Olive in Highland

TLDR - food is way overpriced, service is unacceptable slow, just go to the Tesco cafe or find somewhere else. Ordered a wrap with eggs and sausage and a salmon and egg bagel with cheese and a can of juice. Took 55 minutes for the order and was £20. The food is ok but overpriced and for some reason everything has rocket put through it, you can get just as just as good from anywhere else at 1/3 the price. The menu doesn’t show prices for most things and the selection for the breakfast rolls/wraps is shown as “from £3.50” what they mean is £3.50 for every topping you add, want a slice of cheese? That’s £3.50. No table service which isn’t great when it’s premium prices. Only one toilet so expect to wait for that. There’s not much competition near by which I imagine is how the place still does well. The place knows what it’s doing, the menu is on a chalk board behind the serving area, as I said there’s lots of prices not listed or left vague, you’ll glance over this because your stuck standing reading it in front of everyone, you’ll want your glasses as well if you have them as everything is written very small. You pay after you’ve eaten as well so when they surprise you with the total you’re stuck with it.

Nice looking place and great location. Just service is consistently slow and disorganised - often running out of ingredients and staff not really knowing their own menu. Had food show up that was completely different to what I ordered. Also in the several times I have been it is hard to get a seat and then the only menu is behind the til and there are no prices. Food quality does seem nice but very limited on vegetarian options. Place has got great potential but needs some organising in its management, won’t be back til then.

First time ever being in olive will not be returning as I ordered a Lorne and egg roll which the Lorne sausage was raw when they brought it out to me also I got no sorry from them at all... asked them who the chef was and they said they don't have a qualified chef how can they serve out food if the chef isn't qualified I'd avoid this place

I had a decaff mocha with coconut milk, a smoked salmon morning roll and an apple crumble. Very tasty and well made. The atmosphere is very enchanting with fairy lights, himalayan salt lamps, cosy seating and what looks to be handmade wooden furniture with a unique style. It is a very welcoming atmosphere with lovely staff and there is an area at the back of the shop where local artists display their work for purchase. I have been to The Olive more than a few times and have always had a pleasant experience.

Kyle and his team have created a truly special place. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the food is nothing short of delicious. I was impressed with the salmon and vodka pasta - a dish I wouldn't usually order, but it was delicious! Every dish that passed by our table looked equally enticing, so we'll definitely be back to explore the menu further. Even the coffee was a highlight. The best place in Thurso for a delicious lunch. Highly recommend!

Love, love, love this place, first time here, the food , staff & coffee all get 10/10. We'll be back ! 😁

Don't bother going anywhere else. Thank me later. Yum 😋

Great caffe! Delicious home made chai. The bagels and soup at the best I’ve tried in a long time, I’m glad this isn’t closer to home For me otherwise I would spend all my money here.

One of the better coffees we had across our four week road trip of the entire UK. A pleasant surprise given its location Staff very friendly and welcoming, great coffee and my caramel ginger slice was very nice as well. If you’re looking for a stop on your NC500 trip - I highly recommend.

I missed the ferry to Orkney and had to kick my heels back in Thurso for the day. Olive was my main haunt and it’s got an INCREDIBLE oat milk latte if you’re of that persuasion… the taste of the coffee beans is also very luxurious, it’s a great cafe to randomly stumble into while getting soaked by rain. I also got the millionaire shortbread, and like the latte it did not disappoint! The cafe is warm and bright and when I walked in Bowie was playing. 10/10 get the oat milk latte it’s well priced for better oat milk than you’re likely to find in the city.

Lovely staff, very nice sandwiches. Little expensive for a sandwich…

Wanted a good coffee came here and got not good coffee but amazing coffee loved the snowman deco on it what an artist 😁 great service so friendly and what a lovely layout perfect bistro thanks guys 💕

Where do I even start? From the moment we stepped foot in the Olive we felt really welcome and taken care of. Kyle is an amazing host! The cafe has a great energy and atmosphere and the food was delicious. If you ever find yourself in Thurso, make sure you have time to have a meal at the Olive.

The sweet potato, cauliflower and coconut soup was quite simply the best I have ever tasted in a restaurant. I would have paid for the recipe but it's in the chef's head! This place is well worth a detour.

