an dárna in Stirling

I do love small plates and have had many tasting menus, but these dishes are just a bit too small in my opinion. one of the dishes was haggis but there really wasn't enough and I could hardly taste it. The halibut dish was slightly overpowered by the other ingredients on the dish and some of the dishes needed a touch more seasoning. The service was great. Toilets were very cold.

Incredible food, so many delicious and exciting flavours, lovingly presented. It feels like a really luxurious treat without being at all stuffy or intimidating. The service was quick and welcoming, the person working our table was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about each plate, no pressure to upsell wines or anything, just really lovely atmosphere and wonderful, special food. Very reasonable price for what you get. Only thing I would change would be a better music playlist, but it really doesn't matter.

Awesome place that provides a variety of contemporary take on local dishes. You have 15 options to choose from, you can select 5 in a single go, it is also possible to order wine specifically pre-selected for each meal. 🤌🏻 The atmosphere is lovely and cozy, the staff is polite and welcoming. Booking a table in advance is recommended. 😎 Great addition to visiting Stirling castle. ☀️

Give them credit for trying but the price does not match the ambition. Not even close. The best elements of this expensive £30+ set menu (your only option) are great tasting haddock and sea bass in tiny quantities. However, an uncleaned table, odd service tempo, a roughshod interior, low quality wines in the expensive wine pairing menu, and dishes that promise much more than they deliver makes this a disappointing experience for anyone expecting a dining experience worthy of £70 per head.

Interesting place that serves an innovative menu of small dishes that are nicely put together with a touch of fine dining flair. The restaurant is buzzy with attentive and enthusiastic staff. They offer a tasty wine pairing which works but there is no provenance for the 5 little glasses of wine and the wine waiter, although enthusiastic didn’t present any actual bottles at table. The food was tasty and just enough for a light dinner. It’s a successful formula for dinner at s good price. The restaurant is nicely furnished too.

Great meal, w/ winepairing. Lovely owner and staff. Very nice flavourcombinations. If we’re ever in the neighbourhood we’ll certainly be back.

Had a five-course lunch and enjoyed everything. Excellent service as well as atmosphere.

Real little bit of luxury. Service was fantastic, food was delicious. Staff are very knowledgeable with the paired wines and service always with a smile. Will definitely be back.

Great food choice & sublime tastes. Perfect combinations, will definitely be back.

Amazing experience. We were so happy to have found an darna for dinner, as we only spent one night in stirling. Was a perfect ending to our 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 vacation. Highly recommend, loved the 5-course dinner and the wine pairing.

You are presented with a menu consisting of 5 rows each with 3 dishes. You choose 1 dish from each row. We also chose to have the paired wines. This was really excellent and the food and wines were expertly explained by the waiting staff. A very good experience.

First time here and will definitely return. This was a gift voucher and we did not know what to expect. WOW! the taster menu changes every 5 weeks and the food we had last night was beyond our expectations. The seabass, beef cheek, duck, apple dish etc were all beautifully presented. The waiting staff explained what was in each dish, they were attentive but not intrusive. We could see into the kitchen where all staff (wearing kilts) looked happy. The restaurant was busy all night. Thank you to everyone.

Tasting menu with a wide variety of dishes. Everything very good and a different kind of dining experience. From memory, I had a duck dish, chicken dish artichoke dish and a cheesecake. Missing one from my memory, but it was all very nice. Not huge plates, but nice tastes and presentation. Wine/ Beer with plates.

Fantastic tasting menu and extremely well priced, great concept and well executed

Was late arriving into Stirling and stumbled across this delightful restaurant, a super find, great food, lovely staff and great value for money, all in all a great experience. Thank you👍

Great lunch, amazing wine pairing and an absolute bargain at the price. I’d go to Stirling just to go here again.

Always something new and interesting- keep up the excellent work

Just read other reviews - best experience by far, and not just in Scotland. Amazing atmosphere. Waiters and barmen are utter professionals. Food & wine - out of this world. You will be lucky to have a place there.

