The person who was responsible for the transformation of an old wee church building into a beautiful bistro, where you can relax, eat, drink, chat and enjoy, did one heck of a job. Meet Mairi Porter (right), the new proprietor of the Holy Coo, 22 Shore Street Bowmore. Mairi writes in her leaflet "come and graze with me", I would like to add "come and amaze with me".

The changeover of the interior is remarkable to say the least. During our last visit on Islay we've spent half an hour in the Holy Coo which wasn't quite enough to take in all the details inside this lovely place.

We were there for "coffee only", which was great, but the menu suggests that there is a lot more on offer. Mairi and her staff serve all sorts of coffees, teas, homebaking as well as potatoes, burgers, salads, steaks, pastas, soup, ice cream etc. The choice is all yours and so is the place where you can enjoy the food or drinks you have ordered.

When the weather is friendly you can sit outside in the garden on the beautiful shore of Loch Indaal. There is even a beach and some toys for the kids to entertain themselves. The Holy Coo is a delightful place and like I said, the interior is really beautiful. Make sure to visit Mairi and her staff when you're on the island!

The Holy Coo Bistro is open from Monday to Saturday, 11 to 8pm. Food is served all day. For more information you can contact Mairi by email on holycoo@hotmail.com

Tag: bistro cafe restaurant bowmore