The best restaurants in Scotland

I cannot recommend the Oakwood Restaurant and the Highland Lassie enough. Calling ahead to make a reservation and preorder the food was a minor struggle for me—doesn't seem like the cellular reception is great there—but it was absolutely worth the small effort. Bring your own wine if you want it, Oakwood has no liquor license. Also of note: you're on a boat, the small dining room has only one table that seats six. Perhaps we should've expected it, but we were surprised to arrive and find that we were sharing the table with two sets of strangers. Don't shy away, lean into this! We all got to chatting and sharing stories of our lives and experiences, and it made the meal so much more memorable, enjoyable, and special than it would've been otherwise. The food is fantastic, I don't think there's a bad item on the menu, everyone exclaimed about how delicious their meals were, we all cleaned our plates and made room for the fantastic desserts as well. If you have dietary restrictions, let them know when you call, Gus & Gaby will find a way to accommodate you with something special. Gus was very attentive during the meal trying to make sure that everyone was happy. If you have an appreciation for boats, especially wooden boats, dining on the Highland Lassie is an extra special experience. My partner grew up on a wooden boat and knows the craft that goes into them and how much work they are to maintain. We got to talking with Gus and Gaby and they revealed the time and effort they personally put in to restoring the boat (formerly a fishing trawler), designing the wooden decks, rails, and cabins, the types of wood used, and Gus very kindly gave us a tour of the boat after dinner to show her off. She is an absolutely stunning lady with an amazing character and history. The rooms are quite nice, too, if you're considering sleeping on board or taking a cruise! Wonderful experience all around, definitely a memory we will treasure and a highlight of our trip to Loch Ness and the Highlands! Mahalo nui Gus and Gaby, from Angela and Forrest! Aloha from Hawaii and Orkney!

Love it in here the food is absolutely divine. We came for Sunday roasts and didn’t disappoint. Staff are always very polite helpful and cheery. I love the bar too it’s a busy place that says it all in my book. I also love all the old memorabilia as I remember the Citizen newspaper well. Nice to sit in the bar area after lunch/dinner too.

A wonderful stay in the PODS at Oak Tree. Cosy wee cabins with everything you need. Food was warming and just what was needed after a day of hiking. HOWEVER, the highlight of our stay was Jill who served us lunch and breakfast. Such welcoming, attentive and genuinely interested in us attitude. On both occasions Jill greeted us with a huge smile and was genuinely interested in us, her customer service is outstanding, a rare find these days. I will definitely return to The Oak Tree with Jill being a huge part of the reason. Young lady on reception who checked us in was also very welcoming and informative. Thank you Oak Tree, it has restored my faith that fantastic customer Service can still exist. Amanda & Kristina

Kayla has been fabulous all night, from taking our order at the bar to giving us a good laugh whilst finishing our pub quiz.

Coffees the way we like them. Cozy atmosphere to disconnect. Besides, we see it on the tables 🤣. Delicious pastries.

Lovely lunch. Chicken crepe very good. Very friendly staff.

Having never been here before and after reading great reviews about Cote, I decided to book this for my friend and I. On arrival, we were seated immediately at a table under the air conditioning. At first, we welcomed this as it was warm outside, but by the time we left, we were both very cold. For us, the staff were very attentive and friendly and the restaurant has a lovely atmosphere. On the downside, we didn’t think the portion sizes were adequate for main courses and our dauphinoise potatoes didn’t stay warm for long. Dessert was a very disappointing size wise if I’m honest but it was delicious. We had a bottle of wine and a cocktail each. Don’t make the mistake we made and add service charge on as it has already been added on.

Fabulous service. Struggled to get a restaurant and they were so accommodating and looked after us, even ordering a taxi. Food absolutely delicious and fresh. If you get a chance, go. You won't be disappointed.

We have eaten here before and it was really really good, I think it has now changed hands and found it a bit different. Menu choices was more limited than we hoped, prices are higher and service just wasn’t as friendly or attentive. Friday night booking and place was half full. At the end of the meal I asked for coffee and was told the machine had just been cleaned, so no coffee. That was disappointing after spending so much as a group

Visited Cafe Mariana this afternoon after having having a couple of hours free. After a quick Look at the reviews I decided to try it. I was not disappointed. Staff were friendly and welcoming the food was lovely and well priced. The decor is a bit strange and doesn’t really go with the bar or with the menu. But overall I enjoyed my visit and would visit again.

A set price of £43 (plus a 10% service charge) gets you a nice 3 course meal. That works out at £9 for a starter, £9 for dessert and £25 for fish & chips (with peas). £7 will get you a pint of ale at the bar or £7.70 if you order from your table. £29 (plus 10%) will get you the cheapest bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. We’ve eaten here a few times over the past 4 years simply due to there being no competition for miles around. It’s always been decent but overpriced. We ate on a Friday evening and despite being told it was probably going to be busy, only 7 tables out of the available 17 were occupied. The staff were friendly and pretty efficient. Would we go again? Probably, because there’s nowhere else locally. The location and view are excellent, if you go during daylight. At night you won’t be getting any sort of view whatsoever! I know they took some flak in the press for their prices a couple of years ago and reduced them slightly. I’d love to give the place 5 stars and wish them the best but it’s simply too expensive for what it is. Wouldn’t like to see it closed down and derelict though.

We had a great experience at The Willow Tearoom. My mum has always been interested in the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, so having recently moved to Scotland this was a perfect birthday treat. Jamie, our excellent guide gave a well-paced and very informative tour and really engaged the group with the history of The Willows. This was followed by a very interesting exhibition about the tea room, Mackintosh and Miss Cranston. We had then booked afternoon tea in the Salon de Luxe, which was excellent. More fascinating history from Jamie over canapés, followed by a great selection of sandwiches, scones and cakes as well as a staggering choice of tea! Good quality food, great service from the team and a really lovely atmosphere in a special place. This was a really lovely day out and the perfect treat for a Mackintosh fan!

Enjoyed a family dinner. Food was delicious and great service.

So many great vegan options. The fatayir and all of the cold mezza stand out to me as consistently delicious with generous portions. The staff welcomes you with warmth like you’re a family member. I’m always happy to come in and I do miss being within delivery range.

We live locally and cant believe we have not come here more often Best meal Ive had in a long time Staff very friendly and helpful Would highly recommend