Rosalind Erskine

Loch Bay, the only Michelin-starred restaurant on the Isle of Skye, will close on 31 October 2026 after a decade in business. Owners Michael and Laurence Smith opened the restaurant in 2016 and received a Michelin Star in 2017, gaining recognition for seafood-focused cooking with French influences and Scottish ingredients. They credited their staff, suppliers, customers and the local community, while chef Calum Montgomery described the closure as a major loss to Skye’s food scene. The owners plan to remain in Stein and pursue new personal and professional chapters.

Research from Scotland Food & Drink’s Knowledge Bank indicates that 58% of Scots are cutting back on meals and drinks in hospitality venues amid cost-of-living pressures. Rising food prices and wider economic instability are major concerns, while the share describing themselves as financially strained increased from 13% to 17% between March and June. Consumers are adapting by dining and drinking out during the day and using lunch promotions, while the article calls on the prime minister to help ease financial pressures.

Howies founder David Scott opened a small BYOB restaurant in Edinburgh in 1990 with a focus on relaxed dining, seasonal Scottish produce and personal hospitality. His son Louis Scott says those principles helped the business grow into two Howies restaurants and sister venue Scotts, despite a sale and subsequent administration that led David Scott to rescue the company. The business now faces higher costs, recruitment difficulties, tighter regulation and changing technology, but plans to prioritize staff, suppliers, guest experience and event catering rather than pursue rapid expansion.

Six new cookbooks are recommended for autumn, covering modern Scottish recipes, Scottish Christmas cooking, cheese-based dishes, Korean culinary traditions, seasonal Italian food and French bistro cuisine. The selection includes works by Ali Stoner, Coinneach MacLeod, Sue Quinn, Ae Jin Huys, Nima Safaei and Stéphane Reynaud, with prices ranging from £20 to £40 and several titles available for pre-order.

Gleneagles has launched what it describes as the world’s only hotel Dom Pérignon champagne cellar tasting experience. Guests begin in the Strathearn restaurant before entering the historic cellar, which stores around 65,000 wines and has been transformed into a candlelit dining venue. Experiences range from champagne and canapés to a bespoke five-course tasting menu with paired vintages. Rosalind Erskine’s visit included 2017 Dom Pérignon and canapés including venison tartare, lobster crouslades, caviar and mushroom parfait. She found the setting, hospitality, food and drinks impressive and left with a greater appreciation of the champagne.

The Hebridean Whisky Festival will run from 5–12 September, bringing together eight island distilleries for open days, tastings, masterclasses, tours, local food, music and cultural events. The finale at Isle of Raasay Distillery is expected to double the island’s population for a day and will feature an exclusive single-cask bottling. Founder Alasdair Day says the event will showcase Raasay and test ideas for the distillery’s tenth-anniversary celebrations in 2027. He also highlights growing demand for immersive whisky tourism while acknowledging that the wider whisky industry downturn has delayed plans for a new Campbeltown distillery.

Scotland’s specialty coffee scene has expanded significantly, with independent cafés, roasteries and consumer interest in high-quality and fruitier coffees growing across the country. Jonathan Martinez, originally from El Salvador and now head roaster at Thomson’s Coffee, won the UK’s Best Roaster competition at the 2026 Glasgow Coffee Festival, while Andrew Wong won the SCA UK Brewers Cup. Founded by Lisa Lawson in 2014, the festival attracted more than 2,000 visitors in 2026 and added several new competitions and awards. The event’s growth reflects rising willingness to pay for distinctive coffee experiences, and more than £3,000 will be donated to charities.

Bruichladdich has released Greener Still, a 15-year-old single malt and the final special-edition bottling marking the distillery’s 25th anniversary. Made from Organic, Biodynamic and Bere barley and matured in first-fill bourbon barrels on Islay, the whisky highlights the relationship between farming, flavour and sustainability. The distillery says it is pursuing regenerative agriculture, anaerobic digestion, low-carbon fuels and renewable heating as part of its ambition to decarbonise operations. Bottled at 51.6% ABV without chill filtration or added colour, Greener Still will be sold from August 2026 at an RRP of £120.

The two-day Place at the Table festival in Glasgow brought chefs, writers, artists and historians together to explore modern Scottish food, cultural identity, food policy, migration and the legacy of colonialism. Discussions acknowledged recent anti-immigration protests and Glasgow’s unresolved connections to slavery while presenting food as a means of reclaiming history, building community and advancing social justice. A closing Scottish-Caribbean dinner celebrated the culinary influence of global trade and migration, reinforcing the argument that Scotland’s food culture is broader and more diverse than traditional national staples.

Cafe Gandolfi, a Glasgow restaurant founded in 1979 and known for innovative Scottish-Italian food and celebrity customers, is facing winding-up proceedings after a petition was presented to Glasgow Sheriff Court. Colin Murdoch of Murray Stewart Fraser Limited has been appointed liquidator according to London Gazette records. Owner Seamus MacInnes says reports of the restaurant’s closure are incorrect, stating that it remains open while the business works through the situation.

The Guild of Fine Food has announced the 2026 Great Taste Awards, with 380 Scottish products receiving recognition: 249 one-star, 96 two-star and 21 three-star awards. Scotland’s three-star recipients include The Highland Chocolatier’s Velvet Truffle – Passion Fruit & Mango, The Orkney Distillery’s Man O' Hoy spiced rum and West Highland Tea Company’s Faerie Glen tea. Three Scottish products—Slow Sauce’s Oat Shoyu, Sour Power Vinegars’ alcohol-free aperitif and Yester Farm Dairies’ luxury soft cheese—are nominated for Golden Fork awards, with the winners and Supreme Champion to be announced in London on 15 September.

