182 Best Restaurants in Scotland

There are few restaurants that feel so wonderfully, well, Edinburgh as this one. The freshest seasonal ingredients, mostly sourced from small local producers, go into creating delicious, inventive fare. The menu is constantly changing, but with pairings like scallop with unripe gooseberry and fig leaf ice cream, you can be sure of some surprises. The dining room, a former Victorian warehouse that's enjoyed a stripped-back, hipster refurbishment, is hugely atmospheric, and the young professional crowds are always lively.

A convenient stroll from Haymarket station and the airport-bound tram, this laid-back, versatile Vietnamese eatery is a combination café, restaurant, and vibrant art gallery. The eclectic decor, homey tables, and hearty Vietnamese fare (which includes meat and vegetarian versions of Vietnamese staples like summer rolls and pho) reflect the warmth of the ever-enthusiastic owners. 

Rejecting the idea that fine dining should be a stuffy affair, owners Paul Wedgwood and Lisa Channon are in charge at this Royal Mile gem. Local produce and some unusual foraged fronds enliven the taste buds on menus that radically change with the seasons; expect deliciously quirky pairings like scallops in a cauliflower korma or roe deer with buttermilk. The dining space is smart but informal, and the professional staff have mastered the tricky task of giving guests space to relax while always remaining attentive. Consider the two-course lunch deal for £25; that's less than most mains in the evening.

A perennially popular high-end dining option, Tom Kitchin's Michelin-starred venture packs in the crowds. Kitchin, who trained in France, runs a tight ship, and his passion for using seasonal and locally sourced produce to his own creative ends shows no sign of waning. Unfashionable ingredients such as ox tongue, tripe, and pig's head emerge heroic after Kitchin's alchemy, and he works his magic equally dexterously on more familiar elements such as seafood and venison. To sample this rarified culinary world on a (relative) budget, try the three-course set lunch for £58.

Set in the Rusacks Hotel's sophisticated yet relaxed brasserie-style rooftop venue, 18 delivers an exquisite dining experience along with attentive service and a quality Scottish produce-heavy seasonal menu by top chef Derek Johnstone. The freshest seafood, including Orkney scallops and halibut, are accompanied by zesty but not overpowering flavors and tasty al dente vegetable sides, while the impressive selection of dry-aged Aberdeen Angus cuts on display as you enter are expertly cut, flame-licked, and seared to perfection.

If you're not in a rush, take time to savor excellent coffee, inventive sandwiches, pizzettes, cakes, and handmade chocolates at this appealing café and shop selling quality fare. If you're in a hurry, buy delicious cheese or chocolates to go or pick up a cheese and apple scone.

This charming, old-school tearoom is well loved for its homemade baked goods and traditional High Tea sandwiches, cakes, and scones served on three-tier cake stands. Light lunches of homemade soups and a range of sandwiches are also available. The gift shop has some tables and chairs for customers accompanied by their dogs.

With a minstrels' gallery, crystal chandeliers, and tall windows with views over the Tweed, the dining room at the Tontine Hotel has a grand feel. Therefore it's a bit surprising that it also serves good home cooking for the family at reasonable prices. Local produce is used for all the dishes, including the steak pie and burgers as well as the vegetarian tagine and Moroccan stew. For the most part, the menu remains traditional, though with creative touches, like venison with dauphinoise potatoes. There is also a good wine list. Bring along the kids, as they have their own menu.

Run by the Bechelli family for four generations, this casual, light, and airy café in Bridge of Allan, just a couple of miles from Stirling, is a popular spot with locals. It is a well-tried Scottish combination of fish-and-chip restaurant and ice-cream parlor. Try the traditional "fish tea"—here confusingly called "catch of the day"—which consists of fish-and-chips served with tea or coffee and bread and butter. This place is time-honored, always busy, and a good value. There's a tantalizing selection of Italian ice cream too—if you have room.

