Evening Meals in the North Highlands
When you’re booking somewhere to stay, it’s worth sorting out dinner at the same time. You might reasonably think that a hotel room comes with the opportunity to eat in its restaurant, but after many years of arranging tours, we’ve learnt not to take that for granted. You may still need to reserve a table, and some smaller hotels don’t serve dinner every evening or offer a limited menu on the chef’s night off. Elsewhere, meals may be available only to overnight guests. None of this need be a problem if you know beforehand, but it can be an unwelcome discovery when you’ve arrived somewhere remote and there are only one or two places to eat.
There’s more choice in Wick, Thurso, Gairloch and Ullapool, although that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a table waiting at your preferred restaurant. We always encourage guests to book ahead rather than spend the evening trying one door after another, and this may be particularly relevant if you are travelling with children. Dinner may also finish earlier than you’re used to, with kitchens often serving from around 5.30pm and taking last orders around 8.30pm. The pub might stay open considerably later, but that won’t help if the chef has gone home. Individual hours vary, so a quick conversation when booking can save you arriving in town at half past eight expecting to sit down to dinner at nine.
A takeaway can be a useful alternative in the larger settlements, but I wouldn’t build an evening’s plans around finding a familiar fast-food chain or ordering through Uber Eats or Deliveroo once you’ve left Inverness. Some local businesses deliver within a limited area, which is something to arrange with them directly. If you’re eating in, food is generally cooked to order, so it may take longer than you expect if you’re hoping for a quick meal before heading out again. The welcome may also be quieter than some overseas visitors expect. Gushing enthusiasm isn’t something you’ll encounter everywhere in the North Highlands, but a quieter welcome doesn’t necessarily mean you’re receiving less attentive service.
On a fine evening, eating outside can be a pleasure, although it’s worth knowing whether there’s somewhere sheltered if the weather changes. And, of course, while you’re enjoying dinner, the midges may decide to enjoy you. Two adults who leave their arrangements too late might get by on a sandwich and a tube of Pringles, assuming the shop is still open, but that’s probably not the dining experience they came north for. Much better to have a table waiting and something to look forward to at the end of the day.