It’s fair to say that the newest kid on the Inverness restaurant block is already creating a bit of a stir.
Every few minutes a new pair of curious eyes squint through the glass, keen to see what’s happening inside their High Street unit.
“I had to put up a sign just to stop people trying to come in,” laughs Roberta Shayer, co-owner of Aye Eat, which is due to open next week.
The venture has been a labour of love for Roberta and her husband David, who moved to Inverness in 2019.
It’s taken a year of graft to get to this point.
And that feat seems even more impressive when you consider what else they’ve had on their plate.
As well as running the Aye Stay guest house near Eden Court, they’re both juggling full-time jobs.
Roberta, who is from Brazil, works as a chartered accountant and David, who grew up in Elgin, is the chief executive of a London-based trading company.
On top of that, there are three young children in the mix too.
Leaving London for Inverness
The traumatic birth of their first daughter is what prompted them to up sticks and leave London in the first place.
Roberta was only 30 weeks pregnant when she suffered a placental abruption, which causes heavy bleeding and can put the life of both mother and baby at risk.
Fortunately, David had decided against going on a business trip to Japan and was able to get his wife to hospital.
Baby Sophia was born two-and-a-half months premature and required six weeks of specialist care.
She survived the ordeal and is now a happy and healthy six-year-old.
But the trauma changed her parents’ outlook. It set them on a path that eventually ended with them buying an Inverness guest house.
Word of mouth from their guests and around the Highland capital has now prompted them to explore a gap in the market and give the restaurant sector a try.
‘Locals are really excited about what we’re doing’
You don’t need to be in the new restaurant for long to figure out what the theme is.
You’re immediately greeted by two huge wood carvings of Highland cows as you enter and there are dozens and dozens of little Caledonian-sprinkled touches throughout.
It seems like every single aspect has been carefully thought out and is thoroughly dripping with Scottishness.
That extends to the menu, which will focus on local produce.
There is the occasional bit of Brazilian flair thrown in too, a nod to Roberta’s home.
From the whisky barrel tables to the Irn Bru cheesecake, you can tell that Inverness’s booming tourist trade is going to lap it up.
But the Shayers’ plan is to be open all-year round and create a space that locals love too.
David said: “We want to give people something unique.
“We’re trying to create something that isn’t just for tourists, we want local people here as well.
“And so far, locals are really excited about what we’re doing.”
When will Aye Eat open?
The restaurant is hoping to open for the first time on April 12.
It’ll be a boost for a High Street that has seen its fair share of knocks in recent years.
However, the recent opening of the Birch and Good Craic cafes – and even Krispy Kreme – point to a city centre that is doing better than most people think.
The way it looks has obviously changed – Aye Eat is in a unit formerly occupied by Bright House and Dixon’s, next to McDonald’s – but the city’s food and drink sector is still strong.
The new restaurant also has a Josper oven. It’s a sophisticated bit of kit that combines the function of a charcoal grill and a barbecue.
That oven will be the first of its kind in the Highlands. And the charcoal it uses has to be sourced from Cuba or Argentina.
Recruitment and the cost of living crisis have presented some tough challenges for the hospitality trade.
But the Shayers are approaching their new business with optimism and confidence.
David said: “Life is short. And what happened to us gave us a new appreciation of it.
“You’re only here once, so you’ve got to have a go.”
For more Inverness news and updates, join our local Facebook group.
Conversation