Orrin Restaurant & Bar

Please name the main purpose of your business.
Orrin Restaurant & Bar is an exceptional fine dining venue offering unparalleled service and genuine, heartfelt hospitality. Described in the Michelin Guide as ‘a smart operation, with stylish modern decor and large cocktail bar’, we use the highest quality seasonal local produce. We offer taste-centric masterpieces, from Orkney scallops to Newtonmore venison, at affordable prices. Our team’s warmth and charm make customers feel at home. In popular culture, ‘Orrin’ means someone who exceeds expectations, and we aim to do this for every guest. Five-star customer reviews praise our ambience, music and service, describing our dishes as ‘possibly the best we’ve eaten in Scotland’. Our kitchen is proudly deep-fat fryer free. Our stunning Elgin site balances relaxed dining with the wow factor, serving beautifully crafted dishes and some of Moray’s best cocktails. The jewel in our crown is our Wednesday evening Prix Fixe menu with fantastic live entertainment from local musicians.

What are the benefits to operating in Moray?
One of the most interesting lessons I have learned recently is that there are two types of tourists visiting Moray. There are the people who come from a few miles down the road and those who come from abroad. We need to work hard locally to attract these people all year round, not just between August and October.
There is such a variety of people and industries here too, from fishing to wind farms and even space. Where possible, Orrin’s Head Chef Elliott uses local produce in his dishes to support other local businesses, and to help preserve local farmland. This also lowers our carbon footprint by minimising packaging and transportation distances. We use seasonal local produce as often as possible.

How do you connect to your local customers?
We want to share our passion for food with as many people as possible and we know that our exceptional service sets us apart from our competitors. We connect with our customers in person by treating them as we would guests in our home. Orrin is accessible, with customers paying £24.95 for a freshly cooked two-course meal, which looks and tastes amazing.

We can cater to special dietary requirements across all our menus. Our popular Wednesday night Prix Fixe menu and ‘Tapas Thursday’ events are great ‘tasters’ for customers. We promise great local produce and premium service without the premium price tag.

Guests can book and view our menus, prices and a gallery of images on our website, and our active Instagram and Facebook pages advertise offers and upcoming events.

Why are you part of Moray Chamber of Commerce?
The Chamber of Commerce has been a game-changer, opening doors to a fantastic network of local businesses. We've got an amazing hospitality group where we can connect to share our experiences and concerns. Beyond the camaraderie, the Chamber is a powerhouse of resources. They provide lots of support for business growth, from grant opportunities to navigating local issues. It's like having a whole team of advisors in your corner, all focused on helping your business thrive.

What are you most proud of?
I opened Orrin right before the COVID pandemic, aiming to bring the premium dining experiences usually reserved for big cities to our quiet Elgin doorstep. Three years on, we are proud to have survived, succeeded and supported numerous worthy causes along the way, from local schools to Save the Children.

We are delighted to work closely with Moray’s DYW, Developing the Young Workforce, to propel young people into fulfilling careers they love. Conventional hospitality training is sadly lacking now, and in this country, the industry is often overlooked as an option for a rewarding career.

At Orrin, we have developed a close-knit team where ideas are freely shared and everyone opinion counts. I’m incredibly proud of our blossoming team.

Finally, name one misconception that people have about your business.
There is often a misconception that Orrin is an expensive restaurant, but we charge £24.95 for an exceptional two-course meal. Customers could visit a burger place, which would charge the same price, and find the food has been cooked from frozen and is always fried.

Our popular Wednesday night Prix Fixe menu is a great ‘taster’ for customers, but we want people to know that our lunch menu is the same price on a Saturday as any other day. To counter this, we have started to display menus with prices in the restaurant window as well as on our website.

Orrin Restaurant & Bar, 2-6 South Street, Elgin IV30 1LE
Website
Facebook | Instagram