Five of Scotland’s Most Stylish Restaurants
Scotland is no slouch on the gastronomical carousel and holds its own with the fashionable eateries of New York, London, Paris and Milan. Fancy dressing your best and heading out to one of the country’s most stylish restaurants for brunch, lunch, dinner or cocktails? These are the places to see and be seen in, all with unique and mouthwatering menus…
The Clunie Dining Room at The Fife ArmS
Braemar
Murano chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and a cubistoid mural, The Clunie River by Argentinian artist Guillermo Kuitca, adorns the walls. As you’d expect from a hotel that features more than 14,000 pieces – including antiques and specially commissioned artworks – the menu is something of a masterpiece. The original modern dishes are created using the finest local ingredients and are complemented by subtle Nordic gastronomic influences, all the while showcasing the art of wood-fire cooking, which grants every dish a unique and distinct flavour.
Try the wood-fired pumpkin, smoked onion, goat’s curd, dandelion and rosemary with ember-cooked green and runner beans in pine nut dressing.
Inver Restaurant
Strachur
The incredibly beautiful dishes created by chef Pamela Brunton require a diner’s full and undivided attention – therefore it makes perfect sense that the Inver interior is from the pared-back school of design. The white-washed walls and ceiling, and bleached timber flooring allow the food and the views of Loch Fyne to sing. The very freshest seafood and native meat and game make up the small but perfectly formed menu. Wash it all down with a local craft ale, natural wine or expertly mixed drink. Class act.
The Hoebridge
Gattonside
Nestled just over the bridge from the busy Borders town of Melrose, The Hoebridge sits in the quiet village of Gattonside. The restaurant opened in 2015 and brought a breath of fresh air to the Borders foodie scene. Owners Kyle and Hamish spent time working in New York City and it shows – the customer service is first class and the interiors more NoHo than Kelso. Diners get to enjoy brick walls, wood panelling, exposed eaves, industrial-pendant lighting and hexagonal-tiled flooring softened by lush green foliage and floral artistry by resident florist SM Carruthers. The dishes are just as impressive, serving up delicious seasonal plates from a small menu that changes monthly, reflecting the Scottish seasons.
Iasg at The Blythswood Hotel
Glasgow
A modern seafood brasserie re-imagined through a traditional Scottish lens. Iasg serves up some of the best food Glasgow has to offer, including the most stylish seafood brunch we’ve ever heard of, all beneath copper fixtures and bulb lighting. Lazy, leisurely and absolutely lush, enjoy a cocktail on arrival, then choose from the Ugi Lodge smoked salmon kedgeree with poached egg, or the Crab and prawn thermidor crumpet, or perhaps the Salt cod Benedict bathed in unctuous Hollandaise?
The Lawn at The Marine Hotel
North Berwick
With MasterChef: The Professionals’ and National Chef Of The Year finalist Chris Niven, at the helm, the Lawn restaurant – with its astounding coastal views – is a must visit. The seasonal menu is designed around flavour and simplicity, with the focus firmly on the very best ingredients from East Lothian and the surrounding area, and served in a relaxed but incredibly stylish setting. The Lawn offers an all-day, seasonal, à la carte menu, as well as a set lunch menu that changes daily with dishes such as whole plaice for two with seaweed, lemon & capers and Niven’s take on a classic Cranachan.