The Smiddy Bistro in Argyll & Bute

Delicious food - tasty and fresh. I had the haggis followed by the frangipane, the haggis came with lovely fresh salads, and the frangipane a choice of cream, custard or ice cream. All well cooked.

Every time I drive up from Portsmouth I stop off at the Smiddy to enjoy a Cullen Skink. Well worth the drive. Lovely little Bistro with excellent service and lovely food.

Absolutely spot on...lovely wee cafe with a vibrant and creative menu and food that really is too notch. First visit to this place and won't be my last. The lemon and parsley hummus is excellent, the lemon and ginger cheesecake is world beating and everything about this place is class. If Mr Michelin is listening...send them over a star or two!!

Best place to eat in this wee town. Homemade, fresh food. The salads are particularly great. Been on the go since the early 1980s, thank goodness it survived Covid !

Hidden down a little lane but full of people! Lots had even made bookings in advance as they clearly know how popular it is. Charming inside with very helpful staff and an unexpectedly modern menu. And very good value.

Have been going here for many years and the food, atmosphere, service and friendship just gets better and better. Great selection of "specials" and normal menu has a good variety to choose from. Ladies you do a great job and are always accommodating. Many thanks.

excellent home baking, and lovely tea and coffee. Very friendly people. The ginger square is awesome!! would definitely return for a meal

Never disappointed with the food… just very busy and car park is very small. It can be very busy in spring and summer which is disappointing if driving a distance to get there and not finding a table (or having to wait even if table booked)

We were in Lochgilphead for the day and stumbled across this fab bistro. Great menu and specials board. Our food from the specials board was excellent along with the service. All in all a great experience.

Delicious breakfast baps and cakes (Mars brownie to die for) and very cosy and clean inside. Lovely atmosphere and service.

Delicious lunch, lots of choice. Interesting tasty salads and specials were a great addition. Excellent menu choices for the whole family. Lovely cosy, clean with friendly and helpful staff.

Absolutely fabulous little hidden gem of a place the food we all had was 5 star the service is friendly and attentive booking we were really impressed by our whole experience

The food and staff were amazing. The Smiddy is a hidden gem. You need to seek it out and try for yourself.

A hidden gem perfect for lunch, food was fantastic we opted for the haggis rarebit and the chicken crepe’s which were both fabulous.

The portions were very small for such big prices. Small piece of quiche with a little bit of their famous salad for around 12 pounds.

Stopped here for coffee and cake and what a treat. So delicious and such a warm welcome. We didn’t try the lunches but they did look very tasty too.

Friendly and very popular local venue for lunch or coffee. Nice salads and plentiful hot dishes. That was enough for us at lunchtime, but the baking looked very appealing. It’s tucked away but worth seeking out.

Fantastic find in Lochgilphead. Friendly and welcoming and food excellent. My husband had the Cullen Skink, I had Croque Madame and my son had Croque Monsier. Had a sneaky wee pudding (with three spoons). Five stars ⭐️

The staff are delightful, cheerful, friendly and very helpful. The meal we had was delicious and we could certainly have eaten more. I had a really good Cullen Skink, very tasty, with a slice of cake for dessert. My wife had a quiche with asparagus and herbs followed by a tiramisu cheesecake which she rated very highly. We’ll certainly return later on, this coming summer.

Excellent food and service. Good choice of starters, main courses and deserts. Staff friendly and appropriately attentive.

Found this place tucked away down a lane. Popular with locals. It really is a smashing little place for coffee or something to eat.

Stopped in for a quick lunch and catch up with a friend during the working week and had a baked potato with cheese and chutney and a lovely side salad. Tasty, filling and delicious. My friend had the omelette which looked lovely and she sang its praises too. A lovely clean establishment with friendly staff and good food.

Great wee place, is more like a cafe than a bistro. Tried the tomato, garlic and black bean soup - was nice, not sure where the garlic was though. The Orkney cheddar quiche, was also nice and had a lovely salad with it. The cherry bakewell and custard was very nice, though it was a tiny pot of custard that accompanied it. Coffee okay, but a little bitter. Nice little find and would visit again, you do need to book during peak hours though.

