Ballater’s former Rothesay Rooms will soon be home to a new 40-cover seafood restaurant and adjoining fishmonger as Fish Shop prepares to open its doors.
The latest venture of Artfarm, the company behind The Fife Arms in Braemar as well as London’s Mount St. Restaurant and The Audley Public House, Fish Shop will launch on Saturday April 29 on Netherly Place.
It has been designed to cater to locals and seasonal visitors alike and will celebrate the heritage and traditions of fishing in Scotland.
Managed by the husband-and-wife team executive chef Marcus and general manager Jasmine Sherry, Fish Shop has been created for those who enjoy freshly caught seafood which is ethically sourced.
Food and drink
Fish Shop is committed to being low-waste from fit-out to packaging. Even the smoking techniques use zero-emission charcoal.
Customers can expect a modern and laid-back feel in the 40-cover seafood restaurant.
The menu will focus on shellfish and day boat fish with the addition of select game, meat and vegetables from surrounding farms and estates.
Dishes include partan bree, velvet crab soup, cape wrath oysters, barbecue whole plaice, and Shetland mussels.
On the drinks front, biodynamic and low carbon footprint wines chosen from British and European vineyards are among the options – including Blanc de Noirs from Ancre Hill Estates in Monmouthshire, Wales.
There will also be products from Eight Land Organic Spirits and Six Degrees North Brewery.
A group table has also been included at the back of the restaurant, partially blurred by a recycled cast net.
Seating up to 12 guests, it was created from a salvaged, old ‘tender boat’ that was once pulled around Ardnamurchan and the Western Isles and has been in storage for more than two decades.
Adjoining fishmonger
The adjoining fishmonger will offer seafood from the same boats and providers as the restaurant, with a seasonal selection of fish and shellfish arriving early each morning.
A range of seaweeds, preserved seafood, Scottish Blackthorn Salt, other store cupboard essentials and daily deliveries of seasonal vegetables can also be found alongside a selection of wine.
Fish dishes can be ordered for local delivery or collection in-store.
They include a dozen cape wrath oysters mignonette, with lemon and tabasco, Fish Shop fish pie, and fillet of Peterhead hake topped with an Invercauld Estate wild garlic crust, to name a few.
Attention to detail
While works are still underway to transform the seafood restaurant and fishmonger, we can expect great things from its interior.
Russell Sage Studio has designed the interiors with high eco-credentials in finishes, furniture, and lighting.
Design elements will centre on a contemporary colour palette with highlights of natural wood, black and antique bronze found on floors and tabletops.
All paint used is zero VOC, and coverings on banquettes and bar stools use low-carbon leather from Muirhead near Glasgow.
All timber and timber veneers are FSC-certified, and table bases are reclaimed and resealed.
Wall lights and portholes have been salvaged from ships, and fabrics are made from natural linen and cotton manufactured in Ayrshire.
Local artist Helen Jackson was commissioned to create a 120 basket-weave fish shoal suspended from the ceiling, floating above the dining room, using willow she had grown herself.
Executive chef Marcus said: “Everyone is really looking forward to the opening next month.
“We’ve learnt so much about fishing in Scotland and around the UK and have gotten to know some incredible producers and suppliers over the past year.
“I have been experimenting a lot with friends and family on various dishes, so I’m looking forward to being able to share them with guests and customers of the fishmongers.
“Ballater already has some fantastic places to find great food. My wife and I live locally in Braemar so shop and enjoy Ballater often. I’m looking forward to being part of the restaurant and retail community here.”
How long has Fish Shop been in development?
The Press and Journal revealed the possibility of a seafood restaurant opening in the former Rothesay Rooms on Netherly Place in Ballater in November 2021.
The building, formerly a Co-op, was brought back to life by the Duke of Rothesay, now King Charles, to help the community bounce back from flooding in late 2015.
It went on to welcome diners as a top restaurant before relocating to the Old Royal Station nearby in May, leaving the space unoccupied.
Artfarm, an English hospitality and development firm run by Manuela and Iwan Wirth, then lodged plans with Aberdeenshire Council to explain the new vision for the spot.
Papers lodged with the council by Crathie-based Moxon Architects pledged to keep the “small retail offering”, while running the site as a restaurant and take-away.
They stated: “The restaurant provides year-round facilities for both local and tourist use, contributing to a positive experience of the area.
“The expansion of cuisine and fresh produce for Ballater supports the vitality and economic diversity of the village.”
Fish Shop is a proud supporter of both the River Dee Trust and the Ocean Recovery Project. Guests are invited to make a discretionary donation of £1 per table towards these two charities which will be matched.
Conversation