Celebrating Shetland Food and Drink

In Shetland we blessed with a wealth of quality produce. The heather clad hills and lush green pastures feed livestock which provide us with rich flavoured meat and quality milk.

The seas surrounding us are filled with an abundance of fish, the strong tides bringing minerals and plankton to feed the myriad of shellfish that call our coasts home. However, these things would simply remain as ingredients if it wasn’t for the inspiring and passionate folk who take this natural abundance and create things to and sell to the world.

The local businesses in Shetland take inspiration from all that is around them to create some of the finest products available. Our local butchers spend their time creating the finest cuts from locally sourced meat but further enhance the ingredients they receive by processing them further into; burgers, pies, bacon, reestit mutton and even taking inspiration from other cuisines to make products like Shetland lamb biltong.

The dairy takes the milk from their cows to create butter, cream and buttermilk which get used by local businesses of all sizes across the isles. If you pop into Island larder and sample some of their silky smooth, homemade ice cream, you are enjoying cream and milk from the local dairy.

Bakeries use the products from the dairy to make Bannocks, oatcakes, and all kinds of sweet treats. Our local bakeries being key parts of our communities making sure the shelves of our local shops are always stocked with bread when we need it.

Small businesses creating confectionary and preserves are influenced by what is around them, creating products using local produce, showcasing local flavours or Shetland inspired names on their products.

In the kitchens of restaurants and hotels across the isles, chefs apply their skills and creativity to all these stellar ingredients Shetland has to offer. Using their artistry they take the locally sourced fish, meat and dairy and elevate them, creating plates that truly showcase the stunning products on offer here, serving up their best Shetland Menus.

Shopping local will ensure that these incredibly valuable local food systems will continue.

Support your local: shop, butcher, bakery, café and nourish the creativity of these small food businesses so that they may develop further and continue to create exceptional products from the wonderful resources that our isles provide us with.