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Food recommendations in Scotland?
Hi! This is our first trip to Europe and we're staying in Edinburgh, Iverness, Glencoe, and Isle of Skye.
Do you have any great food/dessert places to recommend? Thank you! |
The River House in Inverness. Make sure to try their cullen skink (smoked seafood chowder). The Mustard Seed is also very good. Make reservations several days in advance at both; a month ahead for the River House wouldn't be excessive. If they're serving mussels at Mustard Seed, order them; they're superb. Visit Hootenanny for some beer and Highland music.
We really enjoyed Herringbone in Edinburgh. Howies is also very good, though a bit more expensive; their sticky toffee pudding is about as good as that dessert gets. And Bread Street by Gordon Ramsay is a personal favorite of mine. People who like venison and seafood will find Scotland to be very satisfying from a culinary perspective. I like both. |
When you are in Glencoe (we stayed in Ballachulish) there is a place about 25 minutes south in Appin called The Old Inn that has both character and great food. Even better, book one of the private tours of Castle Stalker (castle featured in Monty Python films) that is accessible only by boat. The boat launch is right next to the restaurant. We did the tour and then had dinner. It was a very memorable experience and I was so glad I found it!
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We twice popped into Deacon Brodies Tavern on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.
Both times they were out of their featured chicken & mushroom pie but whatever food we settled on was very good. Love the Jekyll and Hyde ‘link.’ |
Glencoe area - if you like seafood, the Lochleven Seafood Cafe is excellent.Gorgeous location too.Best to book.
In Edinburgh, Howie's at Calton Hill is consistently good but book ahead. Skye punches well above its weight re a wide range of decent eating out places.Sea Breezes has long been good; but you also have some really top fine dining at Edinbane Lodge (my fav for fine dining) or the Three Chimneys (haven't been there for a while.) For well above average pub food, the excellent Am Praban bar beside the lovely Hotel Eilean Iarmain in Sleat is our go to place - venison, seafood, hearty fare and good puddings in a beautiful location. |
In Edinburgh, our favorite meals were at the following restaurants:
Dishoom - Indian food; they take lunch reservations but don't take reservations for dinner Makar's Mash Bar - essential to make reservations Kao Pao Restaurant - menu is influenced by the cooking of SE Asia; the taster menu is fun with a lot of variety and interesting dishes Others that we like in Edinburgh are the Mussels Inn Restaurant and Cafe Royal. On the Isle of Skye, we loved these restaurants: Edinbane Inn - less formal than the Lodge; delicious food, relaxing atmosphere A Taste of India in Portree Fraser at Bracken Hide in Portree The Old Inn at Loch Harport - delicious lunch outdoors overlooking the loch In Glencoe, we loved our meals at The Gathering at the Glencoe Inn. |
These are great suggestions! Thanks guys!
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Mary's Milk Bar in Edinburgh is such a great place to visit. It is not only the city's cutest dessert spot, but it also tastes as good as it looks. I would recommend the Orange Cranberry Sorbet - don't miss it.
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Welcome to Fodors. When is this trip? If in late July or August you'll need to book any dinners in Edinburgh ASAP - like immediately. The city will be very crowded. There are soooooo many great restaurants in Edinburgh - what are you looking for. . . . casual, posh, seafood, views, atmosphere, Michelin stars . . . what?
Same with Skye really - you'll want to prebook all dinners and some lunches. If the trip isn't that soon then the need to prebook isn't as urgent. |
Originally Posted by janisj
(Post 17578742)
Welcome to Fodors. When is this trip? If in late July or August you'll need to book any dinners in Edinburgh ASAP - like immediately. The city will be very crowded. There are soooooo many great restaurants in Edinburgh - what are you looking for. . . . casual, posh, seafood, views, atmosphere, Michelin stars . . . what?
Same with Skye really - you'll want to prebook all dinners and some lunches. If the trip isn't that soon then the need to prebook isn't as urgent. |
That will be easier than later in the month -- but again . . . what types of food / atmosphere are you looking for?
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Originally Posted by janisj
(Post 17578760)
That will be easier than later in the month -- but again . . . what types of food / atmosphere are you looking for?
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In Edinburgh we really enjoyed Fishers in the City as well as Dusit, one of the loveliest Thai restaurants I've ever been to. These two restaurants are across the street from each other, Thistle Street off Saint Andrews Square. We were never able to get into the restaurant at Harvey Nichols as totally booked the entire time we were there.
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I once got grief by someone for suggesting this restaurant. They said, "Why go to Scotland and eat French food?" Well, man shall not live by Haggis alone! We've been to Edinburgh twice (last time in 2022), and this is our favorite restaurant. Check out L'Escargot Bleu. I don't think you'll be disappointed. It also has the best steak tartare I have ever eaten.
https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/les...urgh-scotland/ |
A couple more food notes for Edinburgh. First, Fishers was pretty good, but my halibut was overcooked, which diminished the value considerably. Herringbone on Ferry Road is excellent; the location on London Road has an entirely different menu that's mainly tapas and bar food, which I found much less enjoyable. And add another thumbs-up for the superb Dishoom. I'm not even all that fond of Indian food, but my dinner was both inventive and delicious. We're trying to schedule dinner at the London Kings Cross location for our last night in the UK.
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In Edinburgh, The Witchery by the Castle would be a great option. It is a historic restaurant near Edinburgh Castle and is perfect for a special meal.
In Isle of Skye, The Three Chimneys is a good choice for high-end Scottish cuisine with stunning views. Not sure about Inverness and Glencoe. |
The food is good, the atmosphere terrific, and the history is palpable. Book a table at the Sheep Heid Inn, in Duddingston, one of several old villages that were engulfed by Edinburgh over the centuries. (The others include the Dean Village, Swanston at the foot of the Pentland Hills, and Cramond, a once-Roman settlement on the coast west of the city.)
The Sheep Heid is ostensibly the oldest working pub in Edinburgh, maybe all of Scotland, although the current building doesn't go back to the 14th century. The food is very good, the beer too, and there's a skittles lane if you want to bowl off the carbs. It's a short cab ride or a long (and fairly scenic) walk from central Edinburgh, on the far side of Holyrood Park from the palace and all that. Apparently it was popular with the late Queen who would appear from time to time when she was in residence at Holyrood. There's a pretty loch (Duddingston Loch) that you can go birding at nearby, and some nice private gardens (not sure of opening status) next to the loch. Regardless, it's a very pleasant venue for a laid-back evening and maybe some strolling around. Booking ahead is essential. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...232004375.jpeg The Sheep Heid Inn Country Pub & Restaurant in Edinburgh (thesheepheidedinburgh.co.uk) https://maps.app.goo.gl/vRZf2hXYFCdSBarr8 |
We just returned from Edinburgh and were wowed by Piggs. https://www.piggswinebar.co.uk
It’s Spanish cuisine, similar to wonderful dishes we ate in Barcelona. We had patatas bravas, croquettes, Spanish tortilla. Omg so delicious we went two days in a row! It’s a small place, well worth reserving. Great staff as well. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...375f1062c.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f8bebe143.jpeg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d4ba3156d.jpeg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4e34be43d.jpeg |
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