Visiting from Wick we Enjoyed our brunch. Be nice if we could read a menu at the table. It’s difficult to order from a blackboard in a queue. Food for thought.

Great for children, with a nice changing station and playroom.

Lovely atmosphere in the cafe itself, lovely decor, they do not have sugar available on tables and expect you to say if you want sugar when you order, we waited over an hour for one toasted bagel which felt quite long for a quiet Friday

Shame to not love this place. It has great potential from the decor and lovely interior. It was all a bit weird. First off it’s designed so you just kind of sort yourself out until you know what you want. The menu was not presented or described well. Ordering was a bit stressful with somewhat friendly but also a bit awkward. Minimal choice for vegan and vegetarian. Presentation of food was good and the quality of food seemed good. Coffee was really nice. There could have been a bit ‘extra’ like a teaspoon with the coffee, (what, I like to scrape the strong foam up from a nice strong coffee). I got a desert spoon in the end. And maybe a teeny bit of salad with the roll too. Felt a bit lacking in that way. A little pricey for a slightly above average offering I thought. Water stations were great, infused and plain.

On our trip along the coast of Northern Scotland, we stopped at Olive for a Lunch break. The cosy cafe is lovely with a welcoming atmosphere and the food was outstanding. The icing on the cake was the very attentive staff, it was definitely more than just fine! All in all one of the best restaurant experiences we have had on our trip so far.

Good coffees, with nicely decorated interior and friendly staff. Food looked nice too.

Food was nice, very generous portions, coffee was great. Very friendly man behind the counter recommended places on the route of our trip nearby to visit and told us about the area which was lovely. Random dead area at the back of the cafe should be more tables rather than the current boardroom inside a shop vibe

Perfect ! If you are looking for a quiet spot and a savourous meal, this is the place to go ! Bonus : there is a playroom upstairs for the small ones !

Honestly the prettiest cafe I have seen in a long time. It felt so cosy and the atmosphere was lovely. Coffees were perfect. We ordered lunch and the bagel avocado was to die for. Definitely recommend this place!!!

Whilst waiting for the ferry, I popped into Olive and expected the usual breakfast options. We don't do fry-ups said the waitress. I had to really study the menu and consider the many breakfast alternatives. When the delicate cutlery arrives you realise you are in for something special. Likewise the ornate, metal teapot. What appeared didn't disappoint. From the variety of food on offer to the unique surroundings, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Olive. Travellers especially would wish to stay longer in Thurso.

Lovely people and very good food. Had an absolutely fantastic stay and some of the best Chicken soup i ever Had. The Coffee ist also very good and they offer plant based Milk without extra Charge. Absolutely reccomend!

Lovely food, friendly service and great coffee

Amazing food. I had a soup and a cheese sandwich, both blew my mind

They were closing. We had a train to catch and were in desperate need of caffeination. Olive didn’t turn us away. They welcomed us with delicious coffee, encouraged the kids to explore upstairs and even helped us navigate getting to the station. If you’re in Thurso, run don’t walk to Olive. If you’re in Inverness, ride the train 3h45 each way and go to Olives!

Amazing coffee and cakes. Wish we were hungry as the food looked and smelt amazing

A nice relaxed place but a bit expensive, The poached eggs on toasted sourdough bread was delicious.

Amazing food, the masala beans and egg were delicious as was the coffee. Great ambience and friendly staff. A must do stop in the NC500

Quality cafe, customer service is bang on and the staff are proper friendly. Food is well peng like and the Iced lattes are mean as.

Absolutely class service staff were polite and funny food and drink was immaculate no complaints here

Beautiful everything, highly recommend. This place carries Thurso.

Such a good cafe the food was unreal and the service matched it lovely vibe wish I found it sooner

Excellent welcome, very very friendly staff. The food is excellent and plentiful. We recommend without hesitation

Thanks so much - loved popping in here on a rainy day while doing the NC500. Food was great, there was a proper community vibe and the owner was super welcoming - great little setup!

We had a good time on a Monday afternoon (around 3pm). Very cozy place. I followed the recommendation and got the „Olive Special“ with spicy raspberry sauce + a vegan hot chocolate. My wife had the lemon cake + a vegan dirty London fog. Everything was delicious, served within minutes, and with 25£ in total reasonably priced. We will come back!

