The Pier Cafe in Highland

We visited The Pier on a recommendation from a friend and we certainly weren’t disappointed! Incredible food, great varied menu and huge cake selection. Coupled with a beautiful view and friendly helpful staff. Highly recommended!

This was our first visit here after a recommendation from a friend. So we booked into the Pier for a Sunday lunch not quite knowing what to expect but what a wonderful experience it was. My wife and i both had the Sunday roasts which were without doubt the best we've had up in the Highlands. The meats cooked to perfection and the array of vegetables was excellent and a great big delicious yorkie. We then had tea and cake for afters, the only problem was the selection, it was too big for my eyes because again the all looked fantastic. The staff were delightful and just attentive enough without being over baring. Our whole experience was top drawer and the fact we booked again whilst leaving for this weekend but this time we are bringing our family and i for one can't wait. Oh yes, and the drinks menu was extensive especially the beers and ales.

We visited here as a party of 13 and 2 dogs!!! A large table had been arranged outside for us so we could all sit together as an extended family. The food was great, staff were all very helpful and friendly and the choice of menu extensive. A beautiful setting on the shore of Loch Shin.

Great food, very helpful friendly staff. Whilst on holiday locally we had booked lunch here on the deck to celebrate my parents wedding anniversary. Unfortunately the weather changed shortly before we arrived & we all got soaked! Due to the continued windy & rainy conditions when we sat down we felt it was a bit too chilly to sit outside for our meal. The staff picked up on this & offered to move us to a table inside instead which was perfect, we all had lovely meals & desserts/ cakes which were reasonably priced. A great place to visit.

Highly recommend the pier! Some might say it’s a bit pricey but you are getting your money’s worth. Dined here two days in a row while visiting the area. Just have to come back for more. The food portion was massive. Great tasting food! Compliments to the chef for the Asian chicken noodle dish with a twist! The servers were very friendly and hospitable! The atmosphere superb whether dining inside or outside. Definitely a must stop in Lairg.

We had a wonderful lunch here, sitting looking out over the water. The staff weere excellent, even although the place was incredibly busy. (We were glad that we had booked in advance). The food is superb, and caters to all tastes.

We were staying locally and on a random road trip which took us to Lairg at lunchtime. We chanced our arm at The Pier and got lucky by securing a table within a few minutes of arriving. I mean, very lucky, as the place was heaving so I suggest booking in advance if you want to eat there. The staff were immediately welcoming but obviously working hard. We opted for a light lunch (soup and bread) and cakes instead of a larger meal. Both were excellent! I am highly tempted to come back to stay for a night in Lairg just to experience a full meal at The Pier. Highly recommended.

Excellent service, and food cooked to perfection, exactly the way I like it - not how the chef thinks I should like it 🙂 Beautiful setting. Clean facilities. Helpful friendly staff.

Sehr schöne, unkomplizierte Location direkt am Wasser. Aufmerksamer, sehr netter Service und eine gute Karte. Wir waren zum Lunch da und haben einen vegetarischen Burger gegessen. Die Kuchen sehen himmlisch aus, wir waren aber zu gesättigt, um diese zu probieren.

What a lovely place! We had a wonderful lunch outside, in the sun, overlooking the loch. The food was excellent and the service was very friendly - even when it got very busy and the staff were run off their feet. Really, really impressed. A gem!

What a fab find for breakfast. The best French toast with bacon and maple syrup and a delicious sausage and egg roll. Friendly and efficient service and a cafe with great decor. Guinness cake to take away - omg - amazing! Will deffo return on another Scottish visit.

Had a very nice coffee, fruit juice and cake and the staff were lovely. However, when paying by card, I thought at the time the charge was a bit steep. I rang the following morning and found I’d been overcharged by £4. While there was no problem getting a refund it would have been nice to have had an apology,but that didn’t happen.

Excellent, we called here a year ago and it was great, today even better, sat outside 31/3 the sun was shining & had the perfect macaroni cheese. Great menu choices, the cakes look superb & lovely staff

What a lovely location! The food was delicious and the service was fantastic. We arrived half an hour before closing and were welcomed with the full menu and didn’t feel rushed at all. There is an extensive menu and the views over the Loch are stunning. Everyone in our party (4 adults ~ 3 vegetarians ~ & 2 teens) agreed that their food was delicious.

