Eating Out on Arran

As I mentioned some time previously, when we visit the Isle of Arran we usually dine at the Brodick Bar, but prior to our visit I had been on a website called Trip Advisor, which is compiled from the comments and experiences of actual holiday makers.

It has sections on Hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, Self Catering, Camp Sites, Restaurants, Places to Visit etc., and because all the comments are written by actual holiday makers I find it gives a true and accurate picture of the establishments that are written about.

Under the heading Isle of Arran – Eating Out, various places were listed and commented on, including the Brodick Bar (which has a comment by me!) but the comments on the meals at the Pier Head Tavern (known by the locals as the PHT) in Lamlash caught my eye.

I had heard previously that they served up excellent value for money meals, so this year we decided to visit and give it a try. We were not disappointed; in fact we had meals there on three of the seven days we were on Arran! There was a quite large selection of meals available, and all the ones we sampled were well cooked and presented and very tasty. All the staff were very helpful and attentive too. During our visits here we fell into conversation with the daughter of the owner, who manages the restaurant and originally comes from Halifax.

The other discovery we made (on the meals front) was a newly opened Bar Bistro in Brodick called Eilean Mor. The owners Vicki McAlister and Calum McNicol (who originally ran the Eden Lodge Hotel in Whiting Bay) have taken over this establishment and serve excellent food.

Some years previously we had had a meal here when it was called Stalkers, and not to put too fine a point on it, the place was only a little bit better than a “greasy spoon” type of establishment!!

Now it is a trendy red painted bar-bistro serving a wide selection of delicious meals. I can recommend their haggis filled pasta!

We also visited the “Coffee Pot” in Whiting Bay, which serves delicious home made cakes and pastries.

“Copperwheats”, which have a restaurant in the pier buildings at Brodick have opened a café in the Duchess Court complex. We were disappointed with the food served here, which was bland. The service too was slow, particularly as we and another couple were the only people in the café.