Scotland: Food + Drink — To Make Much of Time

UPDATED: 2/5/2023

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After spending 10 days traveling through the country on a road trip that took us from Edinburgh to the Cairngorms to the Isle of Skye to Fort William to the town of Callander in the Trossachs National Park, we had good exposure to what Scottish dining looks like.

In this blog, we’ll provide our perspective on what you can expect, provide tips for what to order as you eat and drink your way through Scotland, and offer a few of our favorite restaurants as recommendations.

We experienced Scotland’s varied dining options - city and rural, hole-in-the-wall to fine dining. Our prior trip had been a week in Paris if that gives you a sense of our most recent point of comparison, and while not everywhere in Scotland was amazing, it stood up against Paris better that I had anticipated when we visited fine dining establishments.

We came home with some new ideas for recipes inspired by the trip and have recreated a few at home!

Scottish Dining: What to Expect

Hobgoblin Beer | To Make Much of Time travel blog

Pubs are popular and common throughout the area. Most have a cozy, quaint atmosphere and are wonderful spots to get out of the cool weather, get a hearty meal, and drink a pint.
Fine dining absolutely exists in Scotland, and some of our best meals even in rural parts of the country are on par with what we are used to in large metropolitan cities in the US and abroad.
Particularly in smaller areas (anywhere outside of the major cities like Edinburgh), the best restaurants fill up quickly and so reservations are recommended. In some places, you may have difficulty finding a place to eat if you do not have a reservation, particularly if you’re traveling during peak tourism season (as we were in late June, early July).
Bring cash. Some restaurants take credit cards, some don’t. Those that don’t are usually pretty good about making that clear upfront, and we were always staying somewhere where we could make a quick run to an ATM when needed. But it’s best to plan ahead to ensure you can pay for your meal.
Scotland is a land of beer and whisky. My go-to drink at home is red wine, and I had no wine on the trip. Yes, there is wine in Scotland, but I try to go with the local flow of things and this country is a haven for beer and whisky drinkers, so I partook in both.
Restaurant service varies but like many places outside of the US, it is not standard practice for the bill to be brought unless you ask for it. If you don’t speak up, you could find yourself waiting a long, long time.
We would not recommend burgers as a general statement. Over the course of the trip, our group tried a few burgers in different places, and their ground beef is made with a different consistency than what we’re used to in the US - more mushed up is the best way to describe it - and it was a bit off-putting. You’re better off sticking with more traditional Scottish and UK fare.

Scottish Dining: What to Order

Fish and chips lovers, rejoice, as you could live solely on this meal while in Scotland. Everyone should order this at least once while in the country and experience eating it with mashed peas and malted vinegar. I don’t know if I’d ever had malted vinegar before this trip, and if I had mashed peas before, it was as an infant. This combination is absolutely amazing.
As most people know, Scotland is known for its Scottish salmon, and it is utterly delicious. We had salmon at various times for all three meals of the day. I had never really combined salmon with eggs much before, but that is a good match!
I will never understand why meat pies are not popular in the US, and for some reason my gut reaction to “meat pie” is that it sounds gross. I think it’s because I associate “pie” with something sugary and so the combination doesn’t initially sound appealing. We had several to-die-for meat pies throughout Scotland, and they fit the weather of the country so perfectly! They are also very filling if you’re spending time outside hiking.
For beverages, Scotland has an extensive variety of beers made at breweries in the country. Wherever we were, I selected various local beers and was always happy with them. Scotch whisky is also easy to come by, available at grocery stores, restaurants, and you can visit distilleries throughout the country. After one of our traveling companions took an interest in learning more about whisky, we all picked up a lot more knowledge on them, including that since they’re made with local river water, different regions of the country have different flavors to their whiskies. For example, some have a very peaty taste. For anyone who is or wishes to be a connoisseur of Scottish whiskies, there are ample opportunities to do so while traveling throughout the country.
For dessert, I fell in love with toffee pudding (and its variations like date pudding). Not a pudding like the custard-like concoction in the US, this pudding is a cake (similar to sponge cake) with toffee sauce and often served with ice cream.

Scottish Restaurant Recommendations

Obviously, there are endless numbers of restaurants in Scotland, and we can’t even begin to say these are the best of the best in the country. From our road trip, here are our favorite restaurants spread across the Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Skye.

Restaurant recommendations: edinburgh

The Conan Doyle - This pub is located in the New Town portion of Edinburgh, right on York Place, a major thoroughfare. Named as such based on proximity to Conan Doyle’s birthplace, it specializes in meat pies and has great fish and chips. The ambiance is what can only be described as perfect pub - cozy, warm, and on the small side with different seating sections that make it feel more homely in the older building. In what might be a record for us, we ate here for 3 meals. Reservations recommended but not required. You can read more about our time in Edinburgh here.

