The most beautiful restaurants in Scotland

Address: 1 Montrose Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5DJ
Website: montroserestaurant.co

Lookout by Gardener’s Cottage, Carlton Hill

The Lookout offers some of the city’s best views that stretch from the North Sea to the east right over to Edinburgh Castle in the west. The top seats in the house are found in the joining of the floor-to-ceiling windows that form two sides of the restaurant, where your table feels like it’s floating above the capital in its very own glass box. Behind you the open kitchen keeps things entertaining, while friendly service and an interesting set menu round out the experience. During the winter, days are short, so head over at lunchtime for daylight vistas.

Address: 38 Calton Hill, Edinburgh EH7 5AA
Website: thelookoutedinburgh.co

Lyla, City Centre

Stuart Ralson is a hospitality heavyweight with four restaurants in Edinburgh - Tipo, Noto and Aizle, plus a 2023 opening, Lyla. A seafood-focused tasting menu is served in the dining room, which used to be run by the late Paul Kitching as the well-loved 21212 (his wife still runs rooms upstairs). Now, it’s been freshened up with an all-neutral scheme that we can only think its previous proprietor would approve of. Its sky-scraping ceilings are ornate with mouldings and typical of old Scottish grandeur, while the crisp white linens and precision-laid tables bring things bang up to date.

Address: 3 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5AB
Website: lylaedinburgh.co.uk

IJ Mellis, Edinburgh

A cheesemonger first and foremost, IJ Mellis draws in city folk and visitors to Edinburgh’s buzzing Morningside neighbourhood. Upon entering, you’re instantly surrounded by artisanal, local hand-picked cheeses, as well as delicious jams, honey and pickles. But the best way to experience this place is by sitting down on a rickety wooden chair with platters of charcuterie, wedges of the shop's favourites, crumbly Scottish oatcakes and a glass of wine. It’s the UK’s answer to a Parisian wine bar.

Address: IJ Mellis, 330 Morningside Road, Edinburgh EH10 4QJ
Website: mellischeese.net

The Gardener’s Cottage, Edinburgh

This has reigned as one of Edinburgh’s old-school classics since 2012, and, as the name suggests, the space is quaint, cosy and airy, with two small rooms and wooden communal tables. As the home-grown vegetables and herb gardens out front indicate, the ethos is using simple and fresh ingredients. Food and drink are hyper-local and seasonal with no frilly nonsense – garden herb salads, heritage tomatoes with nasturtium oil, and mussels with saffron have all been seen on the menu.

Address: The Gardener’s Cottage, Royal Terrace Gardens, 1 London Road, Edinburgh EH7 5DX
Website: thegardenerscottage.co

Noto, Edinburgh

As a relative newcomer to Edinburgh’s excellent food scene, Noto properly strips it back to basics. While the food does the talking at Stuart Ralston’s second city endeavour (he’s also the head chef and owner of tasting-menu-only restaurant Aizle), it’s the interiors that you’ll notice first. Unassuming plain white walls are covered in wispy ripples of dried twigs, while dangling exposed bulbs and minimal dark furniture make the dining room feel sleek. Sample the Japanese-inspired dishes – airy sesame prawn toast with bonito flakes and buttermilk-fried rabbit with miso mustard are starters of note.

Address: Noto, 47a Thistle Street, Edinburgh EH2 1DY
Website: notoedinburgh.co.uk

Timberyard, Edinburgh

Beautiful Scandi-inspired interiors – clean white walls, delicate glassware, neutral-toned crockery – fill one of Edinburgh’s best seasonal restaurants. In this artfully converted 19th-century warehouse near the city’s Grassmarket, Nordic-style dishes are served using farm-fresh ingredients from local suppliers. Kick-off with a small plate of housemade pickles and ferments or the milk loaf with whipped crowdie, ramson and sesame before bigger feasts of turbot and sea beet with cockles, clams and vermouth, plus a side of crushed Mayan gold potatoes.

Address: Timberyard, 10 Lady Lawson Street, Edinburgh EH3 9DS
Website: timberyard.co

The Witchery by the Castle, Edinburgh

This is Gothic revival at its best – outrageous, over the top, deliciously romantic and fun. Dark oak panelling, tapestries and low-slung Merlot-red booths fill the hotel’s baroque Witchery restaurant set in a 16th-century merchant's house. It is the perfect place for a decadent Scottish-inspired afternoon tea of Edinburgh Gin-cured salmon with dill crème fraîche on rye, haggis bonbons with curried pineapple chutney and a special tea blend from St Andrews.

Address: The Witchery by the Castle, Castlehill, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2NF
Website: thewitchery.com

The most beautiful restaurants in Glasgow

Widely regarded as Scotland’s most creative city, Glasgow has plenty to recommend it including a thriving cultural scene, a fascinating industrial past and of course some of the best restaurants in the country. Glasgow’s most beautiful restaurants are a wonderful mix of cosy Italian-Scot trattorias serving fresh pasta, swish hotel eateries with glossy interiors and Michelin starred spots that deal in tasting menus and top-class wine lists. In short, there really are beautiful venues for every occasion below. While you’re in town, why not check out some of our favourite free things to do in Glasgow.

Unalome by Graeme Cheevers, Finnieston

One of only two Michelin-starred restaurants in the city, Unalome is a relatively recent addition to Glasgow’s best restaurants set, having opened in 2021. Awards soon followed, and with it, a constant pilgrimage of diners looking for clever food in a smart setting. Cheevers describes his food as innovative, an approach that can split the crowd with boundary-pushing dishes like tuna tartare with bergamot and oyster cream. Whatever it is, it’s not boring. There’s theatre via the semi-open kitchen, and the warm wood details and soft green upholstery keep the visuals elegant.