At a conversation with Alan Cumming at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Sam Heughan said Outlander cast members were sometimes pressured into nude scenes during the show's early years, when intimacy coordinators and industry protections were less common. He described later intimacy coordinators as important protection for actors, recalled harsh criticism during his training, and discussed his connection to Scotland, a possible follow-up to his memoir Waypoints, a potential return to Men in Kilts, and plans to display Outlander memorabilia at his Galloway distillery.

Celentano’s reopens in Glasgow’s Arthouse Hotel with a refreshed bistro setting that maintains its well-loved dishes while introducing new options focused on minimal waste and in‑house preparation. The review highlights standout items such as the lasagne fritte, smoked cod doughnuts, agnolotti, crab linguine, sirloin steak and dayboat monkfish, along with an impressive selection of cocktails. The restaurant’s new design, ambience and consistently strong food and drink offerings are praised as elevating the experience without alienating returning diners.

The Loch Lomond Arms has reopened following a major redesign by Russell Sage Studio, incorporating Clan Colquhoun heirlooms and family history throughout the inn. Commissioned by Patrick Colquhoun, the project uses portraits, antiques, diaries, and taxidermy to shape themed bedrooms, public spaces, and curated guest experiences. The redesign aims to elevate Luss as a destination while preserving its heritage, transforming the historic coaching inn into an eccentric and story‑driven hotel experience with rooms starting at £265 per night.

A luxury stay at Seaton House in St Andrews highlights the hotel’s coastal setting, serene atmosphere and refined interiors, complemented by a standout dining experience at the seafood restaurant Ondine. The visit features detailed praise for the food, including oysters, smoked salmon and scallops, as well as the relaxing Wild Scottish Sauna experience on West Sands. The stay is characterised by comfort, strong service and an overall sense of calm, reinforcing the hotel as a top choice for wellness-focused travel.

A reviewer describes a luxurious stay at Dun Aluinn, a newly opened boutique hotel in Perthshire offering nine stylish bedrooms, personalised service from a private chef and butler, and high-end dining experiences. The property, formerly an exclusive-use estate, combines modern Scandinavian-inspired design with sweeping Highland views and access to Aberfeldy’s shops and attractions. Amenities such as communal breakfasts, a woodland hot tub and premium toiletries enhance the experience, positioning the house as an intimate, high-end retreat for travellers.

Isle of Harris Distillery is launching a new signature single malt whisky made entirely on the island, marking a milestone in its growth since opening in 2015. The whisky features a lightly peated profile matured in bourbon and Oloroso casks and joins The Hearach and The Oloroso in a unified product range. Distillery leaders highlight the whisky’s connection to Harris and its role in expanding the brand and attracting visitors. The release begins with exclusive sales at the distillery, celebrations during the HebCelt festival, online availability later in July, and wider distribution in August.

A restored 300‑year‑old coaching inn in Auchtermuchty, Fife, The Boar’s Head, was named AA Restaurant with Rooms of the Year Scotland 2026 following a recent 4‑star inspection. Independently owned by David and Justina Jonikaite, the venue has gained recognition for its boutique rooms launched in 2025 and its seasonal menus featuring locally sourced Scottish produce. The award places the inn in contention for the overall UK title at the upcoming AA Hospitality Awards in London.

A long‑established Edinburgh vegetarian and vegan restaurant is opening its first Glasgow location, transforming a Pollokshaws Road site with sustainability‑focused design using local suppliers and restored materials. The expansion marks a return to the founder’s family roots in Glasgow, with a menu blending classic dishes and new seasonal creations under executive chef Anna Czapiewska. The restaurant will open on 9 July with a curated menu before rolling out full offerings in the following weeks.

A Scottish cider producer, Lost Orchards Cider, is expanding its orchards and replanting thousands of apple trees near Dundee as part of an effort to reestablish large-scale commercial cider apple growing in Scotland. The company argues that Scotland can produce world‑class cider, highlighting its International Cider Awards gold medal for Pure Apple Cider and its focus on provenance, using only Scottish-grown fruit rather than imported concentrate. With yields increasing as orchards mature, the founders emphasize consumer demand for transparent, local products and the challenges faced by independent drinks producers competing with global brands. The company aims to strengthen Scotland’s food and drink identity by making traditional cider a prominent part of it.

The Artisanal Spirits Company has expanded its Scotch Malt Whisky Society brand into luxury private cask sales through its Artisan Casks programme, offering aged casks from leading distilleries for gifting and entertaining rather than investment. James Mackay emphasises that the programme aims to remove risk and enhance enjoyment, appealing to clients who value exclusivity and community. Cask ownership includes lifetime SMWS membership and access to club events, with all casks over 20 years old and ready to bottle. The newly released 2026 portfolio features notable options including aged Macallan, Laphroaig and Mortlach casks, with the 1989 Bunnahabhain highlighted as particularly impressive.

Cromlix in Dunblane has reopened after extensive renovations that added new dining spaces, redesigned rooms, expanded kitchens and a woodland retreat spa. The hotel offers boutique accommodation, featuring large, richly decorated suites such as the Clematis room, and multiple dining options including the new fine dining restaurant Cradle and the Garden Room. Guests can enjoy activities such as tennis, pickleball, garden tours, fishing and spa treatments. Service, amenities and comfort are highlighted as standout features, reinforcing the hotel’s appeal as a refined countryside retreat.