Great food, friendly fast service despite being busy, nice ambiance. Great with my allergies. A little gem tucked away in the centre of town with good parking nearby. I’ll be back.

These people were at Tayvallich cafe in 2019 and since moved. We’ve not had a chance to eat there till now but it was just as good, if not better than before. Ate there two days running for lunch. Lovely soups and salads. Rarebit brioche is very tasty. Would recommend to all. Part oh what I now call the great soup triangle. Smiddy, Tayvallich Cafe and Lucy’s Kilmartin/Ardfern

Excellent food, welcoming and friendly service and great atmosphere continue to make this a destination worth travelling a long way for. The haggis rarebit is an outstanding dish!

We were directed to the Smiddy Bistro by a local and what a little gem of a place. We had a very short time to eat before a boat trip but were assured we had plenty of time and they were right we ordered a Cullen Skink soup, a haggis rarebit and a houmous dish, everything was freshly prepared and out to us under 10 minutes. The soup was plentiful and delicious but the haggis and houmous dishes knocked it out of the ballpark and were outstanding, if you are in the area you really really need to go

Stopped for a quick lunch. At first she said they are fully booked. However, if we finish at ta certain time, they can accommodate us. We were ready happy because there aren't that many restaurant around that area. Service was quick and you have to order the carrot cake if it is still available. Good food. Highly recommended.

We stopped in for a quick snack whilst passing through Lochgilphead. Service was quick and professional. My partner had a breakfast roll (egg & potato scone) and I had a BLT. Both were hot and tasty, and the coffees we had were superb! Highly recommend...

Popped in for a quick bite when passing through. Order 2 bowls (smallish) of lentil soup with a slice of bread and butter and 2 teas. All tasted great but at £16 seemed excessive or am I just out of touch?

It’s worth seeking out this lovely small cafe in Lochgilphead. A tasty menu of homemade food with a good variety of options. Some yummy sweet treats too. A friendly welcome and great service. I’ve been here many times and it’s is always a pleasure.

We stopped for a bite last Tuesday and had a perfect visit, the garlic mushroom omelette we had was delicious. Service was fast and friendly. Not surprising the bistro was busy.

Visited this busy little gem on a visit to the Lochgilphead area. Menu options and food were excellent. Whilst service was quick, we did find that our welcome to the bistro was quite curt and left a sour taste. That said, as the food was...

Great welcome to this lovely wee place. Interesting range of choice on the menu and the chocolate tart was wonderful. Well worth a visit.

Went to The Smiddy Bistro with my sister and was not disappointed, it has a cute rustic decor and the staff were very lovely and welcoming. Great vegan options. Will definitely be returning when in the area again ☺️

Quick service, one of the few places open for lunch during off season a hidden gem. Lunch was very enjoyable - will recommend this Bistro.

Found this place searching for somewhere that did lunch as many places local to our holiday cottage in Tarbert were either short staffed and unable to accommodate, not serving meals currently, booked up or you had to que at those that were serving food. We...

Visited today based on reviews and weren’t disappointed. It’s tucked away down a side street but don’t be out off it’s lovely inside. Very Covid conscious which is always good. Staff were great. We had homemade soup and drinks all good.

First visit. Very impressed. Food was excellent. Everything fresh and homemade. Interesting, imaginative menu. Great coffee & tasty cakes. Friendly staff & quaint, charming wee building. We will definitely be back, thank you!

Found this due to reviews on here. Booked on the day for lunch and so pleased we came! Lovely traditional setting and food was amazing - so tasty! I was in my element as many delicious and slightly different veggie choices. And nice friendly staff

An excellent choice across all 3 courses for vegetarian and gluten free customers. Staff were welcoming and helpful in pointing out the options (an impressive choice of gluten free pudding and cake). Two main course vegetarian haggis options made it a difficult choice, the brioche...

This was an amazing find. Fantastic service, wonderful food, the salads in particular were really creative and tasty. We had the savoury crepes, haggis rarebit, banana and maple loaf, gingernut square and some coffees. Everything was delicious and we wanted to come back the next...

Really fresh, well made food. Had Cullen Skink, smoked salmon quiche with healthy salads (greens, seeds, nuts, carrots, cabbage etc, not a boring standard salad). Good tea too. Would recommend. Deco was alittle dated but food it the highlight and staff were super friendly.

