15 Dec 2025 7 min read Culture

From shore to fork: The Three Chimneys serves a true taste of Skye

As the Isle of Skye's food scene grows ever bigger, Daniella Theis reviews the tasting menu at one of the island's original foodie hot spots.

THE THREE CHIMNEYS has long held a stellar reputation both on Skye's shores and beyond, renowned for its use of fresh, local produce and sensational seafood.

I recently embarked on a trip to Skye to explore its thriving food scene and, when it came to deciding where to base myself, the restaurant with rooms seemed the ultimate choice to find what I needed in one place.

Daniella enjoying the five-course tasting menu at The Three Chimneys in Colbost, in Skye's northwest.

A Pioneer of Skye’s food renaissance

In ways, The Three Chimneys has been ahead of the recent rise in foodie fame for Skye.

For over 30 years, the Colbost eatery, sitting on the shores of Loch Dunvegan, has become especially renowned for its use of fresh, local produce and sensational seafood.

Head chef Paul Green in front of The Three Chimneys — Head chef Paul Green returned to The Three Chimneys this year, after starting his career here 20 years ago.

Back in 2015, it received a Michelin star through then chef Michael Smith.

While the star left when the chef did – these days you can find him at Loch Bay, his own restaurant nearby, which has held a Michelin star since 2017 – the business has held on to a stellar reputation, and still comes Michelin Guide recommended, for its clever and always evolving menu championing the flavours of the island.

At the helm now is chef Paul Green, who started his culinary career at the restaurant working under Smith over 20 years ago.

A cooked scallop covered in green sauce served in a scallop shell at The Three Chimneys — The Three Chimneys has become renowned for its seafood dishes

He serves guests a five-course tasting menu, which has a heavy focus on championing local produce and suppliers.

"Ultimately, I aspire to build on The Three Chimneys’ long-established reputation," he shared when first taking over.

“Skye is unashamedly blessed with an abundance of local seafood, often sourced from the shores right in front of the restaurant," Paul added.

"This amazing seafood will be a headline feature on our menus alongside fresh game, meats and locally foraged produce.”

A warm welcome

An aerial of the The Three Chimneys, showing views over Loch Dunvegan — .The Three Chimneys, The House Over By, and Loch Dunvegan.

Joining me on my trip was my mother-in-law Anne, who had been at the Three Chimneys before for her wedding anniversary around 10 years ago.

On our way there, over the Skye bridge from Kyle of Lochalsh, through Portree, and down the single-track road to Colbost and our final destination, she was reminiscing of the weekend she shared with her husband, making us both excited for what was to come.

Loch Dunvegan through the window from The Three Chimneys — The Three Chimneys sits on the shores of Loch Dunvegan.

The restaurant sits within a converted crofters cottage, while a newer, purpose-built building, The House Over-By, is where rooms are located.

From the second we arrived on a late autumn afternoon, we were greeted warmly by Sheila, the venue’s Guest Services Coordinator, who offered us a welcome drink in the sitting room beside the reception that had beautiful views over Loch Dunvegan.

Anne, Daniella's mother in law, in the sitting room of The Three Chimneys enjoying a welcome drink. Daniella's dram of whisky sits on the table. — A dram of Talisker offered a warm welcome in all senses of the word!

The dram of Talisker I received was both a figurative and literal depiction of the warm welcome the Three Chimneys gave us throughout.

Friendly staff

From the multiple people at reception, to the waiters at the restaurant, everybody was always keen to chat, and happy to share recommendations for things to do and eat on-site, as well as the wider island.

Interiors from the Three Chimneys rooms, showing the bed and beside table — Rooms at The Three Chimneys are cosy.

Our room was a cosy twin, with comfy beds, a separate living area including a tea and coffee station, and a bathroom stocked with robes and toiletries.

After a short rest from the drive, it was already time to head over for the first night of the main reason for our visit: the five course tasting menu.

David and Ben Oakes, the duo supplying scallops unique to Skye to The Three Chimneys in their diving gear at Loch Sligachan — David and Ben Oakes, the duo supplying Skye scallops to The Three Chimneys.

We were seated in the cosy and ambient dining room, surrounded by exposed stone walls and rustic interiors. Beside the menu for the night sat a map detailing the local suppliers used to create the dishes.

