cslasor

Can anyone recommend some places for dining on the mainland in the Orkneys, Skye, or Lewis and Harris? We will mostly do fish & chips and pubs but would like to have a few dinners in “nicer” restaurants. We’ll be visiting the islands in late May and understand reservations are required pretty much everywhere so I’d like to get started with planning.

Thanks!

bilboburgler

Orkney, a lot of the places you will find in Orkney are the better end of fish, chips, burgers etc with the occasional upmarket place that opens for a period. You will not starve, every so often a good chef opens up a great place and the winter months teaches him/her that the big cities are calling. The whole cake and panino/sandwich thing is well organised all over the islands with vegetarian options being included.

The seasons are short and winter a fair few places at least move on shorter hours and it is worth calling if you are going for a yomp with the hope of tea at the end.

However Lucano in Kirkwall is a well established Italian family restaurant. I've eaten breakfasts and suppers there and they have great skill at making you feel welcome. The food is certainly at the top end of the island's offering and their long life tells me they have learnt to manage the local's demand as well as tourists.

janisj

Bilboburgler's description/explanation is spot on. And ditto Lucano --

Lunches on the Islands is pretty much eat when you have the opportunity where you are at the time. There are 2 or 3 high end 'destination' restaurants on Skye, and they definitely require advance reservations - sometimes quite far in advance. The Three Chimneys, Coruisk House and a couple of others. The problem is the driving is very slow so a lot depends on where you are staying. If say Portree -- then it is more than and hour's drive to Coruisk House, and probably 45 minutes to The Three Chimneys. The Sligachan Hotel is sort of smack dab in the center of the Island and is handy because it serves food pretty much all throughout the day from breakfast thru dinner with just a gap from 3-5 PM - The restaurant is very large and in the 'old days' reservations weren't ever necessary. But with the explosion of visitor numbers I'd even pre-book there.

My last trip out to Lewis / Harris was more than 10 years ago so I wouldn't have any idea what's still open.

If you are staying in hotels -- they will mostly have restaurants/dining rooms. And some B&Bs will lay on an evening meal with advance notice.