Jolly Judge - This basement pub is tucked away in an alley off the Royal Mile making it convenient for a dining spot when visiting Edinburgh Castle and off the radar of most tourists since you have to know it is there to find it. It was recommended to us by a friend of a friend who has spent significant time in the city. The pub is teeny tiny with a bar, fireplace, a small number of tables, and a very low ceiling. The menu here is shorter - this is more of a pub than a restaurant - but has hearty sandwiches and other options to accompany your brew. When we were there, it was clear that this was a spot for locals instead of tourists.

Restaurant recommendations: grantown-on-spey in the cairngorms

The Craig Bar - Located in the sleepy town of Grantown-on-Spey, tucked into the Cairngorms National Park, this bar has absolutely phenomenal meat pies. Our favorite was the “Moo and Blue” (steak and stilton cheese), and we returned here for dinner both nights we were in town. Reservations are recommended due to the popularity of the place and the small number of dining establishments in town, and it is cash only so stop by an ATM on your way there. The bar is over-the-top decorated in military paraphernalia, making it unique in design. It is worth noting that the owner of the pub is a bit of a personality (this is an understatement). He has strong political and social views that he is not afraid to share widely with patrons and which would generally be considered offensive to most people. You can read more about this on our blog focused on this day of our trip. We feel given the experience, it is important that people be aware of what they’re walking into.

Firhall Highland Bed and Breakfast - There is not a restaurant here open to the public, but we had such a phenomenal stay, amazing breakfasts, and a picnic lunch that this B&B is worth a mention here! Breakfasts start with porridge and guests are provided two different porridge options. Both are delicious and are a finely tuned mix of three different types of oats. Then, guests have a selection of various entrees that vary from day-to-day. Our group had items such as a full Scottish breakfast, strawberry and white chocolate pancakes, and sourdough bread topped with mashed avocado, salmon, and poached eggs. Since returning home, we have recreated their porridge recipe and the salmon dish because we loved them so much! Guests also have the option to order picnic lunches to take while out exploring, which we did when we went for a hike. Not only was the food delicious but the presentation and care put into it was noteworthy - we had real mugs, white cloth napkins, and more tucked in our lunch bags.

restaurant recommendation: Portree, isle of skye

Sea Breezes - Located in the picturesque harbor, this tiny restaurant is a hidden gem. Because of its size and popularity (and the lack of restaurants in Portree for the uptick in tourism), you definitely need to make a reservation here. We got the last reservation of the day at 9:30pm. The food was delicious, the server very friendly and accommodating, and you can’t beat the location right on the water. This restaurant took credit cards, and be aware that parking at the harbor is next to impossible so your best bet is to walk to this restaurant from the town center. You can read more about our time exploring Skye here.

restaurant recommendation: glencoe valley

Clachaig Inn - Tucked away in the valley voted the prettiest in Scotland and surrounded by hikes for all ability levels, Clachaig Inn is both an inn and restaurant. With an emphasis on locally sourced food, this spot marries pub fare with healthier options. The views out the windows are spectacular. Inside, there is a fireplace and a lodge-like feel to the space where we immediately felt at home. Glencoe Valley is quite rural overall, so plan ahead for your food stops and make sure this one is on your list! You can read more about this part of our trip here.

restaurant recommendation: Mallaig

The Cornerstone Seafood Restaurant - After taking the Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William to Mallaig, we were in this port town for lunch. You can read more here about our train trip on the train made famous in Harry Potter. The food at Cornerstone was delicious and the waitstaff is used to having people come in on the train and is good at ensuring everyone is fed and on their way in plenty of time for the return trip. The interior is a little spartan and not anything special, but the views make up for that! We were able to get a table against the window of this second floor restaurant, which offers views of the harbor and makes for good people watching. We had the added bonus of a bagpiper busking on the pier.

restaurant recommendations: callander, in the trossachs national park

The Potting Shed at Roman Camp Hotel - Tucked off to the side of the Roman Camp Hotel is what was literally a potting shed converted into a quaint, adorable restaurant. This spot has essentially no online presence (which is confusing since there is a separate restaurant at Roman Camp Hotel). I can’t speak highly enough of this fine dining spot - the food was absolutely amazing as was the service, and the decor and uniqueness of the shed makes it a one-of-a-kind! Reservations are necessary here, and it can book up quickly. The walk to the potting shed from town is almost out of a storybook with the pink stucco Roman Camp hotel and a tree-lined alleyway en route to the restaurant. You can read more here about our visit to Callander.

Callander Meadows - This fine dining restaurant is in a building on the main street of Callander, and its owners also offer accommodations upstairs. From their website, it appears that at certain times of the year, the restaurant is only available to those staying there overnight and not to the general public. Reservations are recommended when it is open to the public. This is a family-owned and operated spot and so the service came with the warmth and attentiveness that best represents the pride of ownership. The food was delicious. In addition to some specials, there was a small menu to choose from, structured where diners could select a multiple course meal with some choices for each phase.

We hope these tips and recommendations help you as you plan your own trip to Scotland!

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