At first glance, Shetland hardly seems like a place where tomatoes should thrive. The islands lie further north than many parts of Canada, and while Atlantic breezes are never far away, the warming influence of the North Atlantic Drift gives Shetland a surprisingly mild climate.

Even so, growing food here still demands creativity.

All across the islands, you’ll notice curious curved structures standing beside crofts and gardens.

These are polycrubs.

Invented in Shetland, these ingenious growing tunnels were designed to protect crops from the wind while creating sheltered conditions for fruit, vegetables and herbs. Step inside and you’ll often find tomatoes, cucumbers, chillies, salad leaves and even strawberries flourishing hundreds of miles further north than most people would imagine possible.

They’re a perfect example of Shetland ingenuity. Rather than battling the climate, islanders learned to work with it.

That same ingenuity runs through the islands’ entire food culture. Local vegetables, milk, cream and cheese often travel only a few miles before reaching cafés and restaurants. Long before “food miles” became a talking point elsewhere, Shetland was embracing local produce simply because it made sense.

For all the wonderful produce grown on land, the sea still shapes Shetland’s menu. The waters surrounding Shetland are among the cleanest and richest in northern Europe, and generations of fishermen have depended on them for their livelihoods.

Today, Shetland seafood reaches tables across Britain, but nowhere is it more enjoyable than here, in Shetland. Watching boats bob gently outside while enjoying beautifully fresh haddock, it was easy to understand why people travel from across the islands, and much further afield, for a meal here.

One evening, we picked up a bag of fresh Shetland mussels from an honesty box near Tresta and cooked them by the water as the evening light settled across the bay. They hardly needed any embellishment. When ingredients are this fresh, nature has already done most of the work.

Of course, no visit would feel complete without fish and chips. We couldn’t leave Shetland without visiting Frankie’s Fish & Chips in Brae, Britain’s most northerly fish and chip shop.

One of the pleasures of eating your way around Shetland is discovering cafés and restaurants that are every bit as memorable as the food they serve. These are three places we’d happily return to, each offering something a little different. During the busier months, it’s well worth booking ahead, particularly for dinner.