Discover Hebridean produce.
Food and drink is an important part of life in the Hebrides, and there is a growing number of specialist producers, plus restaurants, cafes and distilleries for you to discover.
You’ll get a taste of some of the local produce in your welcome hamper, and in your stay hopefully you’ll have time for more.
Places to eat.
Uig Sands restaurant is a short stagger from Hebrides House - indeed, you can see it from our living room. This is a beautiful restaurant that has a shop attached to it with smoked salmon from Uig Lodge.
The restaurant has views over the bay, and serves a fish-centric menu depending on the catch from the boats - so scallops, lobster, cod and mackerel regularly feature, plus salmon from their own river, as well as Lewis lamb, beef and venison.
Bookings go very quickly each season, so if you want a table it is essential to nab one as early as possible.
The cafe in the community centre at the top of Timsgearraidh village has the best baking plus classic Scottish lunches of homemade soup, toasties, oatcakes and smoked salmon.
In Aird Uig is The Edge Cafe, which has homemade food such as soups, quiche, sandwiches and the like.
And if you want pizza, then Crust Like That on the Achmore road on the way to Stornoway from Uig was runner up the best Scottish pizza award in 2023.
© Uig Sands Restaurant - follow on Instagram
Distilleries.
© Isle of Lewis Gin - follow on Instagram
There has been an explosion in craft distilleries thanks to a change in the law around 20 years ago which significantly reduced the minimum legal size of a still to produce spirits.
As a result the Outer Hebrides has built a reputation for producing great quality gin and whisky - perhaps because of the quality of the Hebridean water used to make the products.
Uig is home to the award-winning Isle of Lewis Gin - and you’ll get a complimentary snifter in your welcome when staying at Hebrides House.
And if you want to visit a distillery, then the Isle of Harris Distillery in Tarbert does tours as well as tasting sessions.
Food and local produce.
Uig’s shop is a few minutes walk from Hebrides House. It is a fantastic community owned venture, including a laundromat, post office, fuel pump plus books and gifts. It is well stocked with a broad range of products and raw ingredients for those who love to cook from scratch, but also have ready meals for those looking for a quicker dinner - the Charley Barley pies are one of life’s essential experiences.
The shop also runs a service to stock your fridge and freezer in advance of you arriving, so at the point of booking to stay in Hebrides House you’ll be given this as an option.
Visit Outer Hebrides has lots more information about producers as well as cafes and restaurants throughout the islands, but we’ve chosen a couple of our favourites:
Butcher Charles Macleod - Stornoway black pudding is infamous, and Charley Barley’s is the best. They are stocked in Uig’s community shop, but if you want a quality piece of local beef, lamb or venison for a roast, then would recommend a visit to their butcher in Stornoway.
Islander Shellfish - for fresh fish and shellfish, then the place to go is this shop on Stornoway Harbour
Crumbs from the Croft - Stacey lives in Timsgearraidh, and bakes a delicious range of sourdough bread as well as the occasional cinnamon bun. Follow her on Instagram to see what she has on offer each week
Good Food Boutique in Stornoway has a fantastic range of wines, cheese, charcuterie, chutney and the like
Lewis Bakehouse - Rowan makes the most extraordinary cakes to order that are as spectacular to look at as they are to eat.
Number 9 - if you are in Stornoway then our kids love this place on Cromwell Street. It does really tasty bagels, rolls and sandwiches, and crucially bacon and waffles with maple syrup.