Loved the whole experience- would highly recommend

First on the palate was the salmon, kelp-cured and accompanied by fermented rhubarb, frozen buttermilk, pickled apple, and grain mustard. The salmon's rich flavor harmonized beautifully with the subtle umami of the kelp, yet the variety of temperatures among the ingredients left a discordant note on the palate. Next, the monkfish, adorned with cashew butter, kohlrabi noodles, and a green Thai curry foam, topped with puffed rice. A creamy curry with a delightful kick of spice elevated the dish to sublime heights. Moving on to the langoustine paired with pork shoulder, apple & rose puree, langoustine bisque, and pork & pink peppercorn powder. While the sauces complemented the pork admirably, the seasoning fell short, leaving the meat lacking in flavor. Seabass followed, accompanied by Arbroath smokie, white beans, black pudding, and lemon & herb broth. A surprising symphony of flavors emerged as the black pudding harmonized unexpectedly well with the delicate fish, while the perfectly crisp fish skin and butter-infused flesh tantalized the taste buds. For dessert, tiramisu stole the show with mascarpone ice cream, coffee gel, ladyfinger, and malted latte dust. Visually stunning, yet the lack of sweetness left the palate yearning for more.

Visited with my wife for a special birthday celebration. We had a fine evening, good varied selections on each level of 5 course tasting menu, each selection on being served was enthusiasticly and perfectly described by our server Kirsten. We both enjoyed all courses served up to us, quality was excellent, portion sizes are just about right and certainly in line with pricing. We will return.

Exceptional food quality and service. Our favourite restaurant. Always exquisite.

What can I say about this place other than Oh My God. It was unbelievable. An absolute gem of a find for our trip to Scotland. We had been to The Kitchin in Edinburgh the day before and didn't think anything would beat that - we were wrong. This place has to be one of the best places I've ever eaten. I enjoyed every dish and everything I tried from my husband's plate. The lamb course and the beef course were to die for, and my husband raved about the monkfish. It's an absolute bargain too. Just gutted we don't live locally or we'd be there every menu! Staff were attentive and knowledgeable, especially given it was only menu day 2. Cosy and comfortable atmosphere.

If I could have given more than 5 stars for the food and service I would have. Booked in with a couple of friends in December, and every course (with accompanying drink) was amazing, as was the staff members' knowledge and explanation of each. Definitely worth a visit, it was a fantastic experience, hopefully get in again very soon.

Absolutely delightful tasting menu that we expected to be good, but still managed to exceed our expectations! We went here as a group of 4 to try out this highly recommended place and I can honestly say it lives up to the hype. As I understand it normally there's a set tasting menu on a 5 week rotation, but we came at just the right time where they're doing a 'best of 2023' menu so we had 5 courses, each being a choice of 3 dishes; 2 meat and one veg. I won't go into minute detail, since by the time anyone reading this actually goes they won't even be on the menu anymore - but just know that every dish was excellently prepared, thoughtful, delicious, fancy without being pretentious and served at a decent tempo. My favourite: Oyster (1 of 5). Served fresh with a sort of 'side salad' which was these little cucumber balls in a tasty sauce, some flavourful ice shavings on top and then a little tangle of fragrant leaf/stems (I forget what they were exactly) and then a squid ink twirl (crunchy, like a biscuit) on top. Overall it was wonderfully fresh and light, and the perfect start to the meal. Wife's favourite: Duck (4 of 5). The meat was tender, the taste was fresh and light. Well balanced, the lavender vinegar complimented the rich duck meat harmoniously. There were the odd mis-steps, but nothing that threw off an entire dish. For example the polenta was a little heavy-handed, the outside too tough/chewy; the pork was tasty, but I felt it would have been tastier if it was served hotter; the banana flavour was completely lost in the mix of caramel and cream dessert. However all of these things were extremely minor, this is more notes for the chef and honest feedback. The service was great, knowledgeable and friendly staff explained every dish, answered questions (and there were many, because my parents are a bit extra...) supremely patiently and I felt most importantly the service didn't feel rushed. It gave the meal a feeling of culinary exploration that we were given the time to properly absorb. And finally, the thing that seals the 5 star rating from me, and the thing that all my ratings are relative to: the price. For a meal of that quality, with that many courses, to only come in at £40 per head is incredible value. Yes, they could probably bump that up and get away with it, but would my review be quite as glowing or would I be planning a second visit if they did? Maybe not.

One of the best restaurants in Scotland. Really excellent food and service

A disappointing dinner, each dish while beautifully presented was lacking in flavour. What was described as a parmesan crisp on one dish was soft and soggy. The Pheasant was tough and dry. I had really hoped a a great meal but this was a real let down. Staff were attentive and friendly

Really good tasty food! Didn’t just look nice, but it tasted amazing! We also left full!! The service was also excellent 👌🏻 great family day out

Delicious and flavourfull food prepared with great attention to detail.

Excellent restaurant! Really lovely service and the food is delicious!

You wont find a more considerate menu. The food was exceptional and presented perfectly. We also got the wine pairing - super interactive and the waiter took the time to explain the wine in detail. Loved the idea that the menu shifts to the seasonal produce. Michelin, I hope you're keeping an eye out!

