A Tasting Menu Rooted in the Highlands

Dining at The Torridon

Set on the edge of Loch Torridon in the Northwest Highlands, The Torridon is a destination where landscape, history and atmosphere shape the experience as much as the food.

Dining here feels calm and deliberate, in keeping with its surroundings.

Originally built as a hunting lodge in 1887, The Torridon sits directly on Loch Torridon, framed by mountains, water and open land. Today, the estate is recognised as a 5 AA Red Star hotel, and its main dining room, 1887 Restaurant, is listed in the Michelin Guide, noted for its produce-led cooking and strong sense of place.

For more curated destinations, boutique stays and refined travel experiences, explore the Curated Travel guide.

The Torridon Experience

Dining at 1887 Restaurant is structured around a tasting menu (£135), with wine pairing available. The menu follows a seasonal progression, with an emphasis on regional produce and balance.

That evening, my husband had the meat menu, while I followed the pescatarian version. Both menus shared the same structure and rhythm, with subtle differences in the central dishes, allowing the experience to be shared even with different dietary requirements.

The menu, as presented, was:

Snacks

Cheese and onion pie with Isle of Mull Cheddar

Smoked eel “mille feuille” with horseradish and apple

Beinn Eighe venison with pickled beetroot, juniper and cocoa nib

Bread and Butter

Warm celeriac custard with girolles, autumn truffle and cultured butter

Hand dived Orkney scallop

Yuzu beurre blanc, umai caviar, hazelnut and dill

Wild Shetland turbot

Mussels, champagne and brassicas

Dry aged venison (meat menu)

Glazed sausage, butternut squash and sage

Sea buckthorn

Torridon garden pesto

Preserved Scottish brambles

White chocolate, rocket and almond

A selection of Scottish and British cheeses was available as an additional course.

Over the course of the evening, the menu reads as a complete experience rather than a series of individual moments.

The Dining Room and the Rhythm of the Evening

The atmosphere at 1887 Restaurant reflects the building it sits within. Dark wood, soft lighting and the sense of a former lodge remain present, without formality or stiffness.

Service is attentive and knowledgeable, but unobtrusive. The evening is allowed to move at its own pace, with space for conversation and pauses between courses.

Food and Setting

The menu reflects its setting clearly, drawing on season and location without feeling overly constructed.

There are moments where presentation adds movement to the experience, such as dishes arriving with smoke, without shifting focus away from the food itself. The overall impression is one of confidence and clarity, rather than excess.

A Meal That Belongs Where It Is

What gives the Torridon Experience its weight is the context in which it is enjoyed.

The Highland landscape, the stillness of Loch Torridon and the character of the lodge all shape the evening. To sit down to a tasting menu in surroundings so closely tied to land and history turns dinner into something immersive.

Some food experiences make sense anywhere. Others only fully come together in the place where they are served.

For those staying at The Torridon, the tasting menu pairs naturally with other experiences at the hotel. The afternoon tea offers a more relaxed way of engaging with the same setting and approach, which I have written about here: Afternoon Tea at The Torridon: A Highland Retreat of Mist, Mountains and Timeless Comfort.

Together, these experiences reflect a way of travelling that values presence over pace, and depth over novelty. Food becomes part of the journey, shaped by landscape, atmosphere and time.

Practical Information

Restaurant

1887 Restaurant, The Torridon

Menu

The Torridon Experience

Price

£135 per person

Wine pairing

Available

Additional course

Scottish and British cheese selection (£15)

Dietary options

Meat, pescatarian and vegetarian menus available

Service charge

12.5 percent discretionary

Dress code

Smart casual

Booking

Strongly recommended

Location

Loch Torridon, Wester Ross, Scottish Highlands