Occupying the former headquarters of the Anchor Line, whose ships sailed from Scotland to America, this bar and restaurant near George Square has been impressively refurbished to create the sense of fine dining aboard a luxury ocean liner. The menu reflects the voyage, too, including Scottish seafood and lamb, and a full range of steaks and their sauces to represent America. Wine and drinks follow the same transatlantic theme. Dine in the bar for more casual fare, such as salads and steak sandwiches. The slightly less expensive but equally elegant basement restaurant, the Atlantic, is French-themed. If you are visiting during the holiday season, the Christmas decorations here are a thing of beauty: the building's pillared facade is wrapped in lights, bows, and greenery, with the theme continuing into the luxurious interior. 

Ask anyone about this long-established place and the response will probably be overwhelmingly positive. Fish-and-chips is the specialty, and the secret-recipe batter is now the stuff of legend. Finish the Whale—a gigantic fillet of battered haddock with fries —and you'll be rewarded with a second one free. The decor is basic; think wooden chairs and tables. Ashvale also has siblings in Elgin, Ellon, Banchory, and elsewhere in the northeast.

Set within the upmarket Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel, Baba serves tasty Middle Eastern—specifically Levantine—fare in a colorful, shabby-chic setting. Dishes are designed for sharing so take your pick from the mezze and grills menu, where highlights include the baba ghanoush (with pomegranate seed and mint) and the beef and bone marrow kofte. It's tempting to fill up on warm pita bread, but try to save space for a cardamom panna cotta dessert. Individual dishes aren't extravagant, but it's surprisingly easy to rack up a sizeable bill.

A welcome addition for East End diners, BAaD occupies a sprawling campus of spaces, including a stylish glass-roofed courtyard, a large beer garden split over two levels, several refurbished shipping containers, and a central courtyard space within the heart of Glasgow's original flea market, the Barras. The fashionable space hosts a series of pop-up kitchens, bringing various street food options to a crowd of trendy East End residents and visitors alike. The hipness of the venue is a reflection of the area's changing personality. With its long tables and airy atmosphere, the space was designed with sharing in mind, but there is also a more intimate balcony dining area.

You can't go to Arbroath and not sample some fish-and-chips. Just across the road from the Signal Museum and painted in nautical white and blue, this local favorite has outside benches for warmer days. You'll find all the classics—breaded or battered—but if you are in the mood for something a little different, the spicy fish (in a spiced batter) has certainly won over discerning locals.

Located within Newport's handsome former Victorian ferry terminal, this is a stunning spot to dine casually while spellbound by views of the Tay River and the Dundee skyline across the water. A versatile menu includes seafood shared platters and maritime mains, Scots steaks and lamb, and plenty of vegetarian options.

Scotland's natural larder is on display at this romantic restaurant on the banks of the Forth. Seafood is the star of the show, and chef Paul Steward is the man behind the imaginative yet unfussy recipes. The mussels, plucked straight out of the Forth, are always a good option; otherwise, just ask what's fresh that day. If it's sunny out, choose a table on the patio for spectacular views of the Forth Bridge.

With a stunning position overlooking the Drongs (rocky columns standing in the sea), this lovely little café serves famously large portions popular with visitors and Shetlanders alike. Browse the local crafts in the shop while waiting for a crispy battered-fish supper, or just sit back on the sofas by the huge picture window and watch the dramatic sea and sky. Don't pass up the many tempting home-baked desserts like sponges, cheesecakes, and giant scones. Reservations are required for Sunday lunch. There's also a caravan park here, if you want to extend your stay in Shetland's far northwestern corner.

This unpretentious and popular place with wooden tables and chairs has a menu that celebrates Scottish food, though well-made burgers and steaks are also permanent features. The food offers some new takes on traditional favorites such as the rolled haddock with salmon, the Cullen skink soup, and haggis in various guises. Unusually, the desserts are house-made, and it shows. A range of Scottish beers and gins are available, too.

This family-run burger joint has gained a nationwide reputation for its unusual toppings such as beef brisket, pastrami, kimchi, and gochujang mayo. Take a seat inside the chic, reclaimed-wood interior and choose from a menu packed with amped-up burgers as well as chicken, veggie, and halal options.