Delightful dishes, low mileage

One thing that stuck out to us instantly was how close many of them were; crab and Langoustines from the loch right outside our window, lamb and beef from Vatten around six miles out, and Sconser Scallops – fished by a local father-son duo – from Sconser, 29 miles away.

The third course of the evening - a perfectly-seared Sconser scallop, served with brioche — The second course of the evening – a perfectly-seared Sconser scallop, served with brioche.

Soon after we were served our bottle of wine – there is the option to purchase a wine flight to go with each course, but we decided to just stick with one variant – the first course came out; a crispy case filled with sea trout pastrami, lovage emulsion, fennel, and dill. The flavours were sharp, but the fish soft and fresh.

It was a great start, and what followed was even more exquisite.

The Three Chimneys dining room is rustic and has exposed brick walls — The Three Chimneys dining room is rustic and cosy.

The scallops that made up the second course were certainly a highlight both in themselves and because of the amazing brioche – with added black garlic, onion, oregano, and Skye sea salt; seasoning made at Loch Snizart, near Uig – served with them.

We were told all parts of the scallop are used, with the roe (the orange part of it) used for the velouté.

David in dive gear and holding up two scallop shells Loch Sligachan — All Sconser scallops are hand dived...

Scrumptious scallops

These scallops were not like any others I have ever tried. They were big and bold in flavour. The reason they taste special, I soon found out, is because they are.

David Oakes and his son who are the team behind Sconser Scallops, hand dive for the scallops, which take around seven years to grow to their full size.

A scallop being shucked at The Three Chimneys — ...and take seven years to grow.

This unique farming method, as well as the nutrient rich waters of Loch Sligachan, give Sconser Scallops their distinctive texture, flavour and natural straw colour.

"The provenance of ingredients tells a story on every plate," chef Paul Green shared. "When I work with Sconser Scallops, I'm not just preparing seafood—I'm sharing David and Ben's decades of expertise and Skye's unique marine heritage.

"When you taste a Sconser Scallop, you're experiencing something that can't be replicated anywhere else in the world.

"It's not just the quality—it's the story of this place, these waters, this unique environment that David has spent four decades understanding."

Round Two!

Highlights from the tasting menu (L-R): Trout Pastrami Canapés, Cranachan dessert, and lamb rump from a farm less than six miles away.

The following night we ate our way through a second version of the tasting menu, which again had five courses.

The beetroot cured salmon from Just Hooked in Portree, which made up the first course that day, was vibrant in both colour and flavour, and so soft you barely needed a knife.

Instead of scallops, we were this time served soup for our second course; initially to my dismay. I love soup, don’t get me wrong. But scallops certainly always win in my book!

Yet, I was quickly proven wrong. I don’t think I ever had soup as delicious in my life! Plus, it again came with the amazing, buttery brioche from the night before.

Daniella eating the third course of the tasting menu on the second night - a soup served with brioche — A smile this big was warranted for soup so good!

The third course – North Sea Cod, again from Portree, and Langoustine sauce, again from the loch outside – was a brilliant dish, too. Warm, salty, and rich flavours that felt autumnal with a perfectly cooked bit of fish and crispy skin.

Lovely local flavours

The lamb rump for the fourth course had come highly recommended by our server, who said his friend had a family connection with the farm, Isle of Skye Free Range in Vatten, only six miles from the restaurant.

Close up of North Sea Cod, from Portree, and a sauce made from Langoustines from Loch Dunvegan — Cod from Portree and a sauce made from langoustines from Loch Dunvegan, right outside the restaurant's window.

That course, served with purple sprouting broccoli and a perfectly crips Hasselback potato, was delicious as well.

Over a final gin and tonic looking at the dark loch outside, I sat back and let how special the last two days were sink in.

Daniella enjoying a nightcap before bed in the sitting room — Enjoying a nightcap before bed in the sitting room.

Dining at the Three Chimneys was not just a dinner. It was a multi-sensory experience where each dish offered a taste of Skye, as well as Paul Green’s experience and passion for the island and its produce, with each bite.

It was the perfect example of Skye's unique culinary offering, all accessible in one place.

📸DC Thomson, The Three Chimneys and Sconser Scallops.

Rates and more information on how to book are available via: threechimneys.co.uk/