Stopped into The Smiddy on the strength of previous reviews. The veggie burger was amazing and beautifully presented. The service was also friendly and professional. The town could do with a lick of paint but it's worth stopping off here for a light lunch or...

Great menu, tasty food and friendly staff. Can’t recommend this place highly enough. Well done. Came on speck after being recommended by a local.

Visiting friends in Lochgilphead. Been at the Bistro several years before and its standards have not dropped. Lovely lunch, relaxing setting and covid friendly. To be recommended.

Lunch was excellent, omelettes to die for with lovely side salad. Great value for money though didn’t have room for pudding/cake.

Highly recommend. Holidaying nearby so visited for lunch. Staff were so welcoming and friendly. The food was delicious and fresh. We had special of the goats cheese and Stornoway black pudding stack and smoked mozzarella and sun dried tomato quiche. Both came with a tasty,...

We chose this due to the great reviews and they’re absolutely spot on! I had a special crepe with hot smoked salmon while my other half had the croissant with prawns. Mine won - cue food envy! Staff are lovely and friendly and we just...

The Smiddy has been recommended and we were lucky enough to get a table as a walk in for lunch. Have never tasted such a delicious side salad - often these are just an afterthought, not here was really good. The quiche of the day...

We came last week for a late lunch having booked ahead. Friendly attentive staff all wearing PPE - all appeared trained in what to do and it was evident that they were working together as a team. Food was served quickly and delicious - clearly...

This does proper coffee and good scones.also did a sort of Mexican breakfast dish which was delicious with eggs and avocado the staff are extremely friendly and it's extremely clean and well organised under the present Covid restrictions well done to them

I love this place. Only been the couple of times I've been in Lochgilphead, but it never fails to warm the cockles, as it were. The haggis brioche rarebit is remarkable (particlarly with the vegetarian haggis) and the Cullen skink is completely satisfying - even...

Hidden nice little restaurant limited in menu but what it has is very nice Would visit again Little exsspensive

We often lunch at the Smiddy and we have always had beautiful meals of generous proportions. Do note that they don't do chips! And always best to book as they are often busy. The staff are very friendly as is the atmosphere.

Tucked away in lane - looks quite ordinary from the outside, but really quite exceptional! Received very warm welcome from chap who possibly was the owner? He had a lovely way with all the customers. Can be hard to find interesting veggie choices, but I...

Was on a work trip to Lochgilphead and called into the smiddy for lunch - best Cullen skink I have had and great service. Highly recommended

Rosie and John and their team continue to offer a warm welcome and great food - best in Lochgilphead in my view. The coffee is excellent, the Cullen Skink outstanding, and the service likewise. Great place to stop if you’re cycling or walking the Crinan...

Mixed experiences from our two visits. The first time, we had perfectly good coffee and cake (so 4 out of 5). Today, we arrived for coffee at 1210... and were turned away (so 0 out of 5, avearage 2). If the place had been nearly full, I could have understood the desire to keep tables free for lunch - though we were never going to be more than 25 minutes.Lochgilphead is dying on its feet - and it was deserted today. Places like the Smiddy cannot afford to turn business away.

Tucked away in a lane in Lochgilphead there is a gem of a restaurant. The Smithy is well worth a visit. Simple but lovely surroundings and delicious coffee and home baking.

Waren auf der Durchreise nach Oban zur Whiskybrennerei und fanden dieses Café für ein Frühstück. Klein, freundlich und ein tolles Frühstück. Jederzeit gerne wieder.

For scones and coffee, or a beautifully imaginative lunch, or perhaps a cake....this is the place to go. If you are on holiday or just celebrating, you can have a glass of wine. with your meal......perfect! Lovely building, great staff but you may have to wait for a table at lunchtime as it is busy. My advice...it is worth the wait!

Popped in recently for a drying and a bite to eat.

In new ownership since our last visit, these folk are really on the ball. Specials and standard menu offer a good choice, fresh salady plates, interesting haggis brioche, and lovely cakes/desserts. Service was lively and well informed.

