin Star. Michael Smith blends tradition with his considerable culinary talent to produce a stunning menu ‘Skye Fruits de Mer’ using fish and shellfish sustainably caught and harvested, and landed on the Stein harbour wall, literally on his door step.
Think, hand dived king scallops, razor clams (spoots in local dialect!) langoustines, crab, lobster and plenty of oysters. Loch Bay is a must visit for seafood enthusiasts. There are two sittings in the restaurant and service is relaxed and excellently managed by Michaels wife, Laurence. Tables are very limited and booking is essential.
Our opinion – World class cooking in a magical location. Pricing around £140ph plus wine, drinks and gratuities.
Duisdale House Hotel: Sleat Isle of Skye IV43 8QW – +44 (0)1471833202
In a new renovation and fit out of this stunning Victorian mansion, Duisdale’s restaurant offers a beautifully designed restaurant set against the backdrop of the hotels gardens. There is a real commitment to locally sourced produce and it is showcased through every dish on the menu. On my last visit, the cured salmon starter and seared halibut main were stunning.
It is also refreshing to have a traditional menu format rather than the ever present tasting menu that can be awkward when you perhaps only want one or two courses. Service is efficient without being over bearing. Excellent wine list, well-structured and equally well priced. We enjoy staying here and the breakfasts are excellent too.
Our opinion – One of the islands finest hotels with an equally fine restaurant. If you can sit out to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail or a post dinner glass of fizz, then you can savour the setting of this hotel on the Sleat peninsula, looking over to Knoydart on the mainland, wonderful. Pricing around £65ph plus wine, drinks and gratuities.
The Three Chimneys: Colbost, Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, IV55 8ZT – +44 (0)1470 511258
The Three Chimneys is a Skye institution and our list would not be complete without including it. Michael Smith was culinary director at the restaurant for over 10 years before leaving in 2015 to set up Loch Bay. So, the heritage was well established and on my last visit in June 2023, confirmed that the quality and standard of both food and service remain exceptional.
Pleasingly, it’s a fixed price(with a few supplements) table d’hote menu with a choice on each course. Seasonal influences dominate reflecting Skye and the west highlands natural larder with seafood and shells and island farmed lamb and wild estate venison. Service is efficient with excellent knowledge of the seasonal menus provenance.
Our opinion – Excellent cuisine and service in a beautiful setting – Pricing around £95ph plus wine, drinks and gratuities. Six bedrooms available to book too.
The Oyster Shed: Carbost Beag, Isle of Skye IV47 8SE – +44 (0)1478503141
Sitting on the hill just up from the Talisker distillery and overlooking Loch Harport, this is as simple as it gets, there’s no frills, white linens and Zalto glassware here, just the freshest of seafood from Skye’s sea lochs and the fishermen who gather shells and rod catch fish around the inner and outer Hebrides.
The Oyster Shed really is a seafood lover’s dream, you can even learn to shuck your own oysters under expert guidance. Crab claws, scallops, kippers, mackerel, prawns, langoustines, fish and chips, lobster all freshly cooked in garlic butter, and of course oysters from around Scotland.
Our opinion – we love it, the freshest shells and fish. Sit outside and bring a bottle, (a nice chilled young Muscadet if you want my opinion!) fantastic and a must visit particularly if you’ve been at the distillery, travelled along Glen Brittle, been walking or climbing up on the Cuillin ridge this is only a short detour from the road end! Pricing from £7.50
Edinbane Lodge: Old Dunvegan Road, Edinbane, Isle of Skye IV51 9PW +44(0)1470582217
Calum Montgomery, grew up on the Isle of Skye, trained with the best and has an impressive career resume with time spent both at home and abroad. In September 2022 Edinbane achieved four AA Rosette’s for its food, making it the only restaurant in the Scottish Highlands to be awarded such an accolade.
I ate at Edinbane in May 2023 and the quality of produce and culinary skill was exceptional. A set tasting menu full of locally caught, reared and foraged produce was superb. Expect to see oysters, crab, mussels, scallops, wagyu beef, and locally foraged herbs on the menu alongside garden grown vegetables, berries, and local honey.
The restaurant operates throughout the year and is open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday from April through October, and Wednesday to Saturday with reduced hours from November through March.
Our opinion – A first class dining experience with superb craft skills on display here. Pricing around £125ph plus wine, drinks and gratuities. – four bedrooms available to book too.