Very relaxed atmosphere to the place. The food was flavoursome and tasty with generous portions. I great find for a very late lunch.

Food looked good. We should have ordered better, because waiting 25 minutes for 2 coffees is quite a long time (and it was not necessarily busy, but we had to count all the money from the cash register in the middle of the café and eat/drink quietly by the staff behind it). the bar apparently had priority)

Passed there by chance, excellent breakfast

Stopped in Thurso this afternoon after a long 5 hour drive on the NC500 from Dingwall. It was 3pm, so too late for lunch, too early for dinner and we hadn't eaten since breakfast. A quick Google suggested that Olive was open for another hour so we headed there. Oh my, what a selection. We both ordered a pasta dish and it was amazing. So flavoursome and super tasty. Just what we needed. Great friendly staff and we aim to visit again before we set off on our journey back home.

Terrible service. If that scene with the sloths from Zootopia were a restaurant, this would be it. Took at least 20 minutes to get our drinks. Even after going to the bar to confront the staff, they still took another 5, during which time I saw the staff doing the slowest possible walk with our plates with pastries, just past our table.... They don't have menus, the menu is supposed to be on the big blackboard on the wall. Which when we arrived at 11:30AM was empty, and they wouldn't take food orders until they wrote up the menu. So naturally the first words they wrote were "Breakfast: until 11AM"... 1 hour later he got through only the first 10 its, only 5 of which were actually orderable. Eventually asked how long it would take for the food to arrive if we ordered. No more than 10 minutes, they said. The 5 minutes of me waiting to order while the blackboard guy was failing to spell the word "pasta" convinced me that was a lie. I genuinely felt like they were taking the piss on purpose... Absolutely abhorrent service! Which is a shame, because the atmosphere and decorations were lovely, and the cappuccino was great.

Stunning cafe, very well done 👏. Coffee is also nice. Although paid for syrup and there is barely any.. Unfortunately, it is let down by slow service. We waited 5 minutes to order. Then, once ordered, we waited 10 minutes for 3 coffees.

Amazing coffee for celebrating 20th wedding anniversary

Food and customer service is outstanding. I do recommend the poached eggs on sourdough.

We were disappointed by the lack of service, we waited at the bar to order but were ignored. The staff were busy but a recognition of our existence would have been good.

Awesome place, really pretty, great food at a reasonable price and catering to Gluten and Dairy requirements was excellent. 10/10, thanks

Tasty toasties, full of fillings, nice salad that's not an afterthought, and Doritos. Great quality lunch for the price. Staff are also really nice.

Very friendly staff and the atmosphere is just very cozy and unique

The cheese toastie was good but the salad vinaigrette was unenjoyable. Portion sizes were on the big side which was great. The cafe is nicely done up.

Lovely place, great food and hats off to the chef who went out of his way to meet our dietary requirements. Will definitely return when we’re next in the area.

A fantastic breakfast with superb service from Anita and oops they said I’d forget the other waitress’s name.

Healthy food for a decent price.

Excellent brunch/lunch place with a great atmosphere. Staff very friendly and the food is absolutely fantastic. Would highly recommend the Polish eggs

Great ambience, delicious food and coffee. Perfect

Very aesthetically pleasing cafe with friendly staff. Loved the coffee here.

A generally disappointing experience from start to finish. The front of house staff were clearly not happy and persistently bickered with each other; to the point that it affected the general atmosphere and it felt like they didn't want to interact with customers. Nearly everybody who came in had to wait for a disproportionate amount of time for some pretty poor welcoming instructions and a few folk even left before that. The man working front of house came over as self important and rude. The "Italian style sub" was just an overly cheesy grilled cheese with a scattering of basil, some tomato, and cheap chorizo. It's such a shame because the potential for this place is clear, it just seems to miss the point on a lot of issues and that it would benefit if everybody just stood back for a minute and reassessed what's happening.

The best place for coffee or tea in Thurso. Beautiful cafe, good service and excellent cake.

WOW. Travelling around the nc500 and have to say the BEST breakfast I have had for a long time. Scrambled eggs were perfection. Coffee was lovely. Would 1000% recommend

Wow! Great food, super helpful and friendly staff, really nice venue and ambience..and again, the food! Must visit.

