Kimberley Inn

What a treasure the Kimberley is for Findhorn. Every time I visit here I try to make the effort to visit the place to eat at least once, and I’ve never been disappointed. The fish & chips is the best I have had anywhere, and the portions are enormous — I got two huge pieces of battered haddock that filled the plate to such an extent that I could barely see the chips lurking underneath. I’m not kidding!
The specials are also great and well above the standard you might expect from such a small hamlet (two words — seafood platter!), and there’s always a choice of 3 or 4 veggie dishes on the board too. Prices are pretty reasonable and certainly don’t strain the wallet too much given the size of the portions.
Beers are a more standard Belhaven range, but they do always have one speciality real ale on hand pump.
Worth booking at weekends as they can get pretty busy.

Disclaimer: — This is quite possibly my favourite place to eat in the whole wide world. Expect all the superlatives and quite a lot of gushing.
The Kimberly Inn is completely without pretension or pomp. Not that I think anyone in their right mind would expect to find a bijoux gem of a gastropub in the tiny village of Findhorn on the Moray Coast.
It is small. The décor relies heavily on a forest full of pine and lots of old maps and photos. There is nearly always a roaring fire in the hearth. No interior designers have been engaged in the decorating of this pub and it’s a much better place because of this.
Orders are made at the fabulously old fashioned bar. The staff are always friendly, warm and welcoming. But considerably more modern and up to date than the décor. I remain surprised that it isn’t staffed by a wee grumpy old man with a pipe. I’d really like it to be staffed by a wee man with a pipe or a wee north-​east fish wife in a tabard.
The food here is outstanding. Being a pub in a fishing village it’s no surprise to find there is a heavy bent towards seafood, fear not if you can’t stand fishy there are other options. The menu isn’t overly complicated and neither is the food. But is is done perfectly in huge portions — pub food perfection. That said I never order off the menu I always go to the special boards. Yep plural, depending on what is in season, fresh and particularly tasty.
I also a clever cookie and know that November is a particularly good time for mussels — my favourite. Especially from the Kimberly Inn. The portion is massive and the mussels are huge juicy and cooked in a delicious cream and white wine sauce. Served with a hunk of locally baked bread to mop up the sauce. Being a greedy guts and visiting on my birthday when everybody know calories don’t count, I also ordered a portion of chips. Who can resist the Belgian combination of moules frite? Also if I go to the Kimberly Inn and don’t have chips I’m going to be seriously cross with myself later on — yep they are that good.
After a mountain of mussels, a doorstop of bread and a considerable amount of chips I need a rest before moving. Thankfully this appears to be encouraged in the relaxed cozy atmosphere. I actually don’t need the appears, when the staff came to clear our plates from he table they were encouraging smudge’s attempts to have a nap, sprawled across the cushioned benches.
Despite her pretty half hearted efforts smudge didn’t manage a post scampi nap, so consoled herself with sticky toffee pudding. In the spirt of keeping her company I had a slice of mars bar cheesecake. Well when you know a place has gone to the trouble of making the puddings themselves it would be rude not to at least sample them. Ok so I got carried away with the sampling and ate the whole slice. See earlier comments regarding birthday calories.
There isn’t anywhere I would have rather gone for my birthday dinner. I remain utterly in love with the Kimberly Inn and convinced that this is perfection in terms of food, atmosphere and location.

Great food, good beer and good service. What a location too. Had great fish and chips here.
It’s worth noting that the pub is actually in Findhorn.

We visited the Kimberly early on a Friday evening (6.30pm) with a party of 10 people. We all ordered off the ‘blackboard’ on the wall. One of us ordered the Quorn chilli. The barman said that it had sold out but recommended the ‘ordinary’ (ie meat) chilli, which my friend said yes to.
When it came, it was so hot that it was truly inedible. The barman happened to come through to ask everything was OK (we didn’t ask him to) and my friend very politely — and apologetically really — told him that the chilli was too hot for her and asked if he could do anything else.
He immediately became ‘confrontational’ and said «Well, I asked if everything was alright but I can’t take the food back just because you don’t like it — If you don’t like hot food, don’t order chilli». A few of us protested at this and said that this chilli really was exceptionally hot. He said «Well it says that it’s really hot on the menu — I can’t take it back, all I can do is to bring you some mayonnaise, I can’t eat it myself without three sachets of mayonnaise». My friend said thank you, but she hadn’t seen a menu at all, we all ordered off the blackboard, and it didn’t say anything about it being exceptionally hot on the blackboard, and she had asked for a different chilli dish anyway and been told that this was the same.
At this point the barman became loud and ‘shouty’ and positively aggressive. He said «Look. The chilli is known for being very hot. RAF airman come here and challenge each other to eat it. If you don’t like hot food you shouldn’t have ordered it.» My friend tried once more to explain that she had not knowingly ordered a hot chilli, and asked if she could just have a jacket potato or something; and a few of us interjected and showed our surprise at the very ‘abrasive’ and unhelpful service. By this time a stony embarrassed silence had descended over the whole room. He then left shouting over his shoulder at us at this point. He said «You don’t know my boss. He would be really angry. I might have tried to get you something else without charging you but I just won’t if you’re going to be rude about it’ and stormed off.
A few of us just cut up what was on our plates and shared it with my friend, who was by now close to tears. We ate what we needed to but the ‘meal out’ was completely spoilt for all of us. Then a jacket potato with cheese was brought through with no explanation. One of the younger bar staff apologetically asked if the chilli had been too hot and when we said yes, said two other people had said it was too hot earlier that day.
This is a couple of weeks ago now but we are still upset and angry about the incident. Needless to say none of us want to return, and we also want to warn other people about the possibility of rudeness and being shouted at!
When we pay for a meal out it’s not just the food we’re paying for, it’s the ambience, some reasonable service, a nice time with friends. This was embarrassing and almost like being ‘told off’ like children. It wasn’t cheap, and the food wasn’t particularly good either. Really, go somewhere else!
(BTW if you check on ‘restau​rant​-guide​.com’ you’ll find reviews going back years from people who have had similar experiences so it wasn’t just a one-​off!)

You can’t beat the Kimberly Inn!
We visit it whenever we are in Findhorn or nearby and know it well as I like in Kinloss years ago.
The staff are friendly and appear well trained and nothing is too much trouble. And the food there is nothing like it — an extensive menu, very generous portions and all at a very reasonable price.
Nothing nicer than sitting outside on a nice evening, eating your meal and gazing over Findhorn Bay!
Magical

One of the nicest pubs in the region. Good choice of draft ales and a fantastic food menu. Can get busy pretty quickly, especially at weekends.