Restaurants in Scotland
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Plumed Horse
Smartly suited and booted staff welcome you to this quiet corner of understated elegance, where the muted decor of pale blues and greens, cream leather chairs and crisp white linen places the focus firmly on the exquisitely prepared and presented food. Eight-course tasting menu £65, plus £45 for matching wines.
reviewed
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Pig'Halle
A spacious bistro that presents the very best of pork products through traditional regional French cuisine. The sample platter of charcuterie is fabulous value, there are succulent mains and there's a decent selection of Gallic wines to accompany them. There are other dishes on the menu if pig ain't your thing, and a cheap early dinner deal.
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Passepartout
Hidden down a steep cobbled alley off the Royal Mile, with three indoor seating areas (including a 'cinema room' screening old movies) and a lovely little sun-trap of an outdoor terrace, this French-owned, Indian-inspired bistro offers an eclectic menu of dishes – from lobster with mussels to chickpea curry to kebabs – served as sharing platters for two, which you eat with your fingers. Good fun, and good value.
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Parrot Café
A cracking wee cafe with good coffee and tea, home baking like Mum used to make, and a couple of hot lunch dishes. A mile west of the city centre, near the university.
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D
Mussel Inn
Airy and easygoing, this two-level eatery - a longtime Rose Street favourite in Edinburgh - has recently opened in Scotland's largest city. It specialises in sustainable scallops, oysters, and mussels at affordable prices, served with a smile.
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Mother India
A simple concept pioneered in Glasgow has captured hearts and minds – and stomachs – in Edinburgh: Indian food served in tapas-size portions, so that you can sample a greater variety of different dishes without busting your gut. Hugely popular, so book a table to avoid disappointment.
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Mhor Bread
Great bread for picnics is baked at this high-street spot, also a good stop for decent coffee and tasty pies and filled rolls.
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Mamma Mia
This Old Town split-level favourite has a short menu of southern Italian cuisine augmented by weekly specials, which are definitely worth going for. It shows a sure touch with sea bass and Scottish steaks alike, though it's hard not to feel the pasta dishes are a mite overpriced.
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Loudon's Café & Bakery
A cafe that bakes its own organic bread and cakes on the premises, ethically sourced coffee, daily and weekend newspapers scattered about, even some outdoor tables – what's not to like? All-day brunch (9am to 3pm) served at weekends includes eggs Benedict, warm spiced quinoa with dried fruit, and specials such as blueberry pancakes with fruit salad.
reviewed
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Kings
This buzzy cafe in the centre of town doubles as a bookshop. It does tasty fairtrade coffee, has big windows for observing Dumfries life passing by, and serves toothsome sweet things, breakfasts, and filled rolls.
reviewed
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Kanpai
The latest sushi restaurant to open in Edinburgh goes straight to the top of the charts with its minimalist interior, fresh, top-quality fish and elegantly presented dishes – the squid tempura comes in a delicate woven basket, while the sashimi combo is presented as a flower arrangement in an ice-filled stoneware bowl.
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Judith Glue Real Food Cafe
At the back of a lively craft shop opposite the cathedral, this cafe serves toothsome sandwiches and salads, as well as daily specials and succulent seafood platters. There's an emphasis on sustainable and organic ingredients, but put the feelgood factor aside for a moment to fight for a table.
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Joy of Taste
Here's a novel concept – a restaurant run by a head chef and 25 volunteers who work a shift a week just for 'the love of creating a beautiful restaurant' (plus a share of the profits). And a very good job they're making of it, with a menu of classic British cuisine – from broccoli and stilton soup to lemon posset via Scottish sirloin – and a growing fan club of satisfied customers.
reviewed
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Jamie's Italian
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver gives his take on regional Italian food in this buzzy eatery on George Sq. Though service is variable, there's a lot to like, with rustic designer red metal chairs, a deli counter, and a menu using superior quality British produce in time-honoured Mediterranean ways. The antipasti planks are particularly good.
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Granite Park
This smart new restaurant is the talk of the town, taking Scottish favourites such as venison, haddock and smoked salmon and giving them an Asian or Mediterranean twist. Best to book.
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Glass House
Casual but comfortable, this restaurant offers plenty of light in its split-level, open kitchen dining area. The menu is basically Italian, with attractively presented pizzas and pastas popular with students. But a handful of daily specials offer more Scottish meat and game choices of notable quality.
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Fusion
This chic and trendy bar-bistro in the upmarket Golden Square district has a menu that is true to its name, blending Scottish west-coast mussels with creamy curry sauce and onion bread, and giving slow-roast pork belly the French-Spanish treatment by serving it with cassoulet and garnishing with chorizo and Serrano ham.
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Foveran
Three miles from Kirkwall on the Orphir road, this is one of Orkney's best dining options, but surprisingly affordable for the quality on offer. In a tranquil location with a cosy eating area overlooking the sea, it's at its best presenting classic Orcadian ingredients – the steak with haggis and whisky sauce is feted throughout the region, while the North Ronaldsay lamb comes with meat from four different cuts and is deliciously tender. A medley of toothsome vegetables accompanies the mains, and interesting wines complement the dishes. If you like the spot – and why wouldn't you? – there are rooms available (single/double £78/116).
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Fern Cottage
Just off the main road through town, this has plenty of atmosphere with its intimate candlelit tables, stone walls and creaky wooden floor. The menu combines Scottish favourites such as lamb and salmon with Eastern Mediterranean dishes such as moussaka, tsatziki and mixed meze plates to good effect. Outdoor tables are the spot for lunching if the weather's kind.
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Falls of Dochart Inn
In a prime position overlooking the falls, this is a terrific pub, a snug, atmospheric space with a roaring fire, personable service and really satisfying, great-value food, ranging from light meals to tasty, tender steaks and a couple of more advanced creations. The rooms (single/double from £60/80) are handsome but a few glitches like poor heating let some of them down.
reviewed
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Cups
Set in a converted chapel, it's all about teas and delicious home-baked scones and cakes at this little tearoom near the ferry. It also does good breakfast choices and a nice line in baked potatoes and sandwiches, going for classic flavour combinations but with high-quality local ingredients.
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Coltman's
This main street deli has numerous temptations, such as excellent cheeses and Italian smallgoods, as well as perhaps Scotland's tastiest sausage roll - buy two to avoid the walk back for another one. Behind the shop, the good-looking dining area serves up confident bistro fare and light snacks with a variety of culinary influences, using top-notch local ingredients.
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Coffee House
A bright and appealing cafe with long refectory tables and benches, serving sandwiches on organic bread, soups, herbal teas and great cappuccinos.
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Cocoa Black
Chocaholics should make a beeline for this friendly cafe, where exquisite cakes and other patisserie offerings will satisfy any cacao-focused cravings. They also run a school where you can learn to make them yourself.
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Chippy Doon The Lane
Don't be put off by it's location in a down-at-heel alleyway off the shopping precinct: this is a cut above your average chip shop. Sustainable seafood is served in a chic space, all old-time brick, metal archways and jazz. Otherwise, chow down on your takeaway at the wooden tables in the lane or out on Buchanan Street itself.
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