Western Scotland Restaurants and Pubs

All of the country house hotels on our journey had fine restaurants, which diminished the incentive to eat out. Nonetheless, here are four places that added greatly to the pleasure of our trip.

Applecross Inn

The Applecross Inn is a plain but friendly spot that serves some of the freshest, most succulent seafood in Scotland. The village of Applecross was only accessible by sea prior to the beginning of the last century, and the pure waters of Applecross Bay produce exceptional prawns, squat lobster, scallops, oysters, mussels and salmon. Applecross Estate provides venison, as well as fruit, vegetables and herbs. We ordered scallops and langoustines, and they came perfectly tender and sweet with a generous accompaniment of garlic butter, fries and side salads.

Tel. (01520) 744-262.

The Three Chimneys

On Skye, one of our excursions included a pilgrimage to the Talisker Distillery, home to one of my favorite malts. We then continued to The Three Chimneys restaurant. Adorned with a Michelin star, this has long been regarded as one of the top dining rooms in western Scotland, and great credit goes to owners Eddie and Shirley Spear for their early championing of Scottish produce.  Chef Michael Smith is a considerable talent. We began with a rich shellfish bisque, continued with lamb served three ways — one of which was a fantastic haggis — and ended with the restaurant’s signature hot marmalade pudding with Drambuie. The Spears recently opened six handsome bedrooms next door, which are ideal for a gastronomic sleepover at this somewhat remote spot.

Tel. (01470) 511-258.

Stein Inn

On a drive to see Dunvegan Castle on Skye, home to the Clan MacLeod for 800 years, we diverted to the little town of Waternish to eat at the Stein Inn. A welcoming bar led to an attractive paneled room. There, we split a plate of fine smoked salmon, and then opted for the hearty ploughman’s lunch of bread and cheeses, my favorite being the big slab of Isle of Mull Cheddar.

Tel. (01470) 592-362.

Hotel Eilean Iarmain

Thanks to the recommendation of a waiter at Kinloch Lodge, we went for lunch at the charming Hotel Eilean Iarmain. The location in the enclave of Isle Ornsay is movie-set perfect, and inside we found a welcoming fire, wood paneling and a little bar with Gaelic tunes playing in the background.  We began with a superb squat lobster bisque (squat lobster being a small local crustacean), followed by perfect haddock and fries, and a sticky toffee pudding for dessert.  We would have been sorry indeed to miss this captivating little spot.

Tel. (01471) 833-332.