Bootleggers Bothy in Moray

Absolutely perfect. The haddock was the best I've ever had and I'm getting on! It was beautifully cooked, lovely light batter, tasty and flaky, served with horseradish peas salad and lemon. The peas tasted like they'd just come out the pod literally. It was absolutely smashing. Friendly service too. If it wasn't 500miles away I'd go every day!

Been at the Bothy a number of times, usually lots of choice especially for vegetarians. Checked the menu prior to booking - lots of options. Arrived - advised no menus anymore - look at the large blackboard in the middle of the restaurant - so you’re stood lurking alongside a large group of people having dinner trying to decide what you want ?! Only one veggie option - a lentil Dahl - wasn’t sure but server said she’d had ! Arrived with a poppadum which had been cooked earlier - and was soggy. Dahl was so so salty it was inedible ! Was asked what was wrong and explained and older server challenged my comment about the popppadum being soggy - was quite aggressive in her delivery ! All up - quite a disappointment !

We visited for dinner on a Thursday evening as a wee treat for the last day of our holidays and what a treat it was! When we went in it was busy and had a really nice atmosphere with modern but casual feel. Staff were all super friendly, helpful and attentive. The menu is small but they also had a few specials available too, personally I like a small menu as it usually means it’s all fresh! Menu had lots of seafood options - so if you’re a seafood lover, you need to try this little gem! I also noticed the food and drink menus had lots of local produce which I really appreciate! We had the Haddock and Mussels for our mains both of which were incredible! We then shared a dessert which was a Chocolate Orange Tart from the specials board which was also wonderful - very rich but not sickly in the slightest. We were given a bottle of water for the table which came in an old gin bottle from Burghead. I asked the staff about it as we could not locate it online - turns out it’s their own gin which is only available to drink/buy in this restaurant or their sister restaurant (Bootleggers) we were very impressed by this too so bought a bottle as a gift for someone. Overall I love this place and can’t wait to return in the very near future!

Can’t comment on the food because we never got any. Arrived after 11 am but before 11.30. Nothing on website when breakfast stopped but asked waitress when we went in if breakfast being served. She checked and said yes and showed us to a table and provided menus. Another couple arrived and were shown to a table. The waitress then returned to say the kitchen had closed early. Shocked and disappointed we left feeling if they don’t want our business we don’t need their food. Won’t go back. Suggest phone in advance to see if they will dain to serve you.

Excellent dinner out for 4 adults. Two of us had beautifully cooked duck breast, another had Sea Bream, and one had Tuna steak with Nicoise salad. All the dishes were excellent, beautifully cooked, full of flavour and decent size. Excellent deserts as well. Service was friendly and attentive but not intrusive. The setting is nice and relaxed and not too formal. Would definitely come back again.

Not dog friendly so didn't actually eat here. They need to move with the times and the owner needs to get out more. Can eat outside but as it was cold and wet that was not an option.

We had a excellent meal at the bothy bistro last night,the food was delicious, my wife is a small eater and asked for the macaroni cheese from the kids menu which was not a problem, I had the steak which was very tender and tasty , my other friends had the duck and the burger which both were delicious .the staff were really helpful and friendly. Will definitely recommend this place to all my family and friends.

Single traveller. Quality of food excellent - afficianado on Cullen Skink - and this surpasses anything in the area ! Two small plates - sizeable quantity and excellent quality ! Highly recommend !!

Recommended and featured in the Extra Mile guide book. An attractive and unpretentious café serving top quality food. Descibed by William Sitwell the MasterChef and Daily Telegraph judge as "fresh and exciting because it's not posh." Named among his top 15 favourite UK restaurants with 5 stars for his Telegraph review. 🇬🇧🇳🇿

Had a lunch with friends and everything was perfect : place is lovely, food is great and the staff is just so nice ! Highly recommended !

The best food on our trip to Findhorn. The menu was fab, and the food divine; served by lovely, cheerful, helpful women on the night we were there. Recommended most highly. You'll be astounded and delighted.

