The Bib Gourmand award is our way of recognising restaurants that offer good food at a great price. While all Bib Gourmands are unique in style and approach, they share the same spirit of generosity and a commitment to quality cooking. That’s why, in this series, we’re highlighting the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors' Bib of the Month. These restaurants are the bedrock of our selection, providing an affordable dining option that doesn’t skimp on precision, skill or flavour. From cosy pubs to buzzing counters, we’ve got a Bib for you.
Our latest Bib of the Month is The Kilberry Inn, a cosy little pub located way out on the West Coast of mainland Scotland. As our MICHELIN Guide Inspector explains, it’s the perfect restaurant for such a beautifully rural location.
“I have received few welcomes as fulsome and genuine as when I stepped through the door at The Kilberry Inn. A remote pub like this exists not just for delicious food and comfortable accommodation, but to impart a sense of safety and warmth to its guests. The team here understand that and execute it brilliantly. Dan from Burnley – whose partner Amy is a chef here – was a charming host throughout my visit, constantly smiling and putting guests at ease. The wallet-friendly menu has a lovely generosity to it, with bread and a side dish included, while the cooking itself uses the local larder brilliantly, offering robust, richly flavoured dishes to warm the soul.”
With The Kilberry Inn having become a part of the larger Kilberry Castle Estate, we spoke to Estate Director Hector Paschalides for the lowdown on this most welcoming of pubs.
How would you describe your approach to food and hospitality at The Kilberry Inn?
It’s all about quality and simplicity and warmth. We believe in serving honest, well-prepared dishes that celebrate fantastic ingredients without unnecessary distractions, gimmicks or fuss. We want a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere where guests feel truly at home, whether they’re dropping by for a casual meal or making a special trip to celebrate an occasion. We only have seven tables, and they are only set once per night. So, our hospitality is immensely personal – we want everyone to leave feeling well looked-after and wanting to return.
How big a role do Scotland and Scottish produce play in the cooking here?
Huge! Scotland has some of the best produce in the world, much of it originating from the West Coast – we take full advantage of our privileged location. From the freshest seafood and Highland-reared meats to seasonal vegetables and foraged ingredients, our menu is built around what’s available and at its best at the time we serve it. Our food isn’t just about flavour, though; it’s about telling the story of this wonderful place.
What made you want to take over the running of The Kilberry Inn?
The Kilberry Inn has been a key feature in this corner of Argyll for over 30 years. While the Inn had been on the market for a while, our acquiring it was not only a way to secure its future but also, by bringing it into the Kilberry Castle Estate, a way to protect its unique quality and allow it to evolve as part of a larger vision.
Whether it’s striving to complete the virtuous circle of farm-to-table or developing our own line of spirits to accompany our food, we see opportunity in synergies and tremendous potential to create something special from our terroir and this quite magical setting. Of course, that takes time – as it should – but, as some locals say, “A day in Kilberry is like a week somewhere else.”
What price range can customers expect and how are you able to keep your prices affordable?
We strive to keep our prices fair relative to the quality of the food, the care and attention we take to prepare it and the highly individual experience we offer to every guest. While a meal at the Inn won’t be the cheapest, it should always feel like great value. Our focus is on maintaining reasonable pricing while ensuring that everything is sustainable.
By this, we mean that we want to be fair to our suppliers and pay them a respectful price; we want to be fair to our staff and respect their effort and their work; we want to be fair to all our guests equally – both present and future – and remain able to offer that special experience of staying with us for many, many years to come. The Kilberry Inn remains, at its core, an inn – and true innkeeping is about offering great food and a warm welcome that is authentic and open to all.
What is the dish to order at The Kilberry Inn?
That depends on the season, but venison is always a highlight. With an abundance of sika, roe and red deer right on our doorstep, we prepare it with the care it deserves – whether that’s a slow-cooked dish that melts in the mouth or a perfectly seared loin with all its deep, muscular flavour sealed in.
Local lamb and Highland beef are also exceptional, offering beautifully tender, flavour-packed dishes that show why our Argyll farmers can be so proud of their work. And if seafood is your preference, West Coast scallops or fresh langoustines are always a winner – cooked simply and with purity in order to let their unexpected natural sweetness shine through.
The Inn is situated in a relatively rural location. What do you find are the biggest benefits and challenges of running a restaurant somewhere like this?
The challenge for us, of course, is practical. Sourcing quality ingredients, attracting great staff and managing supplies all take more effort than they would somewhere less remote. But the setting is one of the biggest benefits – there’s something truly special about enjoying great food in a place as peaceful and unspoilt as Kilberry, and there’s something special for us about opening our door as people arrive.
It’s a destination and guests come to unwind and savour the experience; but the journey (as with all the best things in life) is also part of it – we are on a single-track road framed by spectacular scenery that continues mile after mile. There’s a unique charm in a place like Kilberry and the journey tends to make everyone appreciate it all the more, as we hope your readers will come and discover for themselves.
Hero Image: The picturesque exterior of The Kilberry Inn in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. © Kilberry Inn/Kilberry Castle Estate
