Britain’s islands aren’t just wild and windswept – they’re delicious!
From scallops dived straight from Hebridean seas to oysters harvested where tide meets mud on Mersea, these islands prove that adventure and appetite go hand in hand. Whether you arrive by ferry, causeway, or paddleboard, there’s no better way to get outside than by following your taste buds to the edges of the map.
Here are six great British islands for food lovers, where every meal tells the story of land, sea and community.
This post is written by OS Champion Lisa Drewe who is currently undertaking a challenge to visit all 82 of the Islands of Britain over 5 square kilometres. Lisa aims to uncover the island’s unique landscapes, wildlife, and communities, while sharing how visitors can explore responsibly and support island ecosystems.
1. Mersea Island, Essex (Island 39) – Oysters, sea air and sunrises
Just off the Essex coast, Mersea has been serving world-famous oysters since Roman times. You can still taste them within metres of where they’re landed at the Company Shed or the West Mersea Oyster Bar; or enjoy a glass of chilled local wine at the Mersea Island Vineyard.
Pair these treats with walking the coastal path around the whole island, or paddleboard from West Mersea to explore the wild saltmarsh creeks. Plenty of outdoor adventure that finishes with something chilled and local.
2. St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly (Island 8) – Island-grown and ocean-caught
St Mary’s is the Scilly Isles hub for island produce and fresh seafood. Juliet’s Garden and On the Quay in Hugh Town serve locally caught lobster, crab and line-caught fish, while various shops stock Scilly honey, sea salt and home baking. The Scilly Spirit Distillery makes award-winning gin using local botanicals, and cafés such as Kavorna champion island-grown ingredients. St Mary’s also boasts Scilly cider and HolyVale Vineyard and Winery.
Fortunately there are plenty of activities to burn this lot off. The 16km St Mary’s coast path passes most of the island’s historic and natural highlights – including some great beaches for wild swimming. Paddle from Porth Mellon beach to explore St Mary’s tidal islets or take a more advanced journey to Tresco.
3. Isle of Wight, Hampshire (Island 74) – Vineyards, garlic and gourmet markets
Just a short hop from England’s south coast, the Isle of Wight is bursting with produce: sun-ripened tomatoes, vineyard wines, crab pasties at Steephill’s Crab Shed, and the famous Garlic Farm which serves black garlic and chocolate ice cream. Self-service milkshake machines on island dairies, along with local breweries, gin distilleries and cosy inns means you won’t go thirsty either.
You’ll need to burn it all off though with some great paddleboarding routes, hundreds of miles of footpaths – including the Isle of Wight coast path – wild swimming, and mountain bike routes galore.
4. Anglesey, North Wales (Island 78) – Salt, seafood and seaweed
Anglesey offers a feast of local foods. At Halen Môn, salt crystals are still hand-harvested from the Menai Strait, while nearby restaurants like Catch 22 and Y Marram turn that heritage into modern island menus. The coastline delivers mussels, crab and oysters fresh from the sea, while inland, farm dairies craft rich cheeses such as Caws Rhyd y Delyn’s Môn Las. Raise a glass to the island’s spirit at Llanfairpwll Distillery or sample small-batch ales at Bragdy Cybi Brewery in Holyhead.
Don’t miss The Oyster Catcher in Rhosneigr for seafood with a view, or an Aberffraw biscuit for the journey home. Produce from Anglesey’s tides, farms and fields offer a real island larder.
There are plenty of fabulous adventures on this island too. Cycle around the whole of Anglesey, walk its hundreds of miles of paths, paddle under Menai Bridge or many other spectacular island routes.
5. Islay, Inner Hebrides (Island 77) – Whisky galore
This small Hebridean island is world-famous for its whiskies – it boasts nine distilleries from the smoky punch of Laphroaig and Lagavulin to the salty notes of Bunnahabhain and its food is just as distinctive.
Feast on the most succulent hand-dived oysters at the Islay Oyster Shed near Loch Gruinart, or pick up wild venison and croft produce from Windswept Farmshop in Port Charlotte and The Balaclava Byre near Port Ellen. Add smoked salmon from the Islay Smokehouse and a nip of Nerabus Gin, and you’ve got the island on a plate.
Clear your head with a walk along the spectacular cliff tops at the Mull of Oa, paddle from Port Ellen and explore the islets and skerries, or cycle 16 miles from Port Charlotte to Kilchiaran Bay and Portnahaven.
6. Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides (Island 82)
Crofters, distillers and chefs work with what the Atlantic gives in Harris – hand-dived scallops, langoustines, and the renowned Harris Gin, distilled with local sugar kelp. Try Harris and Lewis Smokehouse salmon or a seafood platter at The Anchorage Restaurant overlooking Leverburgh Harbour. Add a slab of Stornoway black pudding, a drizzle of wildflower honey, and you’ve got the essence Harris – pure, elemental, and unforgettable.
Famed for the bone-white beaches and turquoise sea along its western shore, its east coast is well worth a visit to see some of the oldest rocks in Europe. The best way to explore this is the 68 km bike southern Harris cycle route along the Golden Road.
Final course – adventure on a plate
Each of these island treats carries a deep sense of place. They invite you to walk, paddle or cycle for your dinner; to meet the people who harvest from sea and soil; and to discover that island food is always waiting to be found.
So pack your walking boots and an appetite. Britain’s edible edges are waiting.
Get Your Copy of the British Isles over 5km Relief Map
Ordnance Survey created the British Islands map which inspired Lisa’s challenge, a stunning relief map featuring all 82 islands over 5km. It’s the perfect companion for anyone inspired to start their own island adventure.
By Lisa Drewe
OS Champion, Lisa Drewe,
Lisa Drewe is an author, explorer, and the founder of the website Islandeering, a personal project dedicated to helping people discover UK island adventures with purpose. She has already explored over 500 British islands, written award-winning guidebooks, and champions regenerative travel and conservation.
Lisa is now on a mission to visit (and in some cases revisit) all 82 islands featured on our print. Along the way, she’ll uncover their unique landscapes, wildlife, and communities, while sharing how visitors can explore responsibly and support island ecosystems. Find out more about Island82