Visited the Bothy for the first time today after following for a long time but never had the opportunity to visit. A warm welcome from all the staff to begin the visit was lovely. They were serving a Christmas menu that offered so many delicious options it was hard to choose! To start we both had the Brussel sprout fondue, a fun concept and very delicious way to enjoy a sprout! Followed by (for me) the Turkey & trimmings (my auntie) the sea bass. I’ve never tasted Turkey like it - melt in the mouth and all the trimmings cooked to perfection, the sea bass was also devoured. We weren’t chased out either which was lovely and would highly recommend this gem of a restaurant.

Wonderful food and excellent service in an independent cafe/restaurant. It was a busy night with a few bigger groups (xmas nights out) and the staff were so good, attentive without imposing, great communication and calm efficiency on what could have been a challenging night. I had scallops - perfection, seabass - delicious and pana cotta to finish. I will recommend this gem of a place in a heartbeat.

We took friends and family here for a evening meal and everyone was happy with their food. The staff accommodated some of the fussy eaters by adapting things on the menu. The house wine went down a treat and the Bothy gin got the thumbs up too.

Great staff, food and surroundings. Eight of us thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at Bothy, Would recommend to anybody visiting Moray coat

Most expensive takeaway coffee ever. Smaller than my debit card @ £3.75. I wondered if they had made a mistake so emailed them, twice, no response.

Loved everything about this place! The food was amazing: beautifully prepared, well presented and so tasty. The staff were super helpful, friendly and chatty and the ethos was all very much about local produce and trusted suppliers. The Spanish red wine Petit Albert Penedes was lovely and smooth and I'll be looking to get hold of some of it myself! Can't recommend The Bothy Bistro highly enough.

We had an amazing dinner at the Bothy. The restaurant was full which says something. The next thing that says something is the front of house, who was very welcoming and relaxed. The team is young and they did a great job looking after us. The decor is understated chic; F&B blues and complimentary fabrics. Very nice. The menu was great. Local produce in terms of fish and meat, very well balanced in terms of fish, veg and meat and great options for vegetarians without trying too hard. As starters we had, an amazing olive tapenade with a bright green olive taste with citrus and anchovies in the background and an amazing roasted heritage carrot hummus. Both dishes were absolutely stunning, with great flavours and building anticipation for the mains. The mains. One pescatarian and one flexatarian who like sharing. The meat option I remember was a locally sourced burger. As a fish dish, I had Cullen Skink, a dish that originates a few villages down the coast. Visually, it looked incredible: enough creamy sauce with a parsley oil, provided a bed for mussels, trout fillets, smoked haddock and some beautifully crispy potatoes. The flavours were very well balanced and the creamy sauce provided a beautiful accompaniment to all of the solids on the plate. I was reluctant to share. My dining companion had the roasted beets on a feta cream. The feta cream was thick and creamy, without being cloying and somehow the saltiness was not overpowering. The beets were beatifully cooked: sweet, light charcoaling from the pan and just firm enough to bite. We also had some grilled greens to accompany which did what they were supposed to. I'd love to describe the puddings but we were sated after 2 course. Next time. There will be a next time. Booking essential, I think.

Service was sporadic! Had to ask 3 times for bread to go with a chowder and lemon water and dish for shells from mussels. Mussels extremely small and sauce had texture of water. Was offered replacement but rest of party had almost finished their meal so just ate it . Second starter arrived after reminding staff we hadn’t received it . We were sharing starters and other starter was finished before second one arrived! Not even a free coffee for the fact I didn’t enjoy meal and service was bad! Won’t be rushing back.

We had visited this bistro before lockdown and found the food to be very good. We returned this September 2023 and what a difference! I think it must have changed hands. We were told to find a seat but were not offered a menu. There was a specials board which consisted of three items, one of which was for sharing. My husband went back to the counter and asked for the menu. The choice was not good as we don't eat meat. There was no indication on the menu as to whether the meals were vegetarian, gluten free, vegan. We got very little in our plate for the price. I had mackerel pate which was accompanied by fingers of bread which was so hard l thought it was going to break my teeth. Will not be visiting again.