A bit off the beaten track but well worth a visit as the other options in Lochgilphead are not that obvious

This venue is under new management and no longer open in the evenings. So previous dinner reviews should be disregarded and the cafe only considered an option for sandwich lunches.

What a great place. I'd like to bring the staff and owners of all the other cafes I've visited for a bite to eat at the Smiddy. We arrived in the rain, all he tables were full but a voice piped up "we're about to leave'. Quickly seated, menus, drinks; all settled in. And a menu with more than 1, in fact more than 5 vegetarian options. Had the stilton and broccoli soup and the vege haggies in filo pastry and apple crumble bar with ice cream. Well it was too good not to.

Our third visit to this restaurant and as always very friendly and the food very good but the portion size has diminished . Lasagne was lovely but was served on a plate we would use for starters and was not enough for a main meal. Salad good but smaller than in previous years . A little disappointing compared to our previous visits.

Were looking for somewhere to eat in Lochgilphead and asked a local young girl in the street where she would recommend. She immediately said “The Smiddy” and gave us directions how to get there. This place is superb. From the time we entered the front door we knew we were on a winner. A Deli cabinet facing you full of beautiful home baking from Scones, Cakes, Quiche, Frittatta and Salads. We had Soup and a Salad followed by tea and coffee. The best lunch we have had in a long time. Staff exceptionally pleasant and efficient. Hope to visit again before we leave this area as we are on a short break to the Cowal Peninsula.

called here just before they closed and were served good quality, tasty food at reasonable prices. nice atmosphere and friendly staff. the black cherry upside down cake with custard was simply delicious. would highly recommend eating here.

I only popped in for a coffee while waiting for someone but I received a warm welcome and the place filled up pretty quickly. I didn't try the food but it seemed very popular.

After reading other reviews we had high hopes and I’m glad we weren’t disappointed. Service was excellent and food was delicious. We will definitely return here when we are visiting Lochgilphead again

We love walking in and around Argyll and if you are anywhere near Lochgilphead then this is a must-visit destination. The lunch menu is brilliant and the home-made soups are always a must-have.

Ate here recently for lunch, nice welcome, pleasant seating area, friendly staff. Prices were ok, reasonable value, I thought the portion size for soup was a little on the small side, but tasty. Would come back.

Endroit chaleureux et très accueillant typiquement écossais.

I think that the Smiddy Bistro changed hands recently. I’ve always loved eating there and am pleased to say it’s still a great little place. I had a very good soup of the day, followed by a cake chosen from a very nice looking selection. I’ll certainly be back when next in Lochgilphead.

Stopped here for lunch as we always do when we are in Lochgilphead. I had the Cullen Skink which quite simply the best version of this I have ever had. It was the perfect texture with good chunks of smoked haddock and potatoes and served with excellent bread. Very good coffee and a lovely cake rounded off a tasty lunch.

Smiddy Bistro is under new management. Slightly altered menus. Four of us had Xmas dinner there. Good menu, ordered in advance, to facilitate 30 patrons in evening. Starters many and varied Main Courses Traditional and vegetarian Sweets Wonderful choice Sandra Shanks

What an amazing find in Lochgilphead on Hogmany.A very ambient place which was very cosy and homely. Food quality was excellent with beautiful presentation. I would recommend the Chilli beef nachos and although I am not vegetarian the chickpea burger was delicious. Service was super. We will definately return.

Excellent service and super home made food in a cosy if not a little noisy atmosphere. We really enjoyed our visit with friends and will be back in the very near future.

Lovely bistro. Nice surroundings and excellent food. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Would visit again and highly recommend to anyone in the area.

Great place for lunch, in a quiet back street of Lochgilphead. Always something interesting and tasty on the menu. The staff are friendly, the service is quick and the atmosphere is relaxing. What more could you want!

Just found a wee gem o a place by accident, and I can only say what a great breakfast, very traditional and tasty . If your in the area and hungry this is definitely the place to be . They also have a fine selection of cakes and scones, and after 11-30 they switch to there lunch menu, which also looks good .

The Smiddy is an excellent bistro for lunch. Always a tempting menu with specials and a regular menu to suit all. Children well catered for from the happy children we could see enjoying their lunch. Good wines available by the glass/bottle. Service is warmly welcoming and the food is freshly prepared and very well presented. We enjoyed our lunch ......and you will too. Highly recommended!

