Ar Bòrd, Tobermory

Celebrated table

Ar Bòrd

Iain Hetherington and Joyce Kayes serve locally sourced seasonal dishes in a modern home setting near Tobermory.

The story

Ar Bòrd Restaurant: Seasonal Island Dining in Tobermory | wattafork

Foundations and philosophy

Ar Bòrd in Tobermory traces its origins to an intimate supper club before evolving into a recognized seasonal destination. Iain Hetherington and Joyce Kayes now guide the kitchen and front of house from their modern home in Dervaig. The Good Food Guide notes how this background shapes every plate, prioritizing ingredients grown, caught, or reared right here on the island. Their seasonal menus shift with what the local landscape yields.

The kitchen and its produce

A fifty-five pound set meal opens with thick slices of house-baked sourdough and salted butter. Guests then choose from three or four options across amuse-bouche, mains, and petit fours. Creel-caught shellfish arriving at Croig harbour frequently appear alongside wild venison smoked on site. You might encounter pan-fried hake paired with Inverlussa mussel curry or a slow-cooked lamb shoulder resting beside delicate potato.

Space and hospitality

Diners gather in the spacious front room where Joyce Kayes manages service with steady warmth. The open kitchen layout allows guests to watch the cooking process without crossing into staff areas. A strict guest list keeps the pace relaxed while maintaining high standards. Visitors bring their own wine from Dugie’s village shop or the Bellachroy hotel, completing a straightforward yet refined evening.

Recognition

Awards & accolades

2026
The Good Food Guide
Good

Ambience

A glimpse inside

Details

At a glance

The Good Food Guide 2026 — Good
Cuisines Seasonal
Services BYOB, Dinner, Events, Farm To Table, Fine Dining, Lunch, Takeaway, Vegetarian

History

On the record

2026
The Good Food Guide — Good

The name Ar Bòrd (‘our table’ in Gaelic) perfectly sums up this little village restaurant – you eat in the spacious front room of Iain and Joyce Hetherington’s modern house. What started out as a supper club has evolved into a popular seasonal destination that works because Joyce is a natural host, while Iain’s generous fixed-price carte is built on produce grown, caught or reared on the island. Meals always start with a thick slice of freshly baked sourdough, followed by an amuse-bouche of, say, smoked sea trout on a wafer-thin crispbread given a sharp kick with homemade green chilli sauce. To follow, a mound of delicate white Croig-landed crab is piled on plump chilli pancakes and topped with a cuttlefish-ink cracker. Mains could feature a cassoulet, five-hour slow-cooked shoulder of lamb or pan-fried hake with potato and Inverlussa mussel curry. Desserts are down-to-earth, perhaps a take on Eton mess involving strawberries, meringue and crumbled shortbread with a thick meadowsweet custard. The restaurant is BYOB, although guests can pick up wine from Dugie’s shop in the village.

Established

Location

Find us

Dervaig, Isle of Mull, Highlands & Islands, PA75 6QN
Tobermory, United Kingdom
01688 400647
dervaigrestaurant@outlook.com
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Map showing Ar Bòrd