Sugar Boat
Helensburgh, Argyll & Bute
This warm and joyful all-day venue – part café, bar and bistro (plus wine shop and guest rooms) – operates under the cheerful eye of restaurateur Will Smith, who relocated from London in 2016 after running the much-heralded Arbutus in Soho and Mayfair’s Wild Honey. Smith transposes his Soho ‘bistronomy’ ethos of top-quality dining in a relaxed setting with a crowd-pleasing menu that changes seasonally and begins with breakfast – perhaps black pudding hash and fried egg or porridge with fruit compote, honey, almonds and chia seeds. The morning deal segues into lunch when creamy Cullen skink loaded with leeks, potato and smoked haddock or moules marinière are offered alongside bistro staples such as steak frites or a tasty and original whole roast aubergine topped with a chickpea ragù loaded with tomato, nuts and paprika. There’s a similar offering at dinner, with the addition of chicken and freekeh salad or Gigha halibut with mushroom risotto. For dessert, expect fig roll and redcurrant ice cream or rich chocolate and praline crémeux, plus cheeses from George Mewes, served with honeycomb and Arran oatcakes. Weekend brunch, a cheery kids' menu, bar snacks and afternoon tea add to the appeal, while cocktails sit alongside a well-considered wine list. And the name? Sugar Boat is the local name for a cargo ship that ran aground off Helensburgh in 1974 while carrying a cargo of sugar destined for the Tate & Lyle refinery at Greenock.
Dining Information:
Accommodation, Separate bar, Counter seating, Wheelchair access, Dog friendly
30 Colquhoun Square, Helensburgh, Argyll & Bute G84 8AQ
01436 647522