Lovely cafe/restaurant with friendly staff, although pretty expensive. Large range of dishes to choose from, UNLESS you require gluten free food which was unfortunately very poorly represented. On the day I visited, there was one starter on the menu I could have eaten, three main courses (two of which were burgers), and one dessert. I chose the fish, which had to have part of the dish removed to make it suitable for me. I was all the more disappointed because several of the dishes didn't have anything obvious making them unsuitable; for instance, I very rarely find a curry nowadays that I am unable to eat, but on this menu it was unsuitable. It was also a good job I wasn't a vegetarian or vegan coeliac, as there would have been absolutely nothing for me on this menu. I'd like to suggest that the chef rethinks the menu to make it work harder to feed all diets. So many of these options on the menu could have been available to me with a few changes to the basic ingredients and preparation.

Annual Christmas dinner at The Pier with family who live local . As previous years it did not disappoint service is great food is presented beautifully and very tasty . My only niggle was my pigs n blanket with my Turkey was undercooked for my liking but everything else was fantastic 👍

Well what can one say? Disappointing to say the least. Overnight the weather had turned nasty making roads carparks footpaths very slippy under foot. Arrived at The Pier and the carpark was like a skating rink, no salt had been applied making it lethal to walk on. The place was cold and the service atrocious waited three quarters of an hour for my meal. I visited with 14 friends and they had all made similar comments. Visited last year and the service was the same SLOW and on that occasion there were only two of us. Won't be back.

Another GREAT visit to 'The Pier'. This time Kate and I met up with our lovely friends Lorraine and Ross. On this occasion we were looked after by two delightful ladies. ALL the staff in this place are very friendly, and like my other review, the food is outstanding. All four of us enjoyed our meals and we enjoyed the occasion, which was to celebrate my wife Kate's Birthday (belatedly as it was last week). Thanks again ALL at The Pier.

I’ve been here countless times with different people and every single time it’s incredible. The food is great, reasonably priced, comes out at a good time. The cakes are just amazing! Honestly couldn’t fault it, I’d recommend it time and time again.

We have been twice before and yet again, the food was exceptional. Also, the waiter Jason was OUTSTANDING. One of the best waiters we have come across in years. I believe that the boss is Ryan and he runs a fabulous establishment. We are booked to come again with friends of ours in November.

Excellent location. Wonderful food. Breakfast menu in particular is great. However, soups, lunches, etc. equally good. Coffee is excellent. Wide range of wonderful, homemade cakes (personally would love scones to be included!). Outdoor area is usable even in rain as its covered. Staff personable and efficient throughout. I live twenty miles away but have no hesitation of choosing the Pier as quality assured on every visit! Well recommended to all family and friends.

Stopped for quick lunch, very good food with great views of the loch. Pretty extensive menu plus a range of specials, lots of quality food to choose from. Plus great service Highly recommend

Magnifique endroit pour un brunch ou un dîner. Par beau temps la terrasse au bord de l’eau vaut le détour. Le personnel est au top, et l’on y mange très bien.

Spotted this on google maps whilst checking out the long trek down the single track A836 from Tongue. Called in for brunch and were well impressed. Jug of Tap Water provided immediately we were seated. Service prompt, coffee good. Missus had the Smashed avocado, halloumi, roasted tomato & scrambled eggs, I went for the Pier Breakfast. We noticed the cakes on offer, they looked marvellous and we were told they were made in house. This is a great place to stop off at. Recommended.

Dropped in on spec at Sunday lunchtime expecting a cafe and found a proper restaurant with fabulous loch-side location and views. A warm welcome was followed by a first class fish chowder and then some excellent cake. The staff were lovely and the service good. I had a bottle of Thistly Cross cider to drink. Very refreshing. By the time we left it was packed with locals, and a queue at the door. Not a surprise. Recommended.

A delightful cafe/restaurant with beautiful views out onto the loch. There is extra outside seating both covered and open air. An interesting cafe style menu and our food was absolutely delicious. We both had vegetarian burgers, chips and salad - faultless. The locally made Italian ice cream was as good as I've tasted anywhere - yes anywhere. The building is modern, tasteful, spacious and airy plus those amazing loch views. The service polite and friendly. Atmosphere relaxed and welcoming. Ample uncrowded parking in their own car park. All in all one of the very best eateries I have ever been into in Scotland! You can tell that the owners take a great pride in their establishment and it really does show. They do it well. It's professional. Well done them. I'm fussy and would recommend The Pier 100%, No hesitation.

Gorgeous location. Very friendly staff. Excellent service. Delicious food. Takeaway yummy cakes. Best place we have eaten in ages. Stopped here on our tour of Scotland. If it wasn’t a ten hour drive away would definitely go back. Highly recommend.

