Inver

Inver opened on Thursday for the 2023 season. 

Inver is a small, multi award winning restaurant on the shores of Loch Fyne, a 20 minute drive from Loch Riddon Bothy.  I cannot recommend it highly enough and suggest you get booked up as soon as you can! 

Lunch menus feature simply prepared fresh seafood and native meat and game in season as well as vegetables.  There is a cosy bar serving craft ale, natural wine and fancy drinks such as shrubs.  In the evening a five course tasting menu is served using the very best local wild and farmed ingredients.  The restaurant offers a contemporary take on traditional and forgotten Scottish dishes.

We have been lucky enough to eat at Inver several times, usually for a special occasion.  We love the feel of the restaurant with its pared back Scandi style.  On the tables there are always little vases of whatever is growing outside – grasses, herbs or flowers.

The restaurant at Inver

Owners Pam and Rob pride themselves on sourcing the very best, freshest produce they can, much of it from Loch Fyne and the surrounding land.  From slightly further afield on the tiny island of Gigha they source sustainably farmed halibut.  Langoustine, crab, scallops and mackerel all make an appearance on the menu at some time.  As much of the produce as possible is used, not simply the fine cuts.  One of my favourites is halibut head – literally the head of a halibut cooked with grilled greens and melted homemade nduja.  

The Veggie Patch, a garden and polytunnel growing a myriad of produce is nearby. This supplies a lot of their vegetables, herbs and fruit.   All the vegetable waste at Inver is taken to the Veggie Patch for composting.

Cold smoked trout, almond and fine beans with trout roe

Alongside the seafood, depending on the season, there is local lamb, venison shot on local estate and free range poultry, all cooked over the wood grill. Rob makes all their syrups, infusions and shrubs. The shrubs – a traditional drink using their homemade vinegar – use a glut of fruit or veg from the garden. The wine list comprises European natural and small production wines.