A truly exceptional night out for our family who numbered 32. The minute we all arrived nothing was too much trouble for the staff of this establishment. The main room had been set out with 3 tables just as I had booked yet it was so much better than I expected. The real star of the show was the food. 3 courses ( all pre-ordered ) just amazing. When you are catering for this number and people have come a long way you worry. Ashley specifically told me to relax, this was her job. She meant it. Every dish was immaculate and our every wish was pre-empted. One of our guests was in a wheelchair: no problem. She left early and was given her pudding to take home. A small detail you might think. Not for her. An unforgettable night. Thank you.

We came here for brunch and dinner. Fab fish and chips, nice surroundings, friendly and efficient service from staff.

A great find for food. Had heard good things about this place so last weekend we took a break up on the coast and went along. Super Seafood, fresh, local and cooked to perfection in a cosy restaurant with a great varied menu. Prices were very reasonable and service matched, well done all at BB. Will be back in October

Food was very good and the staff were very welcoming even when they were busy and we hadn’t booked a table. Definitely I will be going back for another visit.

We loved this place! Gorgeous food, lovely warm atmosphere and layout and fantastic staff. The service was fantastic, and both adults and kids throughly enjoyed the meals. Well worth a visit if you are in the area.

Kept waiting on arrival and then offered probably the worst table despite it being quiet Initial service was then very good but as they got busy we were ignored, could not get a second drink nor offered pudding. Even given the wrong bill twice! However...

A very busy eating place as was expected from the content of written and personal recommendations; staff most attentive given the number of people; main course for my wife was Roast Beets that she said were excellent. Meanwhile, I had chosen the Bothy Burger that...

Fabulous restaurant. We visited for our anniversary lunch. We shared the pomme anna bite starter and prawns pil pil - both delicious. Mains of ribeye steak (very generous portion) and a mushroom pizza equally good. The best mojito I have had in ages (had to...

We took visiting family out for a meal and we were all extremely satisfied with our food. We had pommes Anna, chorizo, prawns and arancini followed by steak, haddock & pizza. Every dish was beautifully presented and tasted as good as it looked. The wine,...

Absolute fantastic Very warm and friendly welcome very friendly staff and polite Food was amazing

Lovely food great menu Peerless fish and steaks Great carry out pizza Service a bit disorganised but compensated for by excellent food

Had lunch in the courtyard and really enjoyed our pizza and fries. The Spey beer was lovely also. Superb service and all staff made us feel welcome. Would definitely visit again and recommend to others.

Went in for lunch. Was told there would be a 20 minute wait.Fine. Couple at next table complained they’d been waiting over 40 minutes. We decided just to have coffee and cake. That took half an hour and the coffee was cold! Don’t think they...

Food amazing. Staff were excellent. Polite helpful and efficient. Ashley and her staff were excellent. Manager was very helpful too in choosing wine food etc

Had heard of this place from a friend. Happened upon it on a Sunday afternoon. Super snacks of soup homemade focaccia and tapenade. Wine and beer to top it off. The rest of the menu looked amazing lots of fish dishes. Decided we have to...

visted the bothy last weekend. service was wonderful - the young girl was so polite & attentive. she's a credit to your team. food was brilliant x

So disappointed with the food this time. Have visited a few times pre pandemic and the food was superb however this was awful. Lamb special was shredded lamb over a bowl of chips, tiny portion, no other vegetables. One of the party had fish and...

In una giornata piovosa (strano) della nostra vacanza scozzese, passiamo per Elgin e le varie guide ci indicano questo posto...

A proper seafood restaurant. The seafood is all fresh and locally sourced, and well worth the trip out to Burghead. The restaurant is spacious and the staff are very friendly, with top-notch service. Try the seafood chowder starter - it's the size of a good...

