Must-see restaurants in Scotland

  • Ashton Lane, Glasgow, Scotland

    Ubiquitous Chip

    Glasgow

    The original champion of Scottish produce, Ubiquitous Chip is legendary for its still-unparalleled cuisine and lengthy wine list. Named to poke fun at…

  • Kitchin

    Leith

    Fresh, seasonal, locally sourced Scottish produce is the philosophy that has won a Michelin star for this elegant but unpretentious restaurant. The menu…

  • Loch Leven's Larder

    Lowland Perthshire & Kinross

    Three miles east of Kinross, off the A911, this family-run farm shop and restaurant overlooking Loch Leven is the ideal place to enjoy fresh local food,…

  • Foveran

    Kirkwall

    Three miles down the Orphir road, one of Orkney's best dining options is surprisingly affordable for its quality. Tranquilly located, with a cosy eating…

  • Ee-Usk

    Oban

    Bright and modern Ee-Usk (how you pronounce iasg, Gaelic for fish) occupies a prime pier location. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow diners on two levels to…

  • Côte du Nord

    North & West Coast

    Brilliantly innovative cuisine, wonderfully whimsical presentation and an emphasis on local ingredients are the highlights of the excellent gastronomic…

  • Spanish Butcher

    Glasgow

    In a refined interior, moodily dark with industrial decor above retro wickerwork chairs, this is a fine venue for quality northern Spanish beef, with the…

  • Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

    Southern Highlands & Islands

    The success of this cooperative is such that it now lends its name to dozens of restaurants throughout the UK. But the original is still the best, with…

  • Mother India

    Glasgow

    Glasgow curry buffs forever debate the merits of the city's numerous excellent South Asian restaurants; Mother India features in every discussion. It's…

  • Stravaigin

    Glasgow

    Stravaigin is a serious foodie's delight, with a menu constantly pushing the boundaries of originality and offering creative culinary excellence. With a…

  • Ox & Finch

    Glasgow

    This fashionable place could almost sum up the thriving modern Glasgow eating scene, with a faux-pub name, sleek but comfortable contemporary decor, tapas…

  • Hansen's Kitchen

    Lowland Perthshire & Kinross

    The foodie epicentre of Upper Strathearn, Hansen's is a hugely popular delicatessen and cafe (there's barely a dozen seats crammed into the interior)…

  • Singl-end

    Glasgow

    There's something glorious about this long basement cafe with its cheery service and air of brunchy bonhomie. It covers a lot of bases, with good coffee,…

  • Starfish

    Southern Highlands & Islands

    This attractive, very welcoming restaurant does simple, stylish seafood of brilliant quality. A great variety of specials – anything from classic French…

  • Machair Kitchen

    Outer Hebrides

    The restaurant in this community centre and art gallery enjoys a stunning location, with views across the sea to the island of Taransay, and an outdoor…

  • Yann’s at Glenearn House

    Lowland Perthshire & Kinross

    On the main road heading east out of town, Crieff's most popular restaurant is run by the eponymous Savoyard who believes in keeping the menu…

  • First Coast

    Edinburgh

    This popular neighbourhood bistro has a striking main dining area with sea-blue wood panelling and stripped stonework, and a short and simple menu…

  • Barley Bree

    Lowland Perthshire & Kinross

    Set in the pretty village of Muthill (pronounced mooth-il), 3 miles south of Crieff, the Barley Bree is a delightfully rustic restaurant with rooms…

  • Botanica

    Southern Highlands & Islands

    In the centre of Tighnabruaich village, this place offers a touch of eclecticism focused on solid British ingredients, with simple classics like asparagus…

  • Timberyard

    Edinburgh

    Ancient, worn floorboards, cast-iron pillars, exposed joists, and tables made from slabs of old mahogany create a rustic, retro atmosphere in this slow…

  • Martin Wishart

    Leith

    In 2001 this restaurant became the first in Edinburgh to win a Michelin star, and it's retained it ever since. The eponymous chef has worked with Albert…

  • The Boathouse

    Southern Highlands & Islands

    This picturesque stone cottage is right by the water near the ferry slip. It's the place to go for fresh seafood: local lobster, delicious oysters and…

  • Scorrybreac

    Portree (Port Righ)

    Set in the front rooms of what was once a private house, and with just eight tables, Scorrybreac is snug and intimate, offering fine dining without the…

  • Cocoa Mountain

    North & West Coast

    At the Balnakeil craft village, this upbeat cafe and chocolate maker offers handmade treats including a chilli, lemongrass and coconut white-chocolate…

  • Digby Chick

    Outer Hebrides

    A modern restaurant that dishes up bistro cuisine such as haddock and chips, slow-roast pork belly or roast vegetable panini at lunchtime, the Digby Chick…

  • Shorehouse Seafood Restaurant

    North & West Coast

    By the ferry pier for Handa Island Nature Reserve, Shorehouse is a restaurant and cafe in a lovely setting, looking across the sound to the sandy beach on…

  • Castle Terrace

    Edinburgh

    It was little more than a year after opening in 2010 that Castle Terrace was awarded a Michelin star under chef-patron Dominic Jack (the star was lost in…

  • Gamba

    Glasgow

    This business-district basement is easily missed but is actually one of the city's premier seafood restaurants. Presentation is elegant, with carefully…

  • MacCallum's

    Southern Scotland

    Right at the end of the harbour road, where yachts have given way to fishing boats, this set-up has two parts, both worthwhile. The Oyster Bar offers…

  • Locanda de Gusti

    Edinburgh

    This bustling family bistro, loud with the buzz of conversation and the clink of glasses and cutlery, is no ordinary Italian but a little corner of Naples…

  • Scalloway Hotel

    Shetland

    With a short, quality menu based around top-notch local and Scottish produce, this hotel restaurant is one of Shetland's best places to dine. Delicious…

  • Waterside

    North & West Coast

    In a former waiting room on Kyle's train station platform, this quaint little spot serves reliably delicious fresh fish and shellfish. A big effort is…

  • Route 7 Cafe

    The Cairngorms

    This place, named for the cycle route that passes the door, takes a bit of finding (at the end of the side road that passes Cairngorm Brewery), but is…

  • Saramago Café Bar

    Glasgow

    In the airy atrium of the Centre for Contemporary Arts, this place does a great line in eclectic vegan fusion food, with a range of top flavour…

  • Brew Lab

    Edinburgh

    Students with iPads lolling in armchairs, sipping carefully crafted espressos amid artfully distressed brick and plaster, recycled school-gym flooring,…

  • Langass Lodge Restaurant

    Outer Hebrides

    One of the best restaurants in the Outer Hebrides, Langass Lodge complements the best of local seafood, beef and game with vegetables and herbs grown in…

  • Kylesku Hotel

    North & West Coast

    In this remote lochside location, it's a real pleasure to gorge yourself on delicious sustainable seafood. Local langoustines, squat lobsters and mussels…

  • Café 52

    Aberdeen

    This little haven of laid-back industrial chic – a high, narrow space lined with bare stonework, rough plaster and exposed ventilation ducts – serves some…

  • Inn on the Tay

    Highland Perthshire

    This convivial pub, with its modern bistro-style dining room, makes a great pit stop on the way west to Loch Tay. The menu is simple – salads, burgers,…

  • Aizle

    Edinburgh

    If you tend to have trouble deciding what to eat, Aizle (the name is an old Scots word for 'spark' or 'ember') will do the job for you. There's no menu…

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