I recently visited The Olive in Thurso and was thoroughly impressed by the experience. This cozy cafe quickly became a highlight of my trip. The food was nothing short of amazing. I had the delightful, fresh ramen, which was perfectly seasoned and comforting. My wife's tuna cheese melt was another standout, with meticulous attention to detail that elevated this classic dish. Both dishes were fantastic and left me eager to return. The real star of The Olive is the owner. He went out of his way to make us feel welcome, creating a wonderful "home away from home" vibe. His hospitality truly enhanced our visit and made it memorable. In conclusion, The Olive is a gem in Thurso. With incredible food and exceptional service, it's a must-visit for anyone in the area.

Food was OK but nothing to be crazy about as tesco bagels with choice of filling for £12+ is bad value. Cakes were shockingly sugary and dry and far too expensive. Place however nice decor and staff very friendly despite overwhelmed with customers.

There is not much to say for this restaurant, it was an Italian night during our visit so the food was great and was so delicious with fresh ingredients. The atmosphere and the vibe was amazing, the owner so friendly and welcoming. If I ever visit Scotland is a place to visit so sure . I totally recommend going there

Italian night. Evening dinner was very delicious true Italian food. Amazing restaurant, love the decor and ambience, must try for sure.

Italian day. Really delicious salmon pasta.

5 star from start to finish - great ambiance, friendly staff. We went on Italian night and the food was AMAZING!! Highly recommend this restaurant - fabulous experience!!

Good coffee and lovely cake selection.

We were looking forward to our visit here. We were shown to our table with indifference, and asked for our order. We decided to opt for Americano coffee, and a chicken burger each which arrived with crisps and a small salad. Having negotiated my way through the crisps and salad (the food was served on those horrible planks of wood), I discovered that my chicken breast was bright red and uncooked inside. My partner's burger was identically under cooked. We called a member of staff over, who then called someone from the kitchen. The man was incincere, unapologetic, and abrupt in his manner, and simply stated that the cost of the meal would be deducted from the final bill. We got up and before leaving went to counter to pay. We were asked to pay for the two coffees and one chicken burger, which I refused on the grounds that it was also red inside. We left having paid £6.80 for two coffees. The service here is abysmal, and the staff require immediate training in basic customer service. This happend on 20 June at approximately 13:00-14:23 when we paid the bill. Due to the lack of any real concern, and the risk of food poisoning, I have referred the incident to the Caithness Environmental Health Department. Do not visit this establishment and the staff are rude, and the food badly cooked.

Absolutely wonderful! I don’t even know where to start, this place has been a blessing during my visit to Thurso! I came up alone on the Monday before my partner on the Tuesday night and so I came here for their Italian night alone. The atmosphere was so cozy and comforting and I felt really good about being here. I had a delicious pasta dish that was honestly some of the best pasta I have ever had! The atmosphere and decor really made the experience such a treat. When my partner came up I just had to bring them for breakfast and we both loved it so much we came back again before we left. I had the avocado bagel which was delicious and they had the best scrambled egg of their life (which was so amazing we both had it the morning after!) I would recommend this place to anybody in the area, this is a must visit location and I’ll miss it when I’m home

Just popped in for a quick drink and maybe something small to eat. Turns out the food menu is too enticing. I enjoyed a sweet chilli chicken wrap. With a chai latte. The chai blend is fantastic!

Amazing food, lovely staff and a great place to sit, relax and enjoy a nice cup of coffee/tea.

We were looking forward to our visit here. We were shown to our table with indifference, and asked for our order. We decided to opt for Americano coffee, and a chicken burger each which arrived with crisps and a small salad. Having negotiated my way through the crisps and salad (the food was served on those horrible planks of wood), I discovered that my chicken breast was bright red and uncooked inside. My partner's burger was identically under cooked. We called a member of staff over, who then called someone from the kitchen. The man was incincere, unapologetic, and abrupt in his manner and simply stated that the meal would be deducted from the final bill. We got up and before leaving went to counter to pay. We were asked to pay for the two coffees and one chicken burger, which I refused in the grounds that it was also red inside. We left having paid £6.80 for two coffees. The service here is abysmal, and the staff require immediate training in basic customer service. This happend on 20 June at approximately 13:00-14:23 when we paid the bill. Due to the lack of any real concern, and the risk of food poisoning, I have referred the incident to the Caithness Environmental Health Department. Do not visit this establishment and the staff are rude, and the food badly cooked.

