The Sun Dancer has has scooped it second national award.

Our Nairn-based restaurant has won Best Seafront Restaurant 2018 – Highlands and Islands in the Lux Life Food & Drink Awards.

The awards, now in their third year are aimed at companies “who strive to provide outstanding level of service within the food and drink industry.” In September the Sun Dancer which specialises in Seafood became Scotland’s Hidden Gem at the Scotsman Food & Drinks Awards. The team was also nominated in the Best Dining Experience category.

Lee Jack, owner of the restaurant which opened two years ago said he was over the moon that the now established restaurant was being recognised: “Winning these two awards in such quick succession is absolutely fabulous and we really feel that we have not only out ourselves on the map, but also helped to promote the town of Nairn and its stunning coastline.”

He added: “Since wining the Scotsman Hidden Gem Award we have seen an increase in customers and noticed that people are travelling further afield to visit the restaurant. This is great news for us, but also for the wider area. Now that we have scooped this second award, we hope the trend will continue.”

Lee who started working in the hospitality industry when he was 15 added: “Securing these two wins has been a huge confidence boost not only to myself, but to the whole team who work so hard. We have a vibrant team of 28 staff members who work tirelessly to ensure our customers have a great experience. We are also working behind the scenes to bring a few more bespoke events to the venue.”

He added: “These wins are a huge testament to the hard work of the team. We are a relatively young restaurant, but we have placed ourselves on the map for being one of the best places to east in the North East.” Head chef Peter Sealey added: “We pride ourselves on the high-quality meals and drinks that we offer at the Sun Dancer.

We review our menu regularly to keep it modern and fresh and we only source our products from Scotland. “The menu is classic with a modern twist. This coupled with the location offering our diners panoramic views over the Moray Firth, is clearly a winning formula.”

The Sun Dancer opened in August 2016 on the site of a former games arcade and ice cream shop of the same name. The development of the modern building has helped to transform the area and the restaurant which also comprises and take away and café is now popular with locals and tourists alike.

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