The Isle of Skye’s favourite brunch spot, Café Cùil, will re-open its doors for the 2024 season this weekend and, to celebrate, they’ve partnered up with their island neighbours, Isle of Raasay Distillery. Working together to host a series of collaborative supper clubs throughout the year, a new menu of distillery-inspired drinks and dishes will also feature on the spring menu at the cafe.
The first supper-club, The Spirit of Spring dinner, will take place at the Café on Saturday 23rd March with a four course dinner prepared by Clare with paired serves and drams by the Raasay Distillery team.
Two of the most exciting businesses on the West Coast of Scotland, the distillery is based on the neighbouring island of Raasay, which is just a short ferry journey from Sconser on Skye. Clare has been working with the makers of award-winning whisky and gin since she opened her business, and they share the same ethos of using the best local ingredients, with Clare foraging for her menu and the Distillery inspired by location, distilled, matured, bottled and shipped from the island, with all products using water drawn from their own well on site, Tobar na Ba Bàine (The Well of the Pale Cow).
Founded by Skye native and Gaelic speaker, Clare Coghill, Café Cùil draws inspiration from the wild and natural larder that the Hebridean island has to offer, using locally-sourced, sustainable ingredients. The Café’s unique brunch and lunch offer revolves around a menu that combines Scottish heritage with global influences from Clare’s travels.
The Spring Menu for Café Cùil will include:
‘Beans on toast’ with veggie haggis, spinach & foraged wild garlic pesto,
Scotch pancakes with rhubarb, ginger nut crumble & gorse flower mascarpone,
Crispy chicken sandwich, Strathdon blue mayo, fermented hot sauce, house pickles & Cuil slaw,
Whipped smoked mackerel on sourdough with blood orange, cucumber & fresh mint
The Café began its story in the heart of Hackney, East London in 2019, where Clare’s passion for Hebridean produce created a unique café space in London that allowed her to showcase the fantastic ingredients that reminded her of home. Now based back on the Isle of Skye, the café has been reborn in the idyllic setting of Carbost. Nestled at the foot of the Black Cuillin Mountains, floor to ceiling windows give stunning views over the glimmering Loch Harport and hills. A modern building with slate grey exterior and distinctive red tin roof, inside is a welcoming and comfortable dining space with Gaelic signage, natural wooden benches, fluffy white sheepskin rugs from local maker Skyeskyns and posies of wildflowers and plants. Last year saw the addition of a concept store within the building, with Clare curating local and Scottish artisan makers of food, drink, homeware and gifts, with coffee, candles, drinks, books, art, skincare and ceramics for sale.
Café Cùil is open Wednesday-Sunday from 10am-4pm, from Friday 1st of March. The Café operates a walk-in only policy. For large and private bookings, contact info@cafecuil.com
Menu and tickets for The Spirit of Spring Dinner will be available soon, for booking information keep an eye on the social media channels of both businesses.
You can read more about Café Cùil, including sample menus, on their website – https://www.cafecuil.com/
Café Cùil,Satran, Carbost, Isle of Skye, IV47 8SU
Website: https://www.cafecuil.com/
Instagram: @cafecuil
Facebook: Café Cùil