Outstanding fish and chips (although with frozen peas), the batter being thin and crisp and the fish beautifully flaky. And two pieces of fish, so generously portioned. Starters also excellent (soup and scallops). Cheesecake portions a little over-sized even if very good. Service well-meaning if a little overwhelmed owing to being so busy mid evening, so bear this in mind. Booking here seems to be essential. And outside is the southern end of Loch Shein - a Black-throated Diver spent time here during our visit before it flew off as the light was fading. Would I return? 100% yes.

Make sure you drop in to the Pier if you are ever in Lairg. Amazing brunch and really friendly. Vege and vegan options, fresh drinking water brought to the table, exceptional service and a fantastic view. Highly recommend!

Its about my 5th visit to the pier My husband and i try to go every time we are up fishing The staff are fantastic the food is delicious. This time we went with friends for their 50th wedding anniversary and they all loved it...

Although this is a well established wee restaurant in an area where there is little else, The Pier has become over-priced AND the portion sizes are much smaller than what we remember from the past. This means that we will not be back in a...

Food fab, drinks lovely and staff very attentive. Prices are very reasonable and it runs like a well oiled cog. Views over the lock is beautiful. 10 out of 10.

A perfect location with views across the loch. Seating areas inside or out. Varied menu. Service a bit haphazard, not given a menu on arrival, and the staff were flustered that we hadn't booked. Even though there was lots of empty table during our visit....

Absolutely fabulous meal with outstanding service. Loved the pork fillet, halibut meal and tge tomato soup was lovely. Service and setting are brilliant! Recommend to all, make the journey and experience it!

Great location, fresh fish and local produce. Check opening hours as not open many evenings. Very friendly staff and wide ranging menu

Stopped off en route to Durness. Took advantage of the tasty menu and we weren’t disappointed. Beautiful setting, we sat under the covered decking with our pooch. Would definitely recommend.

What a wonderful little place. We were lucky enough to be sat outside as the weather was spectacular. We had great views across Loch Shin and were treated to an awesome dinner. I had a posh hot dog which was spectacular and loaded with mozzarella...

I’m thoroughly impressed by our visit to The Pier today. The service was friendly and the food was excellent. This will be on our list of “Must visits” when we are next in the Highlands.

A lovely restaurant in a beautiful setting . The food was amazing & the staff very nice . The cakes … out of this world 🌟 All in all a lovely experience, will certainly return, but advise to book ahead ,very busy which speaks for...

From arrival until departure it was a lovely experience. All front of house staff were welcoming, attentive yet very professional. The specials menu offered two roasts and a surprising variety of tasty unusual dishes. We both had a duo of venison, steak and pulled. It...

We have had two visits to The Pier whilst on holiday. The coffee and cake were excellent enjoyed in lovely surroundings.

Many visits to the Pier and it never disappoints. The staff are efficient, friendly and professional and provide a warm welcome and a relaxing atmosphere. The food and home bakes are perfectly splendid and I’ve never had to wait for food even when it’s busy....

Super food, super spot, super staff - could not fault the place. We are always happy to drive for half an hour or more to have the chance to enjoy a wonderful meal in this (perhaps unlikely) venue. All the staff seem to love their...

Fantastic find and called by to The Pier unexpectedly. We were warmly welcomed by all the staff especially Heather and you absolutely must try her cakes simply delicious 😋. Make a point of calling in here a must do!

We turned up quite late on and near closing time, rather than chase us away the staff were really welcoming. The food was superb! Tasty, fresh and the portion sizes were perfect. The outside seating overlooking the Loch was just ideal. Thanks folks for being...

Beautiful views over Loch Shin, friendly welcome. We loved the food. Well presented and tasty. I had the Bannermans fish salad and my husband the burger.

Lovely sit outside either a little bit of sunlight on the cheeks, cake is splendid and the Coffee even better. Advice of the day try the vegan or beef burger.

Went here today and asked if it was dog friendly they replied yes ,we sat outside waiting to be served and 20 minutes later no service, so we left disgusted ,service disappointing

There are not many restaurants around Lairg, however Pier makes it up for it. Absolutely fantastic food, main (seafood) and dessert were stellar, and staff were extremely friendly. Plenty parking, nice location next to Loch Shin, really nicely decorated, good selection of drinks, truly nice...

Having been here a couple of years ago we new to book ahead for a Sunday lunch and once again we were treated to and outstanding lunch. The Confit duck leg I had was absolutely amazing, add in very good service in a beautiful setting...