Sunday lunch at the Bothy surpassed expectations. We’ve been a few times in the past but the quality and friendliness/efficiency of the staff was spot on. A good decision to limit numbers to those you can cater for well.

Experienced a beautiful lunch yesterday. Food was amazing, staff were obliging efficient and so welcoming. The Charcuterie was a real delight. A lovely atmosphere, so will be returning to experience an evening meal soon. Excellent value.

The food was delicious, the service on point and very friendly without being over friendly and fake. A genuine down to earth bistro with a special menu. Even the music was perfectly considered making the atmosphere very welcoming and relaxing. The Bothy Bistro know their...

Friend and I travelled to Moray on funded Carers break (we are both full time carers), didnt know area but friend found this place and wanted to go. We're coming from Edinburgh so city people. We went in in the morning to see if we...

The bothy bistro is beautifully decorated. The food was absolutely delicious 😋 Would highly recommend and would go back. Staff friendly

Great night here, lovely food, well presented, well prepared, we all enjoyed every course. Limited menu due to staff shortages but something for everyone. The place was buzzing great atmosphere.

We had seen a good review in our local paper, The Press & Journal. The reviewer must have been for an evening meal (which makes it odd that she then had a two hour walk through the woods, but hey ho), as the tapas dishes...

Had an excellent lunch here with my friend. Great service and absolutely superb food. Fish soup was of a very high standard and the Charcuterie board excellent range. Hand cut chips are a must. Whole experience very good.

We stopped in here for a coffee and cake and were very glad to have done so. The carrot cake we had was just delicious, topped with proper cream cheese icing, every bit as good as if I made it myself. Well done and we...

THE BEST MEAL EVER! I actually forgot How to go out and socialise and dine over food. This was definitely the best place to pick. From the service walking in the door to the tapas starters… I could eat it all again today,never have I...

Amazing food and friendly, cheerful service. The lamb was so tender that it just fell apart and the steak was cooked to perfection. We were welcome to sit and relax during our dinner and there was no pressure to eat and run. Highly recommend to...

I took my wife here for her birthday and I’m glad I did.! This is a really good place. The staff are brilliant and the food is awesome.

Congratulations to the chefs on serving stunning food. The score is purely for the kitchen staff. Sadly as often happens service started well and nose dived as the restaurant cleared. Two tables left that we could see, us being one of them.. The staff passed...

The atmosphere, service and food was excellent. We were treated very well and the menu was fantastic. I had the muscles for starters and the fish curry and my wife had the humous starter and

We were going down memory lane and staying in the renowned Golf View Hotel in Nairn. Our old friend, when asked where he would like us to take him for Lunch, was unhesitating ( as he had been with his family recently ) and said...

Have been meaning to try the Bothy for some time and we were spurred on following the recent Telegraph review which was glowing with praise. Sadly it was an underwhelming experience and not what we’d hoped for. Good points - Staff were courteous throughout and...

Dropped in for lunch today was seated by the stove, the service and food was excellent. Burghead is lucky to have this gem of a place in the village

The staff were so welcoming and lovely. I’m from London and have eaten in posh places there. So I was rather surprised at the smallest portions for mains I have seen in a while. I did have fish and chips one lunch and there were...

Had a lovely lunch at Bothy Bistro today tasty food especially the fish soup but some of the dishes were under seasoned so was glad to get salt and pepper. Very good service but found the room cold so like some other people kept my...

Was really excited to try this restaurant as had been recommended on the basis of the fantastic specials menu. Unfortunately there was one special on the menu - lobster & when we ordered it we were told there was none left, we ordered mussels then...

Just visited for lunch. Had the most amazing fish curry, bitter dark chocolate tart and coffee. All washed down with the decent house white. Great food, lovely decor and fantastic relaxed ambience. Will definitely return.

