2 Best Restaurants in Argyll and the Isles, Scotland

The first of a chain of seafood restaurants that now stretches across the United Kingdom (though the rest are now owned by the Greene King brewery chain), this restaurant continues to please with its emphasis on ultrafresh, locally sourced seafood, simply prepared. Oysters, are, of course, a keynote, but the menu also features mussels, lobster, prawns, salmon, and much more from the sea, accompanied by perfect crunchy green vegetables such as peas, beans, and asparagus. There's a fishy tapas array, too.

Serving arguably the best-value seafood in Oban, the late John Ogden's quayside fish shack is a local legend. Look for a green-painted shed on the pier, then join the line of cognoscenti waiting for simply sautéed scallops, grilled langoustine, and lobster, oysters, and mussels. Freshness is everything here. With just a few rough-hewn outdoor tables, you may have to eat standing up, but it's worth it.