Superb find, after a long drive, amazing setting & great menu. Extensive choice of homemade cakes. Friendly staff. Breakfast & lunch menus look great too.

Second visit. NO question - Top Class staff, cuisine, service, quality and great value. It's a popular place so book ahead or have a bit of patience. If it's a fine / warm day there's plenty of seating outside, so if you have a pet,...

Great lunch food, had a lovely wholesome environment and staff were very friendly. Also had vegan options (the brownie was excellent) and the coffee was delicious also.

My first visit although my wife has eaten there before. Friendly helpful staff took our order. Really interesting menu. I had smashed avocado on bread with bacon and black pudding. There was a lot of vegetarian choice for my wife. There were nice toilets as...

Pleasant location, welcoming wood burning stove, great cake selection, good coffee,but rather surly, unsmiling staff…

We stopped here for lunch while exploring the area and we were not disappointed. The staff were very cheerful and attentive, the view from our table was lovely, the food arrived fairly quickly and was nicely presented and tasty. Had to be a bit careful...

What a wonderful find after hours of driving through this stunning area. Wonderful warm welcome, fabulous food especially as they had great vegan choices for me and a lovely chilled vibe … not forgetting it’s beautiful lochside location of course! We’ll definitely revisit and would...

We visited twice, once as a family (party of 5 adults) and once just Hubby and I. We were all really impressed with the super warm welcome (from the wonderful Jason and Heather), the lovely clean and warm restaurant (with great loch views), and the...

Such a wonderful place’ We recently returned on Christmas Eve for lunch. It was amazing, from start to finish it was great. Staff are wonderful and so helpful! Food was so fresh, cooked to perfection and tasted amazing! We went for the soup of the...

The Pier is our favourite place to eat , and when we decided to have a Christmas lunch for friends from all over the Highlands to meet up , it was our first choice. We were warmly welcomed and given a Christmas menu with a...

After a longish walk we were ready for lunch and we came across this cafe which we found on trip advisor. The service was first class the the coup, toasties and cakes were superb.

Driving an old 1975 TR6 through the highlands of Scotland and we stayed in Lairg, at the Newsagents flat…nice place. Not only did we get a wonderful meal at the Lairg hotel, but found this place on our way out. You hear of places that...

Was it the waitress slapped look on there faces? One was a happy girl. But i'm sure she was almost laughing when she gave us our dinner! Or was it the child's size hot dog served? It was a cheap roll like Aldi's own, and...

Just like the Tardis, this place is bigger on the inside with panoramic views of the loch and surrounding areas. The food was fantastic. Our waitress. Heather? I think, was fabulous at making us feel welcome and was very knowledgeable about the menu. She was...

Well worth a visit!! We visited for lunch. Amazing scenery outside overlooking the Loch, really cosy inside the cafe/restaurant. Food was delish and big portion sizes. We even took some cakes as takeaway as they looked yummy.

We visited for lunch. The food was excellent and the service very good. The restaurant was busy but the staff were attentive and keen to serve promptly. We also had a warm welcome by the young waitress. You also get amazing view over the loch...

We have been visiting this area of Scotland for two decades and so must have driven past this exceptional eaterie many times. This time we stopped in for lunch and it was a revelation. The menu is full of locally sourced vegetables meat and fish,...

We booked this place initially for our 40 th wedding anniversary but ended up visiting it for breakfast and lunch as well. The food is fantastic. The staff very friendly and service good. Would highly recommend.

Booked a table for Sunday lunch. Even though it as after 2pm, the restaurant was busy and staff seemed a bit stressed with short waits to be seated and to pay the bill. Food was nice.

Called for a takeaway fish and chips , was absolutely perfect. Including wee pots of tartare sauce and some vinegar . Friendly staff and fast service. Amazing cakes for later !!! Thank you.

Scenic location, cheery staff, varied menu, really good food, sensible price. A great stop off for a tasty snack (super cakes) or a decent meal.

3 of us booked a table here for dinner on a Saturday night which we were super lucky that we did as it was very busy! The food was absolutely fantastic, great quality and fresh. The service was a bit of a hit or miss...

Excellent food served by very friendly, efficient staff who went above and beyond to make our night really great 😊 Can highly recommend a visit 🤩🤩

Called in on the way past. The car park was full so we were lucky to get seated. Had a brilliant meal and some amazing cakes. Heather was really good with our kids and kept us up to date with wait times and drinks. Brilliant...

A lakeside eatery with great good, great staff and a view to die for. There are few places that will appeal to all the senses. If you sit out the back you might need a coat one minute, sunglasses the next!