Kinloch Lodge: Sleat – Isle of Skye – Scotland – IV43 8QY – +44 (0)1471 833333
Set within a classic shooting lodge turned country house hotel, the Kinloch lodge restaurant is like stepping back in time to a formal dining room adorned with numerous family portraits of the Clan Macdonald, and rightly so as it has been in the family for centuries. I returned to Kinloch early in 2023 and stayed there for two nights and enjoyed the fixed price table d’hote menu with an option on each course.
A number of years ago Kinloch was once the only establishment on the Island to hold a Michelin star and you can see the kitchen skills and effort are focused on re gaining that accolade. The menu showcases classic dishes with a modern twist geared to seasonality of produce. There is also an excellent wine selection and extensive whisky collection too.
Our opinion – Really welcoming hotel and retains its Classic standing and feel rather than modern, but in a good way – this would also be an excellent place to entertain business colleagues. Pricing around £100ph plus wine, drinks and gratuities.
Coruisk House: Coruisk House, Elgol, Isle of Skye IV49 9BL – +44 (0)1471 866330
If you are in or around the village of Elgol down at the foot of the Strathaird peninsula, and you are looking for excellent locally sourced food prepared and presented with experience and style, then Coruisk House offers a culinary experience that doesn’t disappoint. The restaurant is small so booking is required with a minimum 24hrs notice, and please note – you cannot walk in!
It’s open between March and October and in November for tables of four or greater. The owners Iain and Clare are passionate about the dining experience they have created at Coruisk, and rightly so in our opinion. They also know a thing or two about wine especially the French burgundy’s.
Our opinion – this is an intimate restaurant and booking can be difficult as there are four bedrooms that invariably book dinner also. Book well in advance, great food and wine. Pricing around £75ph plus wine, drinks and gratuities.
The Stein Inn: Macleods Terrace, Stein IV55 8GA +44 (0)1470592362
On the shore of Loch Bay on the Waternish peninsula this gastro pub with rooms offers an excellent and very enjoyable eating and drinking experience. Simple menu using local produce, all homemade. Expect Cullen Skink, locally cured and smoked salmon, wild venison burger hake and sea bass and a great range of local beers and whisky. Laid back, super friendly, attentive staff, kids and dogs welcome too, and it’s the kind of place that has few if any rules.
Our opinion – if you are up on the North west of the Island and are looking for great food at very sensible prices, the Stein Inn is the place to go. We didn’t stay here but they do have five bedrooms above the Inn. Pricing from around £25ph for two courses, plus wine, drinks and gratuities.
Scorrybreac Restaurant: 7 Bosville Terrace, Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9DG – +44 (0)1478612069
Sitting above the harbour in Portree, Skye’s main town, and run by local boy Calum Munro, this is fine dining at its very best. The menu is really interesting and demonstrates his love of foraging coupled with great culinary technique. We sampled lamb sweetbreads and halibut on the tasting menu and the execution and presentation of the finished dishes were excellent.
Interesting organic dominated wine list or there is a wine pairing option available too. This is a small dining space and it’s regularly booked out, so if you’re coming to Portree and are looking for top end dining, I’d suggest to book early.
Our opinion – in my years of visiting Portree, it has never had a fine dining restaurant, so this is a pleasant addition to the dining scene. I do like the style of cooking and menu, although I wish it was a la carte rather than a tasting menu. Pricing around £90ph plus wine, drinks and gratuities.
The Chippy Portree: Armadale House, Bank St, Portree IV51 9DA – +44 (0)1478612111
No visit to Scotland is complete without taking in a local chippy to savour the delights of deep fried fish and chip shop chips, they do taste different in a good way! Portree’s chippy is probably best enjoyed after a good night out in the town when the hunger kicks in after a few hours drinking – is there ever better time!
Our opinion – if you go to this chippy, have the fish as in Portree its fresh and the batter is crisp and chips are excellent. Pricing around £10
Conclusion: A Culinary feast awaits you on this magical island
I hope that this list helps to give some insight to what you may be looking for when it comes to dining. We travel with our clients extensively on the island year round, and visit all of these establishments and more on a fairly frequent basis and equally, I have considerable experience in, and knowledge of the restaurant industry.
Clearly opinions are as varied as the weather is on Skye, and I’ve no doubt there will be others who have differing views. Exclusion from this list is no reflection on the quality or standing of any establishment, and you may well find another blog that showcases ten others that tempt and tantalise the taste buds.
So, as you travel over the Skye bridge from the Kyle of Lochalsh you can begin to savour your culinary journey that lies ahead. Every establishment on this list gives its own take on the depth of Skye’s culinary scene, and what a showcase this is. Enjoy the island and all it has to offer.
Skye luxury Touring provide private touring experiences on Skye, the West Highlands, and the inner and outer Hebridean islands www.skyeluxurytouring.com