Welcome to our unabridged guide to food on the NC500. We love food, but we’ve noticed a lack of good resources on where to find great meals, local ingredients, and independent producers along this route—especially in the more remote areas. So we’ve created this NC500 Food Guide as both a fun personal project and a helpful resource for anyone seeking a delicious journey through this beautiful part of Scotland.
Anything we’ve missed? Fill in this form to add your own establishments to our food guide.
✅ = Establishments we’ve visited personally, verified and reviewed.
NC500 Food Map
Recent NC500 Food Reviews
NC500 Food Stops by Region
Inverness-Shire
Cheese & Tomatin – Inverness
Type: Restaurant / pizzeria.
Website: Cheese & Tomatin
Because one cannot live on haggis alone, it is great to have an option for classic Neopolitan pizza in far-flung scotland. Though if you disagree, you can order their famous haggis and black pudding pizza!
Bad Girl Bakery Café – Inverness
Type: Bakery + cafe.
Website: Bad Girl Bakery
We haven’t been yet but it’s high on our list for our next visit towards Inverness. This place has been winning accolades since 2017 for its indulgent cakes. They also do great coffee (according to Google reviews) and sandwiches. If you can’t make it to the bakery, you can make their recipes, all found in their Bad Girl Bakery cookbook published in 2021. They also have a cookery school in Muir of Ord where you can learn to master the cupcake, layer cakes, and other things.
Black Isle
Black Isle Berries – Black Isle ✅
Type: Farm shop + cafe.
Website: Black Isle Berries
Epic farm shop in a beautiful location, stocking homegrown fruit and veg plus a cornucopia of local delicacies: cheese, meat, preserves, honey, bread, coffee, and all the good stuff of a well-stocked deli. Their cafe is great, too – especially their focaccia and fresh pressed juices. In season, you can pick your own strawberries. Fun for the whole family!
East Coast / Easter Ross (Dornoch, Golspie, Tain, etc)
We’re still making our way up north to visit these places. In the meantime, here are a few recommendations from others. Please send us info about your favourite food stops in Easter Ross & Sutherland!
- Sutor Creek – Cromarty
A wood-fired pizza restaurant and café known for its fresh, local ingredients.
Website: Sutor Creek - Golspie Inn – Golspie
One of the oldest coaching inns in Scotland, offering traditional Scottish cuisine.
Website: Golspie Inn - The Altnaharra Hotel – Altnaharra
A remote hotel offering classic Highland hospitality and dining.
Website: Altnaharra Hotel - Greens Restaurant – Dornoch
A family-run restaurant focusing on fresh, local produce.
Website: Greens Restaurant - Cocoa Mountain – Dornoch
A chocolatier and café offering handmade chocolates and hot drinks.
Website: Cocoa Mountain Dornoch - Dornoch Castle Hotel – Whisky Bar & Dining – Dornoch
Historic hotel featuring a renowned whisky bar and fine dining options.
Website: Dornoch Castle Hotel - Platform 1864 – Tain
A restaurant and bar located in a converted railway station, offering a diverse menu.
Website: Platform 1864
The Pier – Lairg ✅
Type: Restaurant
Website: The Pier
Technically not on the NC500, but some choose to take a diversion. The Pier is on the edge of Loch Shin, offering brunch, lunch, and dinner with local produce. They have fantastic coffee, and a huge selection of cakes (which were a bit too sweet for us). Kudos for loads of vegan / vegetarian options on the menu (we hear their vegan roast is legendary!)
Caithness (Thurso, Wick)
We’re on our way to the North Coast soon but in the meantime, here are a few recommendations from others. Please send us info about your favourite food stops in Caithness!
- La Mirage Restaurant – Helmsdale
A quirky restaurant known for its generous portions and eclectic décor.
Website: La Mirage - The River Bothy – Berriedale
A charming café offering quality fresh food, drinks, and cakes in a relaxing setting.
Website: The River Bothy - The Printers Rest – Wick
Located in a former printing press, this eatery serves fresh Mediterranean-inspired dishes.
