A short visitor's guide to Cullen, Moray: things to do, places to eat and drink, and what's on through the year.
Cullen is a former royal burgh on the North Sea coast of Moray (historically Banffshire), set above a wide sandy bay with the sandstone railway viaducts of the old Great North of Scotland line striding through the town. Sandstone cottages line the harbour seatown below and a square of Georgian buildings sits on the brae above, giving the place its distinctive split-level character.
Most visitors come for three things: the broad beach and the harbour, the Cullen skink (the traditional haddock-and-potato soup that takes its name from the town and is cooked everywhere here), and the easy access to the Moray Firth coast and Speyside whisky country inland. The town has its own historical claim to fame too: the organs of the wife of Robert the Bruce are said to have been buried in the old kirk after her death at Cullen Castle, and Robert made an annual payment to the village in gratitude, a sum that was famously challenged and reinstated as recently as 2000.
Cullen's attractions split between the harbour seatown and the square up on the brae, all walkable in an afternoon.
Down at sea level, Cullen Harbour Beach is the headline draw, a sheltered curve of sand under the old viaducts with the working harbour at one end and rock pools at the other (see the Beach section below for the full picture). On the seatown side, the Cullen Viewpoint at 126 Seatown is a small dedicated lookout with one of the best vantage points over the bay, the harbour and the wider Moray Firth. Up in the town centre, the Cullen Heritage Centre on The Square is the local-history museum, run by volunteers, with displays on the fishing trade, the railway, the viaducts and the burgh's royal connections. It is small, free to visit and a useful first stop on a wet day.
For its size, Cullen has a notable cluster of small galleries on and around The Square, useful for an hour out of the wind.
Robert Art at 1 North Castle Street is the open studio and gallery of local artist Rob Greenwood, with original works, prints and greetings cards (opening hours vary, so check the website before you head in). A few minutes away on The Square, Cullen Galleries at number 4 stocks a rotating mix of paintings and craftwork from local makers. Both are small-scale, pottery-and-canvas affairs rather than big-ticket museums, but they make a pleasant counterpoint to a beach morning.
Cullen's restaurant scene is built around Seafield Street, the main spine through the town, with options for a sit-down evening, a curry night and a chippy supper all within a couple of minutes of each other.
The runaway favourite for a takeaway is Linda's Fish & Chips at 54 Seafield Street, with hundreds of local reviews and a reputation for one of the best chip suppers on this stretch of coast. For a sit-down dinner, the Grand Dining Room on the A98 (number 11) covers a more traditional restaurant menu, and Spice House at 31 Seafield Street is the long-standing Indian, doing both dine-in and takeaway with classic curries, tandoori dishes and vegetarian options. Round the corner, Castle Chinese Takeaway at 47 Seafield Street is the easy-supper alternative.
Cullen's cafes are an unusually strong line-up for a small fishing village, with one Cullen Skink World Champion among them.
The pick for a bowl of the local soup is Lily's Kitchen Cafe at 22 Seafield Street, twice winner of the Cullen Skink World Championships (2018 and 2025) and the obvious choice if you want to taste the dish where it was invented. Up on The Square, Rockpool Cafe at number 10 is the busiest all-day spot, with hundreds of reviews to its name and a wide menu spanning breakfasts, lunches and cakes. Coffee At The Kings on The Links sits between the town and the beach, useful as a refuelling stop on a clifftop walk, and The Yellow Deli on Grant Street is the takeaway cafe for Speyside-roasted coffee and deli-style snacks. Down on Seafield Street, The Ice Cream Shop is the standard sea-front stop for a cone after lunch. If you are travelling with a dog, see also our dog-friendly holiday cottages in Cullen.