Balmaha restaurants, coffee shop and pub
One pub and restaurant, a coffee shop and a village shop, side by side
Balmaha restaurants come down to one: the Oak Tree Inn, a pub and restaurant that also runs the St Mocha coffee shop and ice cream parlour. The village shop stands beside it. That is a short list, and we say so, because we list only places whose own websites we could read. We give no ratings or prices, and you should check the inn's site for hours.
- Places listed
- 3
- Village shop opens, per its page
- 8am
- Balmaha car park, all day
- £5
- Bus from Balloch
- 309
Where can I eat in Balmaha?
Eat at the Oak Tree Inn. It is a pub and restaurant in the village, with 42 bedrooms in the inn and nearby cottages, a menu that mixes Scottish dishes with pizza, burgers and curries, and table booking through its website. Next door, St Mocha sells coffee roasted on site and homemade ice cream, and the village shop sells groceries and walking supplies.
The National Park's own village notes describe the same set: a village shop, a coffee shop and a restaurant. We found no other Balmaha venue with a website of its own, so we name none. Inchcailloch day trippers and Conic Hill walkers use the same few doors, which is why the inn can be busy after a summer walk.
For the village itself, the boats and the hill, start with the Balmaha village guide before you plan the meal around it.
Places to eat and drink in Balmaha
One row per venue, from the Oak Tree Inn's own website on 13 October 2026. The columns say what it is, where it is, what it serves and what to check.
| Venue | Type | Where | What it serves | Good to know | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Oak Tree Inn | Pub and restaurant, with 42 bedrooms in the inn and nearby cottages. Family-run since it opened in 1997. | Balmaha G63 0JQ. Phone 01360 870357. | Dine-in, takeaway and outdoor dining. A sample main menu runs from steak pie and Cullen Skink to pizza, burgers, curries and seafood, with vegetarian dishes and a gluten-free sample menu. | The menus on its site are samples and 'subject to change'. Book a table through its website. No opening hours are stated on the pages we read, and its page does not detail a dog policy, so ask. | Open in maps |
| St Mocha Coffee Shop and Ice Cream Parlour | Coffee shop and ice cream parlour next to the inn. The Balmaha shop was the original, opened in 2014. | Next to the Oak Tree Inn, Balmaha. Phone 01360 870357. | Coffee roasted on site by Loch Lomond Coffee Co., and homemade ice cream made with milk and cream from local farms. | No opening hours on its page, so check on the day. St Mocha also has shops at Carbeth and Aberfoyle, which are not Balmaha. | |
| Balmaha Village Shop | Village shop beside the inn. | Directly adjacent to the Oak Tree Inn, Balmaha. | Everyday groceries, equipment for walking and outdoor pursuits, wine and spirits, and Scottish gifts including local honey. | Its page says it opens from 8am to 6pm daily. Useful for picnic food, but check the hours on the day. |
We list three places, not every place. We give no prices, ratings or review scores, and no opening hours except the shop's own stated hours.
How to choose
Match the meal to the walk
Coming off Conic Hill or the Inchcailloch ferry, you will want food quickly: the inn is the sit-down option and St Mocha is the quick coffee or ice cream. If you are only buying a picnic, the shop is enough.
Walking the West Highland Way
The route passes through Balmaha after the descent of Conic Hill, and the inn describes a walkers' welcome and a shop stocked with walkers in mind. If you plan to stay, book the bed and the table together.
If you drive
The Stirling Council car park charges: up to 1 hour is free, 2 hours is £3, 4 hours is £4 and all day is £5. Mobile signal is weak, so carry coins or set up RingGo before you arrive. The Balmaha parking rules cover the private car park and coaches.
Without a car
Bus 309 runs from Balloch to Balmaha via Gartocharn and Drymen. Check Traveline Scotland for the day's times, and plan the meal around the last bus home.
Stay the night
A tent is the cheapest way to wake up on the loch shore: a night under canvas near Balmaha explains the choices.
Check before you go
- Hours: the inn and St Mocha state none on the pages we read. The shop says 8am to 6pm daily. Confirm all three on the day, especially in winter.
- Menus: the dishes on the inn's site are samples that can change. Ask about vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free dishes when you book.
- Dogs: the inn's page does not set out a dog policy, so ask before you bring one inside.
- Booking: the inn takes table bookings through its website. Book ahead for a summer weekend or after a busy walking day.
- Prices and ratings: we give none. Use the inn's own menus.
Further along the road
If you are heading on, these villages have their own places to eat.
- DrymenInland on the West Highland Way, with a pub on the square and hotel restaurants: a meal in Drymen lists what we could verify.
- LussAcross the water on the west shore, reached by the A82 or by boat: where to eat in Luss covers the village pub and cafes.
Eat and drink around the loch
Looking beyond Balmaha? Where to eat around the loch collects every village page in one place, with a short summary of each.
Questions people ask
Where can I eat in Balmaha?
At the Oak Tree Inn, a pub and restaurant in the village, or at St Mocha next door for coffee and ice cream. The village shop sells picnic food and groceries.
Who owns the Oak Tree Inn in Balmaha?
Its own page says Sandy and Lucy Fraser opened it in 1997 and that it remains family-run.
Is there a coffee shop in Balmaha?
Yes. St Mocha is beside the Oak Tree Inn and serves coffee roasted on site by Loch Lomond Coffee Co., plus homemade ice cream.
Is the Balmaha village shop open every day?
Its page says it opens from 8am to 6pm daily. Hours can change, so check on the day.
Can I book a table at the Oak Tree Inn?
Yes. Its website has a book-a-table option, and bookings help on busy summer weekends.
Is there food on the West Highland Way at Balmaha?
Yes. The trail passes through the village after Conic Hill, and the inn, St Mocha and the shop are all in the village.
Is parking free in Balmaha?
Only up to one hour. Beyond that the Stirling Council car park charges: 2 hours is £3, 4 hours is £4 and all day is £5.
Are dogs allowed at the Oak Tree Inn?
Its page does not detail a dog policy, so ask when you book.