Kirkwall Pubs and Food Landmarks: How to Choose
Kirkwall splits its food and drink between town-centre counters and out-of-town producers. The Brig Larder on Albert Street and Jollys of Orkney on the Hatston estate cover smoked fish, meat and cheese to carry away, while the whisky side sits at two working distilleries reached on foot or by a short ride from the centre.
Book the distillery tours first. Scapa, above Scapa Flow, pairs its tour with a twelve-seat clifftop tasting room and needs a slot reserved ahead; allow two to three hours and arrange a ride back. Highland Park on Holm Road is walkable from central Kirkwall, but tours are the only way into the production buildings, so confirm times and prices on the official site.
For beer, Orkney Brewery at Quoyloo is a west-side drive of two hours with tours and samples from April to October, and out of season you should ring first. Orkney Cheese Company sells cheddar from Orkney Isles milk, though visitor arrangements are worth checking by phone before calling in.
Keep The Shore for a half-hour walk down Harbour Street among boats and ferries, then finish with a booked lunch or a whisky on the same street. The Reel on Broad Street shut in 2020 and its building stands unused, so plan your meal elsewhere.
| Place | Time to allow | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Scapa Distillery Kirkwall | 2-3 hours | St Ola, Kirkwall KW15 1SE |
| Highland Park Distillery, Kirkwall | half a day | Holm Road, Kirkwall |
| Orkney Brewery | 2 hours | Quoyloo, West Mainland |
| The Brig Larder, Kirkwall | 20-60 minutes | 1 Albert Street, town centre |
| Jollys of Orkney | 15-30 minutes | Scott's Road, Hatston industrial estate |
| The Shore, Kirkwall | 30-60 minutes | Harbour Street |
| Orkney Cheese Company, Kirkwall | short stop | Kirkwall, Orkney Mainland |
| The Reel, Kirkwall | – | Broad Street |
Kirkwall pub and food landmark guides
Scapa Distillery Kirkwall: Plan Your Orkney Visit
A working distillery above Scapa Flow, paired with a twelve-seat clifftop tasting room. Book a tour slot ahead, arrange a ride back, and allow two to three hours so the tasting isn't rushed.
2-3 hours · Booking required · Best for whisky drinkers wanting a seated tasting
Highland Park Distillery, Kirkwall: Visitor Guide
A working distillery on Holm Road, reachable on foot from central Kirkwall. Tours are the only way into the production buildings, so book ahead and confirm times and prices on the official site rather than trusting old listings.
half a day · Book ahead · Best for whisky fans already in Kirkwall
Orkney Brewery: Visiting the Quoyloo Brewery and Visitor Centre
A working brewery in an 1878 schoolhouse at Quoyloo, two miles from Skara Brae, with tours and generous samples from April to October. It's a west-side drive, not a Kirkwall stroll, and out of season you should ring first.
2 hours · Book ahead · Best for west-side day out, beer lovers
The Brig Larder, Kirkwall: A Deli Guide for Visitors
A working delicatessen on Albert Street where you buy Orkney smoked fish, meat, cheese and drink to take away, not sit down. Sunday trading runs in December only, and the counter gets crowded in high summer.
20-60 minutes · Book ahead · Best for picnics and self-catering supplies
Jollys of Orkney: Kirkwall Fishmonger & Smokehouse Guide
A working family fish merchant on the Hatston industrial estate north of Kirkwall, selling kiln-smoked salmon, hot cure, mackerel and Orkney hampers to carry home. There are no tastings or displays, so know what you want and check the hours first.
15-30 minutes · Best for stocking up on smoked fish
The Shore, Kirkwall: A Visitor's Guide to the Harbourfront
A working quay, not an attraction: walk down Harbour Street for half an hour of boats, ferries and sea air, then finish with a booked lunch or a whisky on the same street.
30-60 minutes · Best for a short working-harbour walk
Orkney Cheese Company, Kirkwall: What to Know Before You Go
Orkney Cheese Company makes cheddar from Orkney Isles milk, white or coloured and matured from medium to extra mature. Treat a stop as a brief food-buying errand and ring ahead to confirm you can call in.
short stop · Best for buying mature cheddar at source
The Reel, Kirkwall: What Happened to This Broad Street Venue
Closed: Stopped trading in 2020 and has been unused since; plans to convert it are lodged but not approved.
The Reel was Kirkwall's café bar, music school and gig space until it shut in 2020. Its Broad Street building, next door to St Magnus Cathedral, has stood unused since, so Don't walk over expecting lunch.
Best for music heritage curiosity
Tours and counters to reserve before you go
Scapa Distillery requires a booked tour slot, and with only twelve seats in the clifftop tasting room, leaving it late risks missing out. Highland Park recommends booking ahead because the production buildings are seen on tours only. Orkney Brewery also recommends booking for its tours at Quoyloo, which generally run from April to October. The Brig Larder recommends booking, and its counter gets crowded in high summer; note that Sunday trading runs in December only.
Indoor stops and dry-day walks
Wet weather suits the indoor stops: the Scapa tasting room, the Highland Park tour, the Orkney Brewery visitor centre, and the counters at The Brig Larder and Jollys of Orkney. On a dry day, add The Shore, a half-hour to an hour on a working quay with boats, ferries and sea air. Highland Park and Scapa both mix indoor and outdoor settings, so dress for the walk between buildings.