Website: The Printers Rest - Annie’s Bakery – Wick
A local bakery offering a variety of baked goods and pastries.
Website: Annie’s Bakery - Y Not Bar & Grill – Thurso
A contemporary bar and grill serving a range of dishes and cocktails.
Website: Y Not Bar & Grill - The Blue Door Coffee Shop & Diner – Thurso
A cozy spot for coffee, breakfast, and lunch options.
Website: The Blue Door - Capilla Tapas Restaurant – Thurso
A tapas restaurant offering a variety of Spanish-inspired small plates.
Website: Capilla Tapas - Coastline Coffee Shop – Thurso
A seaside café serving coffee, cakes, and light meals.
Website: Coastline Coffee Shop
Northwest Highlands & Wester Ross
Cocoa Mountain – Balnakeil ✅
Type: Cafe
Website: Cocoa Mountain
An odd addition to the quirky Durness Craft Village. It’s a bit touristy but their hot chocolate is very good and you can buy their chocolate in bulk for making at home (£42.50 per kilo which makes 20 drinks at home – so it better be good! Which it is.)
The Quay House – Kinlochbervie ✅
Type: Cafe
Website: The Quay House
I happened upon this bright and airy cafe with one of my hiking clients who ordered the fish and chips which she generously let me try. The execution was superb! They also do breakfast, soup, sandwiches, and loads of cake, plus have a cute little gift shop that’s worth a browse.
Crofter’s Kitchen – Scourie ✅
Type: Food truck
Website: Crofter’s Kitchen
Focused on sustainability and seasonality, this food truck specialises in inventive dishes sourced from local seafood and meat. Seating is outdoor only, but it’s worth the journey in any weather.
Kylesku Hotel – Kylesku ✅
Type: Restaurant
Website: Kylesku Hotel
A boutique hotel with an upscale restaurant – the views over Loch Glendhu are phenomenal. The restaurant is on the pricy side, but the food is top quality and well-presented.
The Rock Stop Visitor Centre – Unapool ✅
Type: Cafe / Museum
Website: The Rock Stop
The cafe itself is fairly basic (though they seem to have upped the ante with their cakes on recent visits) but well worth visiting for the museum where you can learn all about the amazing geology of the Northwest Highland, a Unesco Geopark (learn more in our highlights from a northwest highlands geotour).
Lochinver
Driftwood Café – Lochinver ✅
Type: Cafe
Website: Driftwood Café
A cozy café offering homemade soups, sandwiches, and baked goods. Friendly staff, reasonable prices, dog-friendly, and lots of vegan options.
Inbhir Brunches – Lochinver ✅
Type: Cafe
Website: Inbhir Brunches
Breakfast and lunch spot that seems to be open when everything else isn’t. I like their smoked salmon bagel and baked potato options. You’ll also find the expected counter display full of tempting cakes and pastries.
Lochinver Larder – Lochinver ✅
Type: Restaurant
Website: Lochinver Larder
Whenever I mention “Lochinver” to anyone who’s been here, they inevitably mention the famous pies from Lochinver Larder. They actually do a whole lot more than pies (their Cullen Skink is delicious).
Mackay’s Hardware and Chandlery – Lochinver ✅
Type: Producer
Website: Mackay’s Hardware and Chandlery
What is a hardware store doing in a food guide? Believe it or not, they smoke their own salmon (hot- and cold-smoked) and cheddar cheese. You can find it for sale at their main counter. Well worth trying for your next NC500 picnic!
S. Greenlees & Sons Butcher – Lochinver ✅
Type: Butcher
Website: Lochinver Butcher
If you’re going to eat meat, eat local, we say! This butcher is a great resource for local beef, lamb, and venison. Their pork sausages are “bangin'”!
Stoer Peninsula
Eat Sleep Wild Honesty Box – Stoer ✅
Type: Honesty Box
Website: Eat Sleep Wild
We are of course biased, but we love our wee honesty box here near Stoer! We have so much fun making freshly baked bread, and all of favourite pickles and chutneys, and sharing it with neighbours and visitors. The best part is how grateful our customers are!
