Located in the Dunvegan Castle car park, the refurbished MacLeod Tables Cafe can seat up to 74 people inside and 12 people outside (weather permitting). We offer good quality freshly prepared food and great bean to cup coffee at affordable prices, seasoned with our trademark warm Highland Welcome.
OPEN 1 April – 15 October
MacLeod Tables Cafe is open daily 10am – 5pm, with our hot food specials served between 12pm to 3.30pm. We reserve the right to change these opening times and/or to restrict public access at any time without notice.
Making use of fresh produce from the castle’s Walled Garden whenever possible, the MacLeod Tables Cafe self-service menu caters for those seeking delicious homemade soup, toasties with a side salad, quiche, sausage rolls, our popular haggis potato skins, homemade scones, cakes or one of our healthy Gluten Free options in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. You can also enjoy a coffee and a light snack at Dunvegan Castle’s jetty while taking in the stunning views of the castle and Loch Dunvegan. We look forward to serving you.
The name of our cafe is linked to the famous clan MacLeod legend of a royal banquet held on the MacLeod Tables by Alasdair Crotach (8th Chief), one of the clan’s most celebrated warrior chiefs. According to tradition, Crotach once attended a banquet in Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh in the early 1500s. When a noble Lowlander remarked that Skye had nothing to compare with such a table of vestments, Crotach replied that his table at Dunvegan was fit for a King and could rival all others. King James V overheard this boast and decided to put Crotach’s word to the test with a visit to Dunvegan the following year. When the King and his entourage arrived, Crotach led them up to the summit of Healabhal Mhor, the more impressive of the two mountains known as the MacLeod Tables. Flaming torches held by hundreds of clansmen illuminated the vast flat area at the summit where a large table was laid with a veritable feast. Addressing Kind James V in front of the gathering, Crotach said: “Here Sire, is my hall. My table is 2000 feet high, its candles are the stars and its walls the canopy of heaven.”