An excellent new restaurant in Stirling. We visited an dárna with a number of high-profile guests for a conference dinner and had a fantastic evening. The food was very good and the same can be said about the service. The value for money is unbeatable, too. £37 for 5 excellent courses with plenty of choices (each course had a meat, fish or vegetarian option). We will definitely be back!

Delicious tasting menu dinner Great range of choices - 5 courses and 3 options each course There were 5 of us and we received great service with a well-informed waitress Each course was really lovely and interesting The presentation was gorgeous too Lovely wine menu also

Food, wine pairings, service all excellent. Its a tasting menu, so portions are small but perfect. It's a lovely dining experience.

Amazing food, with perfect wine pairings. Staff were super lovely too.

Booked here having read the previous reviews, the food was just as good as others have said. Even though the portions are small, the quality is excellent and we both still left feeling full. If I lived locally I'd definitely be back regularly!

Absolutely flawless experience. We had an incredible time at An Darna. The delicious food was a perfect reflection of their culinary expertise, and the excellently paired wines enhanced every course. The staff were not only friendly and knowledgeable but also made the evening truly memorable. A must-visit for food enthusiasts!

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!! Cannot recommend enough. Every single dish was not only beautifully presented but was beyond delicious. Our server Che was another highlight of our evening -warm, pleasant, knowledgable about the dishes. 10/10 fantastic spot!!!

Amazing dinning experience best meal I've had in a long time and I have eaten in many restaurants the Chef knows his stuff would highly recommend

Just had an amazing sxperience at this beautiful restaurant tonight. Loved the creative 5 course menu - beautiful flavours served with imagination. Menu changes every 5 weeks to reflect fresh seasonal produce. Very professional waiter. Thank you.

It has to be 5 star all the way, it's an experience not to be missed, you won't be disappointed!

The most wonderful restaurant. Fabulous food and brilliant staff.

an incredible place to eat, the menu choices are fantastic and the food is faultless, from presentation to taste each dish I had was outstanding, looking forward to my next visit.

Durch Zufall in Sterling entdeckt, das beste Essen, was wir vor Ort hatten. Der Service unbeschreiblich! Wir hatten zu unserem fünf Gang Menü die Weinbegleitung. Ein kulinarischer Hochgenuss mit perfekt abgestimmt, Weinen und den dazu passenden Erklärungen. Hoffentlich gibt es dieses Lokal noch sehr lange in Stirling.

What a wonderful way to celebrate my birthday with my family. The food was amazing, tantalising the taste buds with all the flavours and textures. I particularly enjoyed the wine pairing which was really good value for the quality and quantity served. The service was unobtrusive, yet efficient and informative. Great place. Lucky people of Stirling to have this place on your doorstep. Will definitely return next time we come up from Wales. Diolch am y bwyd a'r croeso!

Amazing tasting menu. The best one yet and I have done a few now. The level of knowledge for each course and the corresponding wine was impressive. The best thing was the lovely chef adapted every course to be gluten free as I have Coeliac Disease. 100% recommend.

We (a group of 4) dined here last night. The food was lovely and tasty, very petite portions so don’t expect to be full from the tasting menu, but then it’s a tasting menu. Staff were good. Reasonably priced. Worked out approx £60 pp There is a but… The seats we were on/ cubicle fixed seating and the one bench was angled but not the table, The seats were not comfy, need some padding) so quite uncomfortable having to be perched far away from your food - that’s a 2 start rating plus whatever resin stuff is on table is soft and stuck to my husbands arms and arm hair. Bread was a little too crunchy and I have my teeth! Overall a pleasant evening

The concept really works for our group of four who enjoy different options of ingredients. Food is amazing, with local, seasonal produce and the service is excellent. Plan to be there for a while to fully enjoy the experience

Fabulous food and service impeccable. Good eating places in Stirling are rare - if they are good they disappear quickly unfortunately. Don't know why. Let's hope this one does well - you deserve it. The very best in Stirling at the moment and we have tried them all! Can't wait to go back. Highly,highly recommended.

Such a lovely meal! Great food and lovely wine pairings too. Would highly recommend.

A fantastic addition to Stirling. An affordable, tasting experience. Delicious food, excellent service with a very personal touch and a chilled, laid back vibe. Id also suggest the wine pairing ....fantastic value and delicious wines. Will absolutely be making this a regular thing.

Every single course was better than the last, and the best I’d ever tasted. I loved it. The waiter explained each dish and each of the wines so eloquently. We will certainly be back!

