Pennan Inn Hotel & Restaurant

The Pennan Inn is an AA Rosette restaurant and boutique inn nestled in Pennan, one of Scotland's last true fishing villages. Perched between dramatic cliffs and the North Sea, this is the village made famous by Bill Forsyth's 1983 film "Local Hero" — the iconic red phone box still stands just outside. Now it's becoming famous for the food.

Head Chef and owner Peter Simpson brings fifteen years of professional kitchen experience and classical French training to the Aberdeenshire coast. The cooking is modern and refined, drawing on local produce with influences from further afield. Scottish seafood takes centre stage, landed daily from Peterhead, Fraserburgh and Macduff — ports just twenty minutes away. Everything is made from scratch, every service, with no shortcuts.

After dinner, guests can stay in one of three boutique rooms named for Local Hero characters. Two offer sea views, perfect for stargazing, while the third provides a peaceful retreat at the rear. The inn is open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday, 5pm to 9pm, with bookings for rooms and tables available online.

Finding Pennan is part of the experience. The single-track road winds down through farmland until suddenly the village appears — whitewashed cottages pressed between cliff and sea. Most visitors come from Banff, Macduff and Fraserburgh (15-20 minutes), though increasingly from Aberdeen too (one hour). As they say: worth the drive.