Address: 36 Kelvingrove Street, Glasgow G3 7RZ
Website: unalomebygc.com

Celentano’s, Cathedral Quarter

Cool rather than pretty, Celentano’s effortless look is the product of plenty of hard work by husband and wife team Anna and Dean Parker whose use of panelled walls and dark wood furniture creates a distinctly contemporary feel without losing sight of the building’s 1877 origins. Traditional checkerboard floors and wonky, winding staircases add to the charm, and at the weekend, the first-floor dining room is open, which offers room for larger tables and views of Glasgow’s east end. The whole menu is worth a try, but don’t skip the snacks - especially the umami bombs that are porcini lasagne fritti.

Address: 28-32 Cathedral Square, Glasgow G4 0XA
Website: celentanosglasgow.com

Gloriosa, Finnieston

Chef Rosie Healey’s Gloriosa was a success from the moment it opened, and its popularity hasn’t waned with Finneston’s foodie crowd since. The Italian-leaning, shape-shifting menu is in a permanent state of change to keep things interesting and aligned with the seasons. Kick off with the now-famous focaccia before enjoying sharing plates of pasta and dishes where vegetables take centre stage. The restaurant itself profits from plenty of natural light in summer and a cosy wood burner in winter. All year round the flickering candlelight, sweeping central bar, hand-painted wall mural and potted plants add a touch of creative flair.

Address: 1321 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8AB
Website: gloriosaglasgow.com

isag at the Blythswood, Glasgow

Set inside the smart Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel, isag is a modern British brasserie with Scottish flair. Copper fixtures and bulb lighting blend Art Deco design with Art Nouveau fun. But it’s the striking central bar that people flock to, with coffee-leather stools, sea-green, scale-like tiles and strong cocktails.

Address: isag, 11 Blythswood Square, Glasgow G2 4AD
Website: boandbirdy.com

The most beautiful restaurants in the Highlands and Islands

There’s a reason the Highlands is high up on many people’s destination bucket list - it’s a truly awe-inspiring swathe of rugged hills, lochs and glens and is as ideally suited for romantic getaways as action-packed family holidays. In fact, according to gov.uk, Scotland had the highest proportion of holiday visits of anywhere in the UK in 2022 as it exploded as a must-stay spot for tourists. As well as being home to some of the country’s best hotels, the Highlands and Islands play host to some of the most beautiful restaurants in Scotland.

Fish Shop, Ballater

Russell Sage Studio famously created the Fife Arms Hotel’s eclectic interiors nearby, and have worked their magic on the Fish Shop too, albeit in a contrasting style. Light, airy design leans into the restaurant’s offering with boat installations, fishing nets, and a suspended fish sculpture. Everywhere you look you’ll discover new details which set the scene for an unpretentious but glorious celebration of Scottish seafood. Partners Marcus and Jasmine Sherry are behind the venture and have created a rare restaurant that feels like both a treat and a comfortable old favourite all at once.

Address: 3 Netherley Place, Ballater, AB35 5QE
Website: fishshopballater.co.uk

Mingary Castle, Ardnamurchan

Perched high on the cliffs of the Ardnamurchan peninsula, this striking restaurant profits from a dramatic location. Straight ahead is the Isle of Mull, while directly below the Atlantic Ocean whips its froths against the rocks, adding a backing track to chef-patron Colin Nicholson’s cookery. Inside the 13th-century fortified castle, there’s a dining room clad in traditional wooden panelling, with atmospheric lighting and crisp, white-clothed tables taking centre stage. The food is tasting menu only territory. While plates change seasonally, you might expect hand-dived scallops with roe parfait followed by the rump of hogget with wild garlic and anchovy.

Address: Mingary Castle, Kilchoan PH36 4LH
Website: mingarycastle.co.uk

Wild Kabn Kitchen, Loch Fyne

For a unique experience, Wild Kabn Kitchen on the West Coast offers something truly out of the ordinary. Less of a restaurant and more of a supper club, you have to purchase tickets to attend. In return, you’ll find a table set in the pretty walled garden or the candlelit greenhouses of Ardkinglas Estate on the edge of Loch Fyne. Here, chef William Hamer presents a six-course menu from his Argentinian outdoor kitchen, a space centred around open-fire cooking. Expect food that honours local, sustainable ingredients, plus detailed explanations from William as you meander through the flame-infused menu.

Address: Ardkinglas Estate, Cairndow PA26 8BG
Website: wildkabnkitchen.com

The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant, Perthshire

The Glenturret claims to be the oldest working whisky distillery in Scotland. It also claims that one of its former resident cats, Towser, personally liquidated no fewer than 28,899 mice over the course of its long lifetime. Hmm. What can be said with greater certainty is that the brand’s whisky is excellent, its setting in woodland beside the River Turret is gorgeous, and the opening of its new fine-dining restaurant is happy news indeed. The impetus for doing so came from Lalique, the French glassmaker, which bought a 50 per cent stake in The Glenturret Distillery in 2019. Lalique already owned two Michelin-starred restaurants in Alsace and Bordeaux, the latter of which is attached to a distinguished winery. But this sort of high-end, on-site drinkie-foodie combo is a first for Scotland. The restaurant occupies a converted pagoda next door to the whisky-making space. The abundance of Lalique glassware on display and in use is impossible to miss – not least