food, drink & shopping
food and drink
bernera map
The opportunity to purchase food and drink in Bernera is fairly limited, so it’s advisable to bring your own provisions if you intend to stay for longer.
However, we do have a lovely community café, a 24-hour self-service shop, and a few locals who offer freshly-laid eggs from honesty boxes at the roadside.
Although the café and 24-hour shop accept card payments (minimum transaction £5 in the café), it would be helpful to bring cash with plenty of small change for the honesty boxes and also to support local enterprises.
Note that there are no bars or restaurants in Bernera and nowhere is licensed to sell alcohol. Also, most shops in the Western Isles are closed on Sundays (except Tesco’s in Stornoway, who in 2024 made the controversial decision to offer Sunday opening hours). So if you plan to arrive on a Sunday, please consider bringing your own provisions.
COMMUNITY CAFÉ & SHOP
Our cosy Community Café serves hot soup, sandwiches/toasties, a range of homebaked cakes, and hot drinks. Vegetarian options are available. The Community Shop offers basic store cupboard essentials and frozen items, plus fresh local eggs and gifts (see below).
OPENING HOURS: SUMMER (MAY-SEPT)
CAFÉ: Tues-Thurs 12-3pm (takeaway only after 2.30pm)
SHOP: Mon-Fri 12-3pm (hot drinks available)
OPENING HOURS: WINTER (OCT-APRIL)
CAFÉ: Weds 12-3pm (takeaway only after 2.30pm)
SHOP: Mon-Fri 12-3pm (hot drinks available)
NB: Please check the footer below or our Facebook Page for updates.
forage
Located at the roadside at Croft 22 Kirkibost, the 24-hour honesty shop Forage provides a small range of food, household items and treats. This includes store cupboard essentials, breakfast items, frozen food, bread and rolls, dairy products, crisps, sweets and ice cream.
In summer months fresh vegetables from local suppliers are available. Payment can be made by cash in an honesty box or by paypal.
For more information check their website at croft22.co.uk/forage
SHOPPING
COMMUNITY SHOP
The Shop in the Community Centre (Mon-Fri 12-3pm) offers a range of locally-produced gift items, such as tweed cushions and footstools, willow baskets, bobble hats, scarves, keyrings, picture frames and cards.
Also for sale is Great Bernera merchandise, such as T-shirts & hoodies, caps, bags, mugs and coasters.
Swedish artist Jenny Wilson has a gallery and studio at her home at 9 Kirkibost. Jenny says:
“All my paintings are done by pallet knife using oil paint, mainly on canvas. I tend to be drawn by the dramatic colours created by angry, grey skies but also by the beautiful, captivating colour transformation the evening light blesses us with.
With every day that passes my love and appreciation of the ‘everyday’ and ordinary grows bigger. The wonder and miracles brought to us by seasons and weather, in both landscape and sky, never fail to amaze me, especially the abundance of various colours. With my paintings I want to frame these ‘ordinary miracles’ and let people discover and enjoy what often would just pass them by.”