SCOURIE, UK. April 28th, 2026 – Crofter’s Kitchen, the award-winning eatery on the NC500 next to Scourie Beach, has today opened a converted 40-foot shipping container restaurant in one of the most remote corners of Britain.
Situated in northwest Sutherland at the very edge of Scotland, where the road runs out, and the Atlantic begins, the new restaurant has been 18 months in the making, navigating planning applications, funding pitches and complex infrastructure challenges on a working Highland croft far from the national grid.
The new indoor dining space sits metres from the Atlantic on Croft 17, Scouriemore, and opens year-round for the first time in the business’s history. For the first time, the kitchen that produces tandoori monkfish kebabs, wild garlic pesto gnocchi with fresh local fish and a prawn and crayfish roll dressed in a house-made Irn-Bru hot sauce will be able to cook through every season, not just for summer NC500 visitors, but for anyone who makes the journey to Scotland’s far northwest edge.
Step inside and the space is unlike anything else on the NC500. Rustic timber walls line every surface. Plush, authentic sheepskins in white, grey and brown sit on every chair. The interior was designed to feel like a cosy fisherman’s cabin — warm, characterful and completely rooted in place. Three custom-commissioned circular artworks by local Sutherland artist Sheilah Cunningham hang above the tables like portholes looking out to sea, each depicting the Atlantic waves that crash onto Scourie Beach metres away.
There are no white tablecloths, no dress code and sandy boots are welcome. Rough, rugged and raw, just like the coastline outside. “We wanted to create the cosiest dining space in the Highlands,” said Heather Mercer, co-founder of Crofter’s Kitchen. “Paint-splattered timber, sheepskins on every chair, artwork by a local artist and the Atlantic metres away. We have taken the very best of what is on our doorstep and we are cooking it for everyone.”
The food has always been the story. Head Chef Grant Mercer, who left his role as head chef at the Kylesku Hotel to open Crofter’s Kitchen in spring 2024, built the business around a 30-mile sourcing radius that is less a concept than a geographical reality. The lobsters, langoustines and crab come from a neighbour who goes out on his boat every morning and brings the catch directly to the kitchen. The scallops are hand-dived just off the coast in northwest Sutherland — the signature dish pairs them with a chorizo risotto and local black pudding. The meat comes from local crofting families. There are no middlemen and every supplier has a name.
The new container restaurant opens alongside the existing outdoor food truck operation, giving diners the choice to eat outside with views across Scourie Beach or inside the new indoor space. Through summer, the core menu focuses on fresh seafood and Highland produce for every palate. As the season moves into autumn and spring, the menu shifts to a dedicated seasonal dining offering croft-grown vegetables, Highland game and the finest coastal seafood the northwest can provide.
The project has been 18 months in the making, navigating planning applications, architectural drawings, utility connections and funding applications while running a kitchen, raising a baby and developing a working croft. The business received support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise and was awarded the Scottish EDGE Regional Award in 2025.
In just two seasons, Crofter’s Kitchen has become one of the NC500’s most celebrated food stops, winning Scotland’s Best Street Food at the Scotsman Scran Awards 2025, earning 4.9 stars across 500 verified Google reviews and holding the number one TripAdvisor ranking in Scourie, with 94% year-on-year turnover growth in year two.
The container restaurant is open Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 7pm, from today, 27 April 2026.
ENDS