One of a new breed of burger joints that has emerged in the city, this casual spot with long wooden tables, stools, and benches is also a meeting place for coffee or a drink. The many creatively stuffed burgers and sauces are accompanied by different poutines and cheese toasties, a variation on the British classic known as rarebit. There's a good vegan and vegetarian menu, too. The West End branch is strategically located a block from Byres Road and the Glasgow Botanic Gardens.

Just off the A90, this small country park has lots of children's activities, including a giant sandpit, go-karts, a barrel train, and a wooden maze. Most essentially, there's an excellent café, serving door-stop-size sandwiches, full breakfasts, tasty soups, meringues, and warm scones.

Pronounced "bresh", this spot on Perth´s High Street is the perfect place to experience Breton cuisine, namely dishes that originated on the northern coast of France. The decor is muted to focus attention on menu, which includes galettes (savory buckwheat crepes), pizzas, mussels, and a mouthwatering steak selection. There's bouillabaise and boeuf bourgignon too.

Originally built in 1827, this attractive hotel restaurant often has a piper by the door to greet hungry travelers ready for a Scottish setting and some Scottish fare. Tartan carpets, dark-wood paneling, and buck heads mounted on the walls set the mood, and the bar is a shrine to Robert Burns. The surrounding gardens overlook the Brig o' Doon as well as a small, rushing river. The food keeps to the Scottish theme: try panfried scallops with citrus butter to start, and venison casserole with juniper berries and creamed potatoes or the haggis with neeps and tatties (served with a dram) as a main course. There are several rooms for rent upstairs.

The name says it all: this pleasant, airy café pays homage to all things brunch. There are eggs in every combination, decadent waffles and French toast, and a delicious array of classic brunch cocktails from Bloody Marys to mimosas. It's located close to the Kelvingrove Museum and offers boozy brunch deals that keep it popular with large groups, especially on weekends. 

This charming 18th-century building in Melrose´s central square offers an ambitious and interesting bistro menu that includes a baked Camembert sharing platter, prawn wontons, and Kofta kebabs. The restaurant, which is open for dinner and Sunday lunch only, has an imaginative separate vegan menu too.

An early arrival in the redeveloping Finnieston area, Butchershop occupies what was once a pub and overlooks the bowling greens in Kelvingrove Park. Modern, open, and airy, it preserves the sociable atmosphere of its predecessor, though it is now a quality steak house offering a range of cuts from rump to T-bone. There's a well-priced, popular Sunday-roast menu, as well as good-value lunch and pretheater menus.

Down an innocuous-looking flight of stairs, this intimate restaurant is the type of place young locals love: flickering candles, mix-and-match crockery, and inventive, inexpensive food that offers new twists on the familiar. The menu reads like a comedic narrative, with descriptions like "traditional fish-and-chips, battered to death" or "Supreme Commander chicken." Vegetarians are not as well catered to, but they can at least can try the popular portobello-mushroom burgers with extra-thick potato chips. The chef uses only local ingredients, so the menu changes daily. A tea shop upstairs serves wonderful cakes and old-fashioned high tea.

The talented chef at this unpretentious restaurant has built its menu around what local suppliers can offer. This range of ingredients creates options like the wood pigeon starter and the occasional squirrel dish, which is very popular. There are also choices like smoked duck with blue cheese and hazelnut, game pie, and rack of lamb, too. The vegetarian menu is long and creative.

This artsy café--restaurant has an innovative menu, an atmospheric dining room with open kitchen, and covered outdoor seating. The menu features veggie options such as mushroom falafel, grilled halloumi with crushed walnuts, and barley fricassee, as well as lots of imaginative Middle Eastern--fusion meat and seafood choices. No matter what you order, local produce makes it tasty and fresh. The handsome restaurant is in a silvery granite building with exposed-stone walls, huge windows, and shiny black tables.

With Iberian flair, this lively basement eatery located on the cobbles of Cresswell Lane is beautifully decorated using Spanish tiles throughout. The first tapas place to make an impact in Glasgow, it has been followed by others (and has opened a second location in the City Centre) but remains one of the most successful. This is an ideal way to dine with friends: sharing the dishes as they arrive and as you down some good Spanish wine. (Rioja is always a reliable choice.) Booking ahead is strongly advised.