Celebrity chef Nick Nairn and his wife Julia have opened an exciting new restaurant with a focus on outdoor dining and lifestyle store at Port of Menteith in Stirlingshire.

With a relaxed indoor area and large garden, Nick’s at Port of Menteith is on the site of the Nick Nairn Cookschool on the shores of Lake of Menteith in the heart of the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park.

With Nick himself often in the kitchen, the menu changes daily focusing on the availability of seasonal produce: from langoustines and lobster to perfectly aged beef. Seafood is sourced from acclaimed fishmonger Willie Little in nearby Crieff with the best catch of the day featuring in dishes. Other suppliers include Leckie Farm’s eggs and Fife’s Buffalo Farm mozzarella & ice cream.

In addition, specialist pizza chef, Paul Hughes, has taken the helm at the pizza oven. Paul, who has focused on pizza cookery with Nick Nairn for five years, will serve up a range of Roma-style pizzas made using five-day aged dough. Toppings include Great Glen venison salami, Campbells haggis, Katy Rodger’s crowdie, and a North African-inspired speciality with Chicken Shwarma, rose harissa, chermoula, toasted pine nuts, brandy-soaked raisins and pomegranate.

Nick’s at Port of Menteith seats 40 inside the light-filled dining room, with glass doors opening onto a further 100 covers outside under a stretch tent, and a series of pergolas clad with festoon lights. The space has been landscaped with new raised beds and is likely to be popular for families, with youngsters able to explore the gardens overlooking open fields.

A new lifestyle store features a range of cookware classics, cookery books, carefully selected tableware and interiors items; from locally made lighting (Jaggy Thistle Crafts) and textiles (Amy Britten) to glassware and candles, honey from nearby hives (Callander honey) and beers (Harviestoun), alongside Nick’s own gin.

Lockdown has given Nick and Julia a newfound passion for gardening and this is reflected not only in the garden and shop but throughout the space.

Nick, who has been passionately vocal about the effects COVID lockdowns have had on the hospitality industry said: “This has been an incredibly tumultuous year for our family and our business so Nick’s at Port of Menteith heralds an exciting moment for the whole team. We’ve developed things that we, and many others, have taken pleasure from during lockdown – from outdoor eating in beautiful natural surroundings to the simplicity of enjoying really great food and drink in a relaxed setting. I’m really looking forward to sharing this special place and being able to develop dishes from the best ingredients I can source on a daily basis.”

Nick’s at Port of Menteith is a 50-minute car journey from Glasgow, Edinburgh and their associated airports, or a short 25-minute drive from Stirling train station.

Nick’s at Port of Menteith is open now (Thurs – Sat 12 noon – 8.30pm and Sun 12 noon – 6pm). Reservations can be made by calling 01877 389900.

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