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The Dipping Lugger – Fine Dining in a Highland Harbour Manse

An intimate, Michelin-recognized restaurant in an 18th-century harbour manse, serving inventive tasting menus of hyper-local seafood and game in the heart of Ullapool.

4.9

Perched on Ullapool’s waterfront in an elegant 18th-century former manse, The Dipping Lugger is a Michelin-recognized fine-dining restaurant with rooms. Chef David Smith crafts inventive tasting menus showcasing hyper-local seafood and game, served in a small, intimate dining room with views over Loch Broom. The experience blends refined technique with warm, unpretentious hospitality, making it a standout culinary destination in the Scottish Highlands.

A brief summary to The Dipping Lugger

  • 4 W Shore St, Ullapool, IV26 2UR, GB
  • +441854613344
  • Visit website
  • Duration: 2.5 to 4 hours
  • Luxury
  • Environment icon Mixed
  • Mobile reception: 4 out of 5
  • Wednesday 7 pm-11 pm
  • Thursday 12:30 pm-2 pm
  • Friday 12:30 pm-2 pm
  • Saturday 12:30 pm-2 pm

Local tips

  • Book well in advance, especially if you want to stay overnight; tables and rooms at The Dipping Lugger are in high demand.
  • Consider the wine or non-alcoholic pairings; they’re thoughtfully curated to complement the tasting menu and enhance the flavours of each dish.
  • Arrive early to enjoy the harbour views and the atmosphere of Ullapool’s waterfront before dinner; the setting is part of the experience.
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A Harbour-Edge Hideaway with Michelin Pedigree

Tucked along Ullapool’s western shore, The Dipping Lugger occupies a graceful 18th-century former manse right on the edge of Loch Broom. Its name nods to a traditional sailing vessel, and the building’s vintage charm is carefully preserved in its interiors: polished wood, soft lighting, and a relaxed, unpretentious elegance. This is not a grand hotel dining room, but a small, intimate restaurant where every table feels close to the action. For years now, it has held a place in the Michelin Guide, a rare distinction in the Highlands, earned through consistent excellence in both food and service.

Culinary Storytelling with Highland Ingredients

The heart of The Dipping Lugger is chef David Smith’s tasting menu, a carefully choreographed sequence of courses that reads like a love letter to Wester Ross. Hand-dived scallops from the loch, fresh crab, smoked fish, local venison, and foraged mushrooms appear in dishes that balance simplicity with surprising depth. Each plate is a study in texture and balance: a rich chicken liver parfait on a beetroot macaron, a tender cut of venison with three forms of mushroom, or a delicate crab tart with jellied bisque and caviar. The cooking is precise but never showy, letting the quality of the ingredients shine through in every bite.

An Intimate, Shared Dining Experience

Dinner here is a communal event: all tables are served the same tasting menu at the same time, creating a shared rhythm to the evening. There’s no waiting for neighbouring diners or feeling rushed between courses; instead, there’s a gentle, unhurried pace that encourages conversation and lingering over each dish. The dining room is small and warmly lit, with views across the harbour to the hills beyond. Service is attentive but never intrusive, led by co-owner Robert Hicks, whose easy manner and genuine warmth make guests feel like welcome guests in a well-run Highland home rather than customers in a formal restaurant.

More Than Just a Meal – A Highland Stay

Beyond the restaurant, The Dipping Lugger also offers a handful of well-appointed rooms, making it possible to turn dinner into an overnight escape. Staying on-site deepens the experience: waking to breakfast featuring Loch Broom smoked halibut, house-made butteries (a rich, flaky local speciality), and other seasonal highlights. The combination of a Michelin-recognized kitchen, a beautiful harbour setting, and comfortable accommodation makes it a rare gem in the Highlands – a place where fine dining and Highland hospitality are perfectly in tune.

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