Nice cafe restaurant in an area with few opportunities. Lovely views of the lake. Service and food ok. Limited opening hours so check before going.

It took no time to bring out the cakes or the drinks but it took best part of an hour to bring out our main course. At least we had the ducks to entertain ourselves when we were sitting outside. The toasties were great as...

Booked a table for a family of 5 adults. Although it was busy we were seated promptly by friendly staff. Food ordered was delicious, absolutely first class BUT the service was shocking. Drinks arrived in good time and our meals were slow. We then decided...

My wife and I visited this restaurant today and were very pleased with our lunch. We did book, living in the north we realise just how many visitors there are at the moment and appreciate that they need somewhere to eat and assumed that it...

I have to admit that we called at The Pier without a booking in the hope they could accommodate us. The person who dealt with us was not terribly welcoming - a young waitress abruptly told they had a large party in the restaurant that...

Booked into local accomodation as a part of a motorcycle tour, we took the caution of reserving a table for Saturday night dinner - choosing The Pier as it seemed to have decent reviews. My colleagues and I were pleasantly surprised at the experience of...

Had their breakfast and was highly delighted with the presentation and quality of local produce. The owner is constantly striving to improve the selection of food and he's doing a fantastic job. well worth a vist if only for coffee & cake. As a regular...

Absolutely exceptional food from a wide ranging menu with an absolutely stunning view over the water! There was also cake counter with plenty of wonderful options including a few vegan items.

Lairg is the real gateway to the Highlands and anyone brave enough to divert from the NC500 and stop here will be well rewarded. We were a party of six for dinner and were impressed with the varied and imaginative menu (ginger creme brulee!) as...

We visited the Pier, June 13th. Nicely busy but no problem getting a table. Service fantastic - attentive and knowledgeable. We loved that iced water was brought to the table as a matter of course. Menu great - something for everyone. Our party had hot...

Went here for a quick coffee stop-over. Found the place bursting at the seams with customers, all being served delicious-looking lunch. They have the most amazing cake buffet and lovely spaces to sit outside by the water. Pleasant surprise!

Staying with friends in Tain and decided last minute to eat out. Very obliging over booking so late. Service excellent, food great, good view over loch

I really wanted to like this, cos I don't like leaving bad reviews but I want people to know what they're paying for. If I could leave no stars I would . I wonder how many return customers they get, because we certainly wont be...

We stopped at this cafe (April 26) on a whim as it had front of house parking and looked OK. It just got better and better as we got inside. Such lovely staff, west coast warm accents but with the clarity of Edinburgh English mixed...

Beautiful location, great service and amazing food. The coffee is excellent and cake selection the best we’ve come across in the Highlands!

Visited today for our 40th Wedding Anniversary. Roast beef meal cooked to perfection and perfectly presented. Lovely warm welcome from staff. Wonderful atmosphere in restaurant. The most delicious sticky toffee pudding and excellent range of beautiful cheesecakes and cakes for eat in or take away....

Fantastic find on our way to the falls of shin , beautiful views across the water Great food , great service . I would defiantly recommend a visit

Never fails, in several years of calling in for lunch or dinner, the food and service has always been excellent. Always a difficult choice. Just wish I didn't have to drive every time. Wonderful hard working friendly staff.

We visited at a busy time during the Easter weekend, and I have to say this was the best visit to any restaurant anywhere for a long time. When booking, I explained that one of our party has Down's Syndrome and Autism, and is extremely...

Friendly staff, great choice on the menu and a great location. Sitting right on the loch, you can have a drink outside in the sun or inside, plenty of seating. Popular though, so recommend booking in advance during peak times. A great lunch spot. Plenty...

Have visited twice in one week, once for lunch and once for brunch ...... lovely food, friendly staff, really enjoyed our visits. Thank you.

Quick lunch while passing through on business. Been to The Pier many times it never disappoints good fab , staff lovely and reasonably priced . If you have never been make sure you do 👍

Absolutely outstanding came here for Mother’s Day and was certainly not disappointed I wanted the recipe everything to the service and food was 5 star highly recommend honestly one of the best meals I have had in a long time! The gentleman serving us couldn’t...

Visited twice in one week, on the way and the return from our holiday on the North Coast. Toasties and a lovely pot of tea on our first visit, followed by awesome take-out cakes. The view over the Loch was amazing, just the right atmosphere...

Popped I while was in the area. Friendly, Covid safe, reasonably priced and great view overlooking the water. Definitely worth a visit, would recommended the raspberry coconut almond cake.