Another superb meal at An Darna. Ian and his team take customer service to a new level - I even know what 'confit' means now!

Tremendously delicious food. Amazing flavours. Excellent menu and concepts. Staff were warm, friendly and knowledgeable.

Ate here on Saturday lunch time, it wasn't overly busy but others eating appeared to be repeat visitors which was a good sign. The service was very good, the waiter knew his stuff on both the menu and the matching wines. The actual tasting menu had a really good selection to choose from, and everything we ordered was well cooked & presented and very tasty. The optional matching wines were good, the shiraz and the desert wines being the stars. The tasting menu and wines (most are not on the main wine menu) changes monthly, so we'll be looking to visit again.

Had a wonderful lunch 🥰 The food was great, the wine was fantastic and the waiter was really helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. How he remembered all the details about the food and wine I have no idea. I didn't get his name unfortunately, but it was Saturday 1st April at 2pm. He was happy to show us the bottles of wine we particularly liked on our way out, really nice guy. We'll definitely be back! Jen xxx

Great food extremely tasty and well presented at reasonable prices. Lovely atmosphere and had no issues with being Gluten Free. Really enjoyed our first visit and looking to book again.

Absolutely amazing. 5 course lunch with matching wines. As good as it gets. Look no further!! 😋😋

Absolutely fantastic meal (food and wine paring). Great atmosphere and staff are so friendly and knowledgeable. This is just what Stirling has needed for so long.

Amazing night! Hosts were fantastic, food was brilliant. Great to have food a class above in Stirling. Will come back again!

Fantastic restaurant, had the most amazing meal. Tasty food and great service. Will definitely be back 🥰

Great concept, wonderful dishes and wine pairings with attentive friendly and knowledgeable service. Fabulous! We shall be back again

Food was amazing, the cost of the tasting menu can not be beat. The service was slow bit we put that down to teething problems as it was just open. Nit really the restaurant fault but there was a group of men who were very drunk and one was throwing up in the bathroom and they were loud and obnoxious. But boy the food was divine

We went to dine in on Thursday 23/2/23. The restaurant is conveniently placed in a busy and lively street full of light and colours and there is a parking lot in walking distance from the place. An Dàrna immediately catches your eye from outside, and once you go in, you can see it is a comfortable, full-of-atmosphere small restaurant. It features an open kitchen where you can see the talented chef at work on his dishes. The owner welcomed us and showed us what he did with the place. The dining area is small but very comfortable. There are lovely booths on one side, table and couches on the other side. The dining area is lovely and we'll decorated and you can see lovely details in everything, even the salt and pepper dispensers. In An Dàrna you have a fixed menu (but changing every 5 weeks!!!) with 5 courses. Each course presents 3 options: vegan, fish and meat. The last course is a dessert. Me and my fiancé chose our combinations based on our taste and ended up having not one dish in common! The amount of customisation makes it so you may have variety between your friends. The owner, Iain, is a gracious host and gives great suggestions on the wines, and chats you up while you wait (and the wait is minimal) between one course and the next. We were served this delicious home-baked bread with flavoured butter. Both were so good! The dishes themselves are a work of art. We are Italians and very skittish with food. The quality of the ingredients is top. The presentation is amazing. I still remember my beef cheek: it melts in your mouth! Or my chicken thigh with that retro-taste of peanut butter. Divine! Between each course, the owner or the chef himself would come to describe the dishes and all the ingredients in it. Every guest that went home before us, complimented the chef and the owner, and with good reason! I cannot recommend An Dàrna enough! I am definitely coming back in a couple of weeks to check out their new menu!

Amazing food and service. Fabulous tasting menu and perfect wine pairing. Lovely staff. We will definitely be back.

The food, the atmosphere, the service, everything was absolutely amazing! We will definitely come back soon !

Wonderful new restaurant for Stirling. Excellent flavours. Amazing cooking. Knowledge staff. Delicious wine flight. Incredible value for money.

Amazing creative tasting menus! The food was fantastic. Will definitely be back!

What a great and long awaited addition to Stirling’s restaurant scene. Delicious dining with great service to match. Very tasty and well designed menus, all beautifully crafted and delivered. Definitely not for fast food aficionados. Thank you An Darna.

Really nice atmosphere and the food was beautifully presented. Every course was spot on and every element on the dish complemented each other really well. A very unique experience and I will be sure to come back!

Incredible dining experience! The food was superb and nothing like we have ever had before. The wine pairing was perfectly matched with the tasting menu and I couldn’t fault one course. The service was spectacular and the team really know their stuff. An Darna is an amazing addition to Stirling and we will definitely be back!