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Chef Calum Montgomery in the garden.

Dine like a local: chef Calum Montgomery’s guide to Skye

FDL
By
Fine Dining Lovers
Editorial Staff

Calum Montgomery of Edinbane Lodge shares his guide to the best restaurants on Scotland’s Isle of Skye

The beautiful Isle of Skye, off the northwest coast of Scotland, in the Inner Hebrides archipelago, is a place of magic. Stunning landscapes, history and warm hospitality have made it a bucket-list destination for UK and international visitors. Not to mention the whisky. 

Then there’s the food. Located in a 16th-century hunting lodge, Edinbane Lodge is an AA and Michelin-recognised fine-dining restaurant with rooms, and one of the best places to eat on the island. There, chef-owner and Skye native Calum Montgomery is committed to showcasing the finest local produce in every delicately plated dish, from lobster and scallops to vegetables and herbs grown on site. 

Here, Montgomery gives us his picks for where to eat on the Isle of Skye, from brunch to fine dining. He recommends Summer, for “quality sandwiches, made to order” with “clean flavours”, the “gull burger or ‘nduja pork belly benedict” at The Hungry Gull, which he describes as “the perfect mix of proper food and no fuss”, and many more.

Dine like a local with this expert guide to the best restaurants on Skye. 

Birch

I’m in here all the time. Niall [Munro, pictured] is a total perfectionist when it comes to coffee, and the pastries are next level. I’ve recently moved house, so I drive past Birch most mornings now and I’m finding it harder and harder not to stop. He’s quietly doing something really special there, and it’s great to see it thriving.

Café Cùil

Clare [Coghill’s] place is always a favourite stop. There’s a real warmth to it both in the welcome and the food. Her cooking feels honest and generous, and she’s always doing something interesting with what’s in season. The lobster brioche roll is unreal if you catch it on specials. A top place for Sunday Brunch for me and my family. 

Loch Bay

Michael [Smith] is a class act. His cooking is so thoughtful and precise, but it still feels warm and rooted. I’ve got a lot of respect for what he’s built out in Stein. It’s a beautiful drive out there, and the food is always worth it. Special.

Seaflower Skye

If you’re after a proper Skye experience, this is it. Janice [Cooney] and Ewen [Grant] take you out on the water of Portree Bay towards Isle of Rona to enjoy langoustines and crab caught right there. Eating shellfish on deck with a glass of wine, it just doesn’t get better than that. 

Scorrybreac

I’ve got a lot of time for Calum Munro’s cooking. It’s quietly confident and completely rooted in the island. If you’re in Portree for the night, it’s somewhere really special to eat. If you can’t make the restaurant, try the bar upstairs for a foraged cocktail or rare whisky.

Stein Inn

There’s nowhere quite like it: right on the water, with proper pints, open fires and bags of local fish and shellfish. It’s got character for days. I’ve had a few great nights here over the years, and it’s still one of my favourite places to unwind. Catch the sunset outside with a beer or glass of wine. 

Photo credit: Tyler Wayne Glass

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