Here in the Highlands, we are lucky to have access to some of the most amazing ingredients – from locally grown veggies to extra mature cheddar, to small-batch smoked chicken breasts, we really do have it all. Naturally, with such a diverse and exciting selection of fresh produce – the restaurants nearby serve up some really delicious food. Here are our favourites!
The Woodlands Glencoe Top List
Because it can be so hard to choose, we have ordered these in terms of closest to furthest – so you can decide if you want to walk or drive. Below you’ll find some of our staff’s top picks too. If you don’t see anything you like, please speak to a member of our team and they will have another recommendation for you! Once you’ve picked your spot, simply click on the name of the restaurant/café and you’ll be taken to their website where you can find all the details you need to book or visit.
Our closest dinner spot is only a 5-minute walk from your lodge! This spot is mostly a fish restaurant, so there’s always delicious fresh seafood on the menu and we love to order from their specials menu which always has something new and interesting on it. They have other options too for those who’d prefer a good burger or some mac’n’cheese!
This wins for walkability, as it’s only a 20-minute walk from your lodge and also happens to be a micro gin distillery! So naturally, their bar is top-notch! The great drinks are complemented by a fantastic menu so you really can hunker down for the night here.
A new addition to the food scene for 2022. Enjoy hearty food in a great pub atmosphere. In the Summer, they have live music on the weekends, and in the winter, the roaring fire will keep you warm all night (their great whisky selection seems to help with this too!).
Infamous Glencoe pub which has great beer and great craic! They have a band on some weekends so it’s worth checking their website to see if you’re in luck!
A little further afield but if you are looking for fresh seafood and great views, this is your place! The Pier House looks over towards Lismore – so a fun thing to do is to take our Electric Bikes over the ferry, cycle round the island then head back to The Pier House for dinner!
Wood-fired pizza, great nachos, and pick-and-mix – literally the dream date! They have movies showing every night in a cozy little cinema – why not have a look at their listings here?
A lovely pub situated at the foot of the mighty Ben Nevis. The Achintee – or the Ben Nevis Inn – serves great pub food, local beers, and all by a great big roaring fire. Casual but delicious Scottish fare.
Although technically not a café, this little shop is a foodie must visit! Lyndsay’s carrot cake is reknowned locally for being THE best, you’ll see it everywhere!
Based in the Ballachulish Tourist Information, great for soup and a toastie and they always have Stiff Peak’s carrot cake in bountiful supply to accompany your morning coffee.
Worth the drive, worth the kcals…. Rain Bakery is heaven on earth. We are quite literally obsessed with this wee place. They have a lovely wee deli shop too which is great for picking up little treats! Rain closes on a Sunday and Monday which always catches us out.
Fort William’s vegan café which has a great larder and awesome selection of vegan snacks and treats. We love the coffee here but please note it is all made with oat milk (but still oh so delicious!).
You’ll be pleased to hear that the Highland Soap Co do more than just really good soap! This spot is beautiful inside and has a great wee shop to browse in too.
There might be some that say that putting a coffee shop in Oban on this list is seriously pushing the boundaries of what could be classified as Glencoe. But if you love good coffee and appreciate that some brews are worth driving for, you should make the journey to Hinba.
Our team's recommendations:
I'm vegetarian and I really don't like mushrooms, so much so, I usually pretend i'm allergic to them ... My dream dinner is a simple Margherita pizza and a really yummy non-alcoholic beer, followed by an awesome movie - which means that The Highland Cinema would be my dinner choice!
The Pier House would be my dinner choice. I'm a creature of habit and when we go there, you bet I'll be ordering their Cullen Skink followed by Mussels and Chips. It's all so yummy! I don't drink alcohol, but they also have my favourite Fentiman's Pink Lemonade - which is a bonus!
I like to pretend i'm a savory person but the new bakeries locally are seriously testing my commitment to the salty side. I am obsessed with Lyndsay's carrot cake and also the passion fruit cruffins from Rain Bakery. My favourite dinner spot is the Old Inn for a big juicy steak.
I'm a bit of a Coffee nerd, so I like to find the best speciality places local to me. In Fort William we have the Wildcat Café which serves up some seriously tasty beans, roasted in Glasgow! They also source the best local-made Sourdough bread which is a must try for carb hungry folk like me!
The Holly Tree would be my choice for lunch. My favourites are the local oysters, tiger prawns or the mussels are a must! For dinner I would go to the Laroch for their Pork Belly & Stornoway black pudding (yum yum). And for a wee treat I'd definitely pick the Old Inn for steak and chips!