We have visited quite a few restaurants in Lochgilphead. This is hands down one of my favourites. This restaurant is hidden on a backstreet in Lochgilphead. Therefore, it is easy to miss. However, it really is worth taking the time to locate this little hidden gem. The food was excellent. The restaurant also had a good atmosphere. Well worth a visit.

Wee afternoon stop off to break up our trip and chill out a bit. Great coffee and homemade cake. Friendly staff made for a very enjoable and relaxed visit.

We were just passing through Lochgilphead, needed lunch, saw the menu outside and were tempted inside. What a wonderful find. Everything on the menu and menu board sounded great. Everything looked delicious and the other customers appeared to be delighted with their choices. We ordered our lunch which was cooked and presented beautifully. The vegetable frittata was delicious. Normally a restaurant that serves vegetarian/vegan food is enough to make my meat-eating husband run a mile but he was delighted with his chicken choice. Staff were friendly and helpful. In addition, I was most impressed with the cleanliness of the toilets - a very good sign. This will be a definite destination for us the next time we are in Lochgilphead. (I just wish there was somewhere just like this nearer home...)

My wife and I enjoyed a lunch at the Smiddy. The food was tasty and well presented, the service was excellent. The restaurant has changed ownership since our last visit and the menu is more biased towards a vegetarian / vegan diet.

Tucked up an uninspiring back street is this delightful place. I'd seen the Facebook images and sought it out, but may have overlooked it otherwise. Delightful staff, interesting menu, reasonably priced, delicious food. Well worth a visit.

A must if you visit Lochgilphead. The food is consistently great and imaginative. The service is always fantastic.

We called here on our way from Gigha back to Bute.

Cosy little bistro which is packed at lunch time. delicious chili con carne and macaroni cheese - just what we needed after a cold windy walk

We had a lovely lunch here on Saturday. The sandwiches and omelette were very fresh and presented with a colourful salad. The jewel in the crown, however, were the fruit scones which we had to follow. Freshly baked, beautifully risen and still warm from the oven they were a credit to the baker. We scoffed them quick-style and could have eaten more. We will certainly return when we are in the area.

Whenever I am in the area, we have to go to the Smiddy. The food is consistently good and the service is fine. A great place for morning/afternoon coffee or for lunch.

Recommended by our host, we initially struggled to find the Smiddy, just off one of the main streets. It has a small but delicious menu of homemade cakes, light lunches, puddings and the like.

We enjoyed delicious hot fresh coffee and fabulous homemade cakes. Would definitely recommend. The staff are very friendly and the prices are quite reasonable.

Regular stop when in Lochgilphead and always very good. Friendly service, great soya cappuccino, lovely courgette and carrot cake. Late afternoon but staff happy to make sandwiches and no pressure leave when it near closing time. Recommend.

Rosie and her team have brought an even warmer welcome to The Smiddy since they took it over a few months ago. The coffee is excellent and the service likewise. Great place to stop if you’re cycling or walking the Crinan Canal path nearby.

After reading all the lovely reviews we felt very let down when we ordered Macaroni Cheese and garlic bread for my 15yr old twins at a cost of £7.50 each. Unfortunately I didn’t take a photo but when it arrived in a bowl with 1 piece of garlic bread, which when lifted up the bowl was only 1/2 full of Mac and cheese I was very shocked for the cost. I realise that businesses have to make a profit but pasta and garlic bread cost next to nothing and for £7.50! I did question the price in case I’d got it wrong and said I would of expected at least 2 slices of garlic bread. I was told by the lady behind the counter that they thought it was for kids so only gave them 1 sorry & then sent over another. However this didn’t address only 1/2 a bowl of pasta. If it was a kids portion then it shouldn’t have been charged out at £7.50. There’s a photo posted of this dish with a full bowl, 2 slices of bread and salad! This was most certainly not what we got! I wasn’t rude but did make my complaint know and there was no reduction made when I came to pay. They had their chance to address this and didn’t so I definitely won’t be getting back there!

This great wee bistro has recently been taken over and the food and cakes are wonderful. Had lunch and a great coffee, only wish I'd had room for a cake as they looked fantastic.