Name: The Boathouse
Address: Dervaig, Isle of Ulva, Argyll & Bute, PA73 6LZ, Tobermory, GB
Telephone: 01688 500241

The story

The Boathouse Tobermory: Award Winning Island Seafood | wattafork

The Team and Their Vision

The Boathouse in Tobermory delivers straightforward seafood drawn directly from the Hebridean waters surrounding its island location. New custodians Sam, a local farmer, Ro, a cheesemaker, and Banjo, an interior designer, acquired the venue to prioritize regional provenance. Banjo restored the whitewashed structure to reveal distressed tongue and groove walls and fitted the dining room with sturdy wooden tables. This dedication to fresh seafood preparations earned a spot in the 2026 Good Food Guide for reliable execution.

Kitchen Approach and Signature Plates

Daily offerings shift entirely around what the local fisherman lands at the jetty each morning. The kitchen consistently highlights coastal seafood, typically presenting langoustines or Ulva prawns with crisp apple and carrot salad. These plates pair with soft home baked brioche and locally churned butter. Land sourced proteins rotate according to season, often appearing as Ulva beef rolled with garden cabbage in a rich tomato base.

Dining Space and Surroundings

Visitors arrive via a short ferry ride from Mull and step directly onto a jetty facing the water. Outdoor picnic tables fill quickly during warm afternoons, while the interior attic offers additional shelter beneath slanted roofs. Handwritten chalkboards outside list the current catch alongside vegetarian alternatives and weekend baking selections. Natural light floods the open floor plan, highlighting the interplay between weathered wood and bright white plaster.

Recognition

Awards & accolades

2026

The Good Food Guide

Good

Details

At a glance

The Good Food Guide 2026 — Good

Cuisines Seafood

Services Lunch, Notable Sake List, Outdoor Seating, Table Service, Table With View, Takeaway

History

On the record

2026

The Good Food Guide — Good

There’s been quite a buzz about this dinky whitewashed eatery on the tiny community-owned island of Ulva since it reopened with new custodians. Shining like a beacon from the jetty on the neighbouring island of Mull, it's accessed by flipping a board above the slipway from white to red and Rhuri the ferryman will chug over to collect you. There are no cars on Ulva. Outside, there's a smattering of picnic tables, crammed with families and groups of friends on a sunny Sunday lunchtime. Inside, there’s more seating upstairs in the attic-like space: distressed tongue-and-groove, vintage metal chairs and rustic tables strewn with jars of wildflowers. The chalkboard outside the front door lists the daily changing menu (depending on the day's catch), alongside vegetarian and meat options that might range from handmade pasta with asparagus pesto, hazelnut butter and crispy kale to Ulva beef and cabbage rolls in tomato sauce (the meat is reared on the island). But briny, fresh seafood is the headline act: a plate of salmon-pink Ulva prawns or langoustines comes with a crunchy apple and carrot salad, a slice of lemon and soft home-baked brioche and butter; delectably simple, salty seaside fare. For dessert, a slice of moreishly zingy lemon drizzle should do the trick. You can also stop by for coffee, cake, and picnic supplies. No bookings.

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Established

Location

Find us

Dervaig, Isle of Ulva, Argyll & Bute, PA73 6LZ
Tobermory, United Kingdom
01688 500241
ahoy@theboathouseulva.com
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