The story
Coruisk House in Portree, on the Isle of Skye, is a modern European restaurant with rooms at 26 Elgol, IV49 9BL. The AA gave it a 1 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence in 2026. Clare Winskill and Iain Roden have run the house since 2011, when they began turning a croft house into a small restaurant on the southern edge of the island.
Iain Roden came to professional cooking through law and philosophy rather than culinary school. His menus follow what the island offers each season, from shellfish and the previous night's catch to venison and hogget from nearby. The Good Food Guide describes a set dinner that changes from day to day, with dishes such as Hebridean lamb and a mini shallot tarte tatin.
Five bedrooms sit alongside the house's lounges, where cocktails are served before dinner by the fire. The wine list is pricey and carefully composed, with more than 50 Burgundies alongside Rhônes, Clarets and Italian bottles.
Recognition
Details
History
There’s more than one reason for taking the winding single-track road to Elgol in the south-west of Skye. A climb to the summit of Blà Bheinn, one of the island's most spectacular mountains, a boat trip to the lovely Loch Coruisk within the magnificent Cuillin range, or simply a shoreline walk with views to Canna and the smaller isles. And then there is Coruisk House, the boutique hotel with five immaculate bedrooms, warm fires and a set dinner every night for both residents and non-residents alike. In this wild corner of Skye, Clare Winskill and Iain Roden have created a magical retreat where cocktails can be taken before dinner in one of their ‘rustic chic’ lounges ahead of a five-course menu that changes from day to day, season to season. Begin, perhaps, with a fluffy little celeriac zabaglione, follow with an intense shellfish bisque served with Clare’s own walnut bread, then a dish of sea trout alongside a plump Skye scallop, a trout and pepper mousse and sweet pickled cucumber to cut through the richness. Loin of Hebridean lamb arrives with a serving of slow-braised shoulder, fennel purée, wild chanterelles and – the highlight – a mini shallot tarte tatin. The one unsteady note comes from a coffee and Laphroaig whisky soufflé (two flavours fighting each other), though it is saved by a splendid cardamom ice cream. The thoughtfully composed (and pricey) wine list includes some fine Burgundies, selected by Iain and Clare during their travels across Europe in the closed winter months.
1 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Location
Facebook
Instagram
X