Can’t wait to come back for a more leisurely dinner. Excellent seafood in a very nicely decorated food oasis. The lobster was great.

I had the seafood chowder and for £8.50, not good value at all. It didn’t seem that fresh, quite a small portion with some tough bits of fish and three mussels, peas which were over cooked and a not very pleasant tomato base. Accompanied by...

The menu promised a lovely meal, however, the food was more of a curates egg. Two out of our party of three ill later in the evening and for the price, the food was not at the same value. However, the local cider was very...

Friendly staff but deeply disappointed with the meal,ordered Haddock and chips and got 3 small fish goujons and a small dish of frozen MacDonald's style chips (no side salad/peas etc on plate) all placed on plate on top of a napkin so left still hungry...

We've eaten at the bootleggers about 10 times now and food is usually excellent. I usually go for the fish special and a chowder. The briskets are good. Scallops excellent. Burgers very good and slightly pink, which is how they should be. My friends who...

Was really disappointed with our visit here. Thursday told the specials would be up at 11.30. At 12 told they dont do specials on a thursday. Ordered two seafood chowder @ £9.50 each. Wasn’t chowder, watery soup with a bit of crab and mussel meat....

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Bothy Bistro. Having ordered drinks we checked out the menu and the specials board. I had lobster and my husband had scallops. Both were superb. We were guided as to the portion sizes of various dishes and whether...

Was greeted with a very warm welcome shown to our seats & given menus All the staff were wearing masks & tables well spaced out Robyn was our server she was so lovely & explained afew of the dishes I asked about Once the food...

Visited Bootleggers whilst staying at the campsite. We had lovely chowder full of seafood and mussels in spicy sauce which were amazing. Waffles for breakfast and the haggis muffin also delicious. The girl taking orders was chatty and friendly. A great place for food with...

Enjoying a lovely holiday on the North coast last week, my family and I decided to stop for a bite to eat at Bootleggers. After ordering but still within earshot of the kitchen, we heard what can only be described as a disgusting verbal attack...

We visited here for a late lunch. We are from 3 different households meeting for the first time in weeks. We all had the mackerel special and within an hour and a half we were all very ill with severe diarrhoea. This continued overnight. I...

We have been coming to The Bothy for a few years now, it's our destination on a day out after walk along from Roseisle. We went yesterday with our dog and were directed round the block to the rear entrance. There were no parasols over...

Have been visiting the area on an annual basis and always tried to take lunch in The Bothy Bistro because the food was so good. The place has had a makeover and must have changed hands? The changes in the kitchen are a real concern....

Staff are rude , don’t listen to anything you would like ! I ordered something without onions and salad how ever got salad once my other half went back up to get this corrected the staff rudely Proceeded to laugh and moan and made a...

This is a lovely restaurant. Really unexpected in this little (off the track) area. The food is gorgeous and the decor is really original and works very well. I just have two comments, there were quite a lot of flies coming in and where I...

Excellent food and service, dinner for 8 of us this evening and all meals were lovely. Highly recommend! The venison, fillet steak, crab and burgers were all great.

Visited with my wife and we ordered mussels and steak with side order of spicy crab fries. Fantastic food perfectly cooked and good service.

We travelled quite far on a very rainy day to get to the Bootleggers Bothy, hoping to try their food and make the dull day a little brighter. To our disgust, we got there and saw that none of the employees were wearing masks nor...

Was really excited to try this as we've previously eaten in their Burghead bistro (pre-covid) and it was always superb. Looking at some press coverage for this new enterprise I had high expectations. Ordered a couple of burgers, fries and slaw. On the positive the...

We hired a tepee for my birthday and it was a fabulous experience form start to finish. We got a lovely welcome with a bottle of fizz and lots of smiles. The menu was excellent and the food arrived promptly, beautifully presented and tasted delicious....

Am underwhelmed to say the least. Friends recommended it so I had higher expectations. Quite a wait as they had technical issues with till ( not their fault) so I was really ready to eat. I had seafood chowder husband had burger. Chowder was tiny,...

