Finalists for the 2026 Taste of Orkney Food and Drink Awards have been revealed, with over 30 islands businesses in the running for 13 different accolades.
Awards categories for the event, organised by Orkney Food and Drink and sponsored by NorthLink Ferries and Highland Park, cover everything from the best bar and takeaway meals to the finest bakery, fish, drink, and dairy products. There are also awards for the top café, best meat producer, local food retailer, peedie producer and best catering van.
The shortlist has been drawn up following months of public voting on the Orkney.com website.
Winners, chosen from the public vote, will be announced at a gala awards dinner being held in Kirkwall Grammar School on 17 October. The top business in each category will receive a prestigious Taste of Orkney Food and Drink Awards trophy.
Kerry Leask, Project Manager for Orkney Food and Drink, said: “The awards have been well supported again by local folk and visitors, with over 15,000 votes cast since January of this year. Our food and drink producers and businesses work incredibly hard individually, and collectively as part of the Orkney brand, with their efforts helping maintain the enviable reputation of the islands for outstanding quality and variety. The awards give customers the opportunity to acknowledge this passion, and it means a great deal to all the businesses involved.”
Kerry added: “As always, we’re extremely grateful to our regular event sponsors, Serco NorthLink Ferries and Highland Park. Both businesses have generously supported these awards for several years, with their backing helping make the awards night really special for everyone taking part. We’d also like to thank all the local producers who’ve sponsored individual award categories, and the Orkney drinks companies kindly providing drinks for our awards reception.”
Finalists for the 2026 Taste of Orkney Food and Drink Awards
Best a-la-carte MealSponsored by: E Flett Butcher Ltd Twenty One Merkister Hotel Lynnfield Hotel | Best Bar MealSponsored by: Macfoys Brewery & Bar Merkister Hotel Twenty One Sands Hotel |
Best Café or TearoomSponsored by: Orkney Gin Company Relic Café & Tearoom Sheila Fleet Kirk Gallery & Café Archive Coffee | Best Takeaway MealSponsored by: The Island Smokery Archive Coffee Loki Seafood Shack Dolly Burger |
Best Local Food RetailerSponsored by: The Westray Bakehouse The Brig Larder E Flett Butcher Ltd William Shearer | Best Kids’ MealSponsored by: Stockan's Oatcakes Archive Coffee Dolly Burger Wellpark Garden Centre Cafe |
Best Meat ProducerSponsored by: Sheila Fleet Jewellery Donaldsons Of Orkney E Flett Butcher Ltd Williamson Butchers | Best Fish ProducerSponsored by: Orkney Isles Preserves Pierowall Fish Ltd Cooke Aquaculture Scotland Jollys of Orkney |
Best Dairy ProducerSponsored by: Williamson Butchers Orkney Cheese Company Ltd The Orkney Dairy Grimbister Farm Cheese | Best Bakery ProducerSponsored by: The Orkney Roastery Callum's Cakes Orkney Rendall's Bakery Argo's Bakery |
Best Drink ProducerSponsored by: Twenty One & Archive Coffee Deerness Distillery Ltd Orkney Gin Company Swannay Brewery | Best Peedie ProducerSponsored by: Celina Rupp Jewellery The Orkney Dairy Callum's Cakes Orkney Eviedale Bakehouse |
Best Catering VanSponsored by: Eviedale Bakehouse Some Good Cuppa Leigh's The Snak Pot |