Café Cùil

From hand-dived scallops to hand-rolled tattie scones, Café Cùil’s Scottish fare was an immediate hit with locals when it first opened in Hackney, East London, in 2020. But just five weeks later, the Covid-19 pandemic rocked the world, and Clare was devastated to have to close the café’s doors. Moving back home to Skye to see out lockdown, she reconnected with the land and its abundant produce, rediscovering her love for the island. ‘It was then I decided that Café Cùil was coming home, and I found a much better, bigger and brighter premises on Skye,’ Clare explains.

The setting lies at the heart of the café’s menu, which evolves with the island’s seasons. ‘This inspires us to keep an eye out for what’s available around us,’ says Clare. ‘Every week, our team forages for ingredients — whether gorse flowers, wild garlic, meadowsweet, or wild mushrooms.’ Her favourite dish to cook during autumn and winter is chanterelles with miso butter and hazelnut pesto. ‘The mushrooms have an earthy flavour like no other, and can only be hand-foraged, which makes them extra special.’ Clare is rightfully proud of the relationships she has with Café Cùil’s local suppliers. ‘My shellfish supplier, Calum, will drop off lobsters and langoustines to the door and only ever speaks to me in Gaelic, which I love!’ Indeed, Cùil (pronounced koo-il) is Scottish Gaelic for ‘cosy nest’ or ‘nook’. ‘That is the vibe I wanted to create in the café.