Just had a lovely lunch. Crab salad with focaccia and a burger for my partner. Really nice food and even a wee glass of wine. Sitting in the sunshine enjoying it all.

Second visit here. First was a fantastic experience, hence the return. However ordered something different and was disappointed. The haddock and potato croquettes were runny/loose on the inside, as was the cauliflower burger. A real turn off. Such a shame as everything else ordered was...

£33 for two burgers with cheap frozen fries and two drinks. Someone’s having a laugh here. We often stay at West Beach caravan site but this was the first time we’ve had food from Bootleggers. If the food was of outstanding quality and taste I...

We were staying for a few days in West Beach Caravan Park and stopped by The Bootleggers Bothy for tea on our last night. Such a lovely, quirky wee set up! And the fact you can watch the chefs cooking right in front of you...

In 2020 I visited the bootleggers bothy twice as I had heard such great reviews, the food was lovely if a tad pricey. However I recently stayed at West Beach caravan park (2021) and ate from the bothy this time I was extremely disappointed to...

We came for lunch for two.... after the refurb after Covid the menu has changed...before it was more of a cafe and now the focus is more bistro... I think the lunch and evening menu are the same now? We both chose the scotch egg...

We frequented the wonderfully atmospheric Bothy and recommended it widely- it has a sort of monopoly in the area as the only really high end restaurant. The food is always amazing but consistently colossally overpriced and underportioned (we paid £60 for a sharing main which...

So glad you are back! Bootleggers was a lifesaver during lockdown but The Bothy is definitely warmer! We arrived at 8.30pm to a lovely welcome. Cocktails were fab. Wine was even better. The venison chateaubriand was so tender and sides were great. To have such...

I am one of those 'posh idiots' as Louise B has named me below. I love The Bothy and visit frequently, recommending it to others all the time. I supported The Bootlegger throughout lockdown, whatever the weather, and urged others to do the same. We...

Great meal. Great service. Fresh great food. Tapas and mains. Lots of drinks. Brilliant fun! Only bit that I didn't like was a bunch of total posh idiots who ordered 4 cocktails at 2215 knowing the place closed at 2230. Why they thought 2225 for...

Amazing meal and fresh fish! I tried the whitebait and fish and chips and they were beautiful! Definitely worth the journey!!

Hope this is the same place?! I used the Bootleggers Bothy at Hopeman Caravan Park- we had breakfast rolls (freshly made to order), and had a tea one evening - hotdog & fries, and a portion of the haddock fillets. Excellent food, at great prices.

Somehow I managed to get the date wrong for our booking (though definitely my fault) and so we turned up a day early. The staff were amazingly nice about it and still managed to accommodate us despite all the Covid restrictions. The food and service...

Such a lovely afternoon treat, to eat out locally and be offered an deliciously interesting menu for lunch. The food was delicious, the restaurant had a real buzz about it, Covid screening is really well thought out made our outing feel intimate and cosy, it...

It’s open again. Excellent Fayre. New menu. Went for lunch. Antipasti starter charcuterie board was very tasty, hams, salami, anchovies, pickles, olives, mini peppers, Then had the Peterhead haddock with chunky beef dripping chips. Excellent. My daughter had the Bootleggers burger which she said was...

Great food at the revamped Bothy, so tasty, can’t remember when I have enjoyed lunch so much. Friendly helpful staff.

We stopped at the mobile bistro by the caravan park for Chilli Whitebait and fries along with two coffees it was lovely. The staff are so friendly and along with the picnic benches a great spot to have lunch.

My family and I walked from Cummingston to Hopeman on Sunday and grabbed a bite to eat at the Bothy, located near the harbour in lower Hopeman. On first sight, we were blown away at how busy it was - always a good sign I...

Had Prawn and Crayfish Cocktail. Absolutely superb. Not the cheapest but still well worth it. Would highly recommend.