Sugar Boat

Sugar Boat occupies 30 Colquhoun Square in Helensburgh, opened in May 2017 by Will Smith, previously co-founder of the London restaurants Arbutus and Wild Honey. The name refers to the MV Captayannis, a cargo ship that capsized on a sandbank in the Clyde estuary during a storm in 1974 and still lies visible from the shore near the town. The bistro runs from breakfast through dinner, with a seasonal menu built around Scottish produce, a covered and heated courtyard for outdoor dining, and a separate wine shop trading online and from the same building. Service is informal rather than fine dining, aimed at a neighbourhood crowd rather than special occasions only. The business has picked up several hospitality awards since opening and continues to trade under Smith's ownership.