Flossie’s Beach Store – Clachtoll ✅
Type: Food hut / shop
Website: Flossie’s Beach Store
We frequent Flossie’s regularly, not only because it’s our nearest “shop”. This tiny beach shack is super useful for grabbing any basics that you may have forgotten on your last trip to a “real” grocery store. They also serve food, coffee, cake, etc. Believe it or not, they do a Chicago-style hot dog! Best thing about Flossie’s? The staff are ace.
Bo’s Bakery Barn – Clachtoll ✅
Type: Honesty Box
Website: Bo’s Bakery Barn
Possibly one of the most elaborate honesty boxes I’ve come across – it even has a refrigerated unit for cheesecakes! As of last knowledge this was closed due to thievery (“sticky fingers”) but the barn is still there and we hope that humanity will redeem itself and the Bakery Barn will re-open again soon.
Wester Ross / South West Coast
Ullapool
Seafood Shack – Ullapool ✅
Type: Seafood / Food Truck
Website: Seafood Shack
It’s always a treat to visit the Seafood Shack in Ullapool, famous for their haddock fish wraps and other locally-sourced seafood delights.
Delicasea – Ullapool
Type: Seafood / Cafe
Website: Deli-ca-sea
Taster’s Tip from NC500 Food Explorer Penny King: “This cafe is situated opposite the ferry in Ullapool. It has an adjoining fish & chip shop. We chose to sit in and so glad we did. We had amazing locally caught crab sandwichs and Scottish mussels. Very reasonably priced, they serve alcohol and are open in the evening as well as for breakfast. Clean and staff are friendly”
Recent Google reviews cite Deli-ca-sea as having “the best fish & chips ever” and “flipping lovely mussels”. It’s also nice to see that they do Gluten Free fish & chips in a separate fryer.
Image credit: Penny King
Pickleboxx @ Jo Jo’s Cafe – Ullapool ✅
Type: Food Producer
Website: Pickleboxx
Well you know how much we love pickles! Holly who makes all the creations by Pickleboxx describes her goods as “Pickles and products made with locally grown or foraged foods, in returnable, refundable packaging.” What she doesn’t say is how absolutely creative and delicious they are. Constantly changing by the season (our favourite at time of writing is her ‘Highland Hotwax’ Pickled chilli pepper slices). Packed in beautiful Weck jars that you can return for a discount on your next pickle.
📍 Shop Pickleboxx at JoJo’s cafe on 4 West Argyle Street, just across from the Seafood Shack!
Achiltibuie
Achiltibuie Stores – Achiltibuie ✅
Type: Shop
Website: Achiltibuie Stores
An incredibly well stocked shop for its size and location. Lots of organic / whole food ingredients. Fresh produce. Local meats and cheeses. And surprisingly fine wines!
Gairloch
Black Pearl Creole Kitchen – Gairloch
Type: Restaurant
Website: Black Pearl Creole Kitchen
Creole food in this random corner of the Highlands? Well, why not! And visitors rave about it, e.g. “This was our absolute best diner experience during our trip in Scotland. Our family is from the French West Indies and we travel a lot around the globe so we know our stuff 😉. The moment we had a piece of BBQ jerk chicken in our mouth, it was like going back to the source : so tasty, authentic, fresh but also well balanced with the perfect amount of spiciness.” We haven’t been yet but it’s high on our list for next time we’re near Gairloch, a favourite area for hiking and I can’t think of a better reward than a Creole feast!
Farm & Garden Stores/Gairloch Farm shop – Gairloch ✅
Type: Shop
Website: Black Pearl Creole Kitchen
A remarkably well stocked shop with lots of locally sourced cheese, meat, and produce. An insane booze selection. And then a huge hardware shop. On a recent visit our random purchases included: locally distilled gin, cheese, poppadum, chalk paint, and dog treats.
Add Your Favourite Food Stops to our NC500 Food Guide
If you run a food business or know of a great one that deserves a mention, please tell us about it by filling in the form below.