6 Best Restaurants in Orkney and Shetland Islands, Scotland

Fjarå

$$ Fodor's choice
Sitting on rocks on the ebb (or fjara in Faroese) of Brewick Bay, the views from this large wood-and-glass house allow you to look at otters and seals between courses. The menu is very simple: big breakfasts, coffees, and cake—including an array of gluten-free items—soup and huge salads, as well as Shetland mussels or fish-and-chips for lunch. In the evening there's grilled fish, Shetland lamb, or an always-interesting vegetarian option.

Julia's Café Bistro

$ Fodor's choice

Right on the quayside, this casual spot serves the cakes that make you forget about calories. Expect huge slices of lemon drizzle, coffee layer, raspberry cream, and other cakes, as well as scones and traybakes (cakes baked in pans and cut up). Baked potatoes, quirky salads, and quiches round out the savory side of the menu, while real espresso and cappuccino seal the deal.

Lucano

$$ Fodor's choice
This modern trattoria-style Italian restaurant has been taken to the heart of Orcadians, and rightly so, as it delivers an abundant menu of good Italian food. From pizza to classic pasta dishes—with fulsomely meaty carbonara and Bolognese and very tasty vegetarian burro e salvia (butter and sage) and pesto—to excellent secondi piatti such as chicken in rosemary, it's got something for every appetite. Decor is clean and stylish, with a tile floor, wooden tables, red chairs, and chalkboard menus on the wall. The ice-cream puddings make for a nice finish.

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Braewick Café

$

With a stunning position overlooking the Drongs (rocky columns standing in the sea), this eatery serves famously large portions popular with visitors and Shetlanders alike. Browse the local crafts in the shop while waiting for a crispy battered-fish supper, or just sit back on the sofas by the huge picture window and watch the dramatic sea and sky. Don't pass up the many tempting home-baked desserts like sponges, cheesecakes, and giant scones. Reservations are required for Sunday lunch.

The Cornerstone

$
The unfussy menu here features dishes such as soups, quiche, and sandwiches by day or steaks and lasagna by night. It isn't fancy, but it is made and served with great enthusiasm and generosity. You're unlikely to find a scone anywhere else as large as the ones here.

Victoria's Vintage Tea Rooms

$

Run by a Devon girl who knows a thing or two about cream teas, this vintage-style café does a roaring trade right on the water at Haroldswick. The Shetland smoked salmon on Skibhoul (the local baker) bread is a sandwich worth getting excited about, as are the cakes, especially the Victoria Sponge and scones. And the coffee is as good as you'd get in Rome—but with the added attraction of gray seals and otters outside the window.