A new year marks a new chapter, and Inverness, the wider Highlands and Moray have a line-up of food and drink businesses set to open in 2023 that will leave you feeling excited (and hungry).
Expect everything from quirky coffee trailers to whisky distilleries and tasty grub from global chains.
Here are the locations to look out for throughout the year to curb your hunger cravings.
TGI Fridays
News broke that TGI Fridays was considering opening more takeaway restaurants in Inverness, Edinburgh, and Glasgow in January 2022. This was all dependent on the success of its Dundee venture, which opened that same month.
While Inverness is still not currently served by a Fridays, this is a potential opening we may spot in Inverness in 2023.
Local fans of the chain could look forward to enjoying favourites including glazed chicken strips and fully stacked burgers from the comfort of their own home.
Victorian Market
Inverness’ Victorian Market Food Hall has welcomed a series of superb foodie businesses over recent months.
They include Sushi Inverness, Moonshine, vegan takeaway Salt N Fire, Bad Girl Bakery, Good Girl Greengrocers, and the Highland Street Food Pop-Up Unit, which opened to expand on the success of the Highland Food and Drink Trail Street Food Zone.
Several units still lay empty in the space, so expect to see even more firms setting up shop throughout the year to serve their tasty grub.
The Coffee Clan
If you’re a fan of coffee, then this one is for you.
Currently in the works but expected to open its hatches in the coming months, The Coffee Clan is a coffee trailer that will be serving customers across Moray.
With coffee, speciality teas, hot chocolate, and mouth-watering bakes among the offering, there’s plenty to get stuck into.
The trailer will also be available for hire, and both private and corporate events. For more information, visit the business’ Facebook page.
The Cairn
Family-owned whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail is spending £20 million on a project that will see a new Speyside distillery opening in the summer.
The distillery will be known as The Cairn. The name reflects the distillery’s location overlooking the Cairngorm mountains, at the gateway to Speyside.
Work started on site in July 2021 and by the start of September 2022, the structure of the building was largely complete.
Eastgate Shopping Centre
Among the exciting openings coming in 2023 is the new upmarket food court located at the Eastgate Shopping Centre.
Named Loch and Larder, the new setup will focus on quality local produce with a street food twist.
Scottish Kitchen – a concept from Scotland’s national chef Gary MacLean – will be the anchor of the new development. Expect the rest of the outlets involved to be revealed at a later date.
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