I had perhaps the best carrot cake ever here! The team makes you feel comfortable straight away and there is a pleasant atmosphere! Definitely worth a visit!

A very beautiful establishment, nicely decorated, with a small back shop with very “natural” products. Cozy atmosphere, a few small hanging tables. And finally, very very good dishes and for a ridiculous price. I recommend the Cajun chicken pasta...a pure delight 😉.

Stopped off for a late lunch. What a fabulous find! Staff are so friendly and welcoming. The soup was "banging" (Scottish for brilliant) and the cajun chicken pasta was awesome. Definitely return if we're back in Thurso.

Super pasta, good service, so a good tip!

Great place to have a little lunch, very cosy inside. We had a grilled orkney cheese sandwich and a chicken burger, both of which tasted great. Also good coffee.

The food is very good and not expensive. But the service really leaves something to be desired... The smile is extra perhaps? (if you are not known or recognized by service personnel) It’s really a shame this reception.

Beautiful restaurant, lovingly furnished. Local prices.

Lovely coffee and lovely eating area but awful customer service. On arrival felt invisible. No acknowledgement, not even a good morning. Won’t be rushing back.

We found this beautiful place called “Olive” when i was looking for breakfast options around Thurso They have a wide range of veg options (we are vegetarians) So we went in and tried their club grilled sandwich and Olive special, hands down this was one of the best breakfasts we’ve had around. Great taste, wonderful presentation, the cheese and the chips along with the sandwich was delicious. Wish we could visit again! Cheers!!

What a gorgeous little restaurant, the food was amazing and the decor was beautiful! Such a lucky find as we were just passing through Thurso :)

We came here for brunch today and everything about Olive was amazing. The interiors are stunning, really very beautiful. The food is delicious and there is a lovely little gift shop too. If I lived in Thurso I’d be here every day!

Very cute, little café, lovingly decorated. We only had a drink, the prices were completely reasonable, unfortunately not all teas on the menu were available, but still a clear recommendation.

The perfect little breakfast place! Atmosphere was incredible, staff were lovely and the food was delicious. Would recommend to anyone!

We arrived here after 2, waited to be seated there was 3 staff on not one acknowledge us waited another 5 mins then someone came up and told us no food was being served but can have coffees (that's all we wanted) had to share a large table that was fine, ordering coffee and the girl thought we were paying ready to leave explained that we just arrived and ordered biscoff coffee and cakes. 20mins later coffee arrived. Cakes were ok very dense but were ok. We ordered biscoff latte couldn't taste the biscoff got no sugar with it or even offered any, the coffee came in a glass tumbler with no handles so was very hot to touch. Don't think we will be back here, staff not very friendly.

Awesome coffee, service and a chicken, beef, venison and lentil soup to cure any man flu! What a great little find. Don't miss it no matter how long or short your stay in Thurso.

So cosy and well done inside! Lovely staff and great coffee!

Great stip while cycling the Pictish Trail. The best carrot cake ever!! Staff were great too, really friendly. Recommend.

Best Coffee around. Friendly staff and atmosphere.

Stopped off here, following the ferry back from Orkney. The customer service was exceptional, the food was unbelievably delicious and the coffee was easily the best we've had on our whole trip. Such an amazing community feel and we would be visiting all the time if we were from the area.

Coffee was really nice, staff were very accomodating and the interior design was a delight to sit amongst. Prices are reasonable and I'd recommend it.

Place was so good and the carrot cake was amazing ❤️

Quick lunch stop on a long drive. Very flavoursome food & good coffee.

Best coffee in town and the only nice cafe in Thurso! Just saved my morning! Thanks!

Delicious food and coffee, nice cosy decor and friendly helpful staff, highly recommend!

I didn’t eat here so can’t comment on the food but the coffee wasn’t nice at all, asked for a mocha and I certainly didn’t get a mocha, beans were bitter. Staff were rude. Place is beautiful just a shame about the coffee and the rudeness of staff.

Rude staff member when we went in. We didn't stay.

Great little cafe. Stopped in for a piece of cake and a brew. Which were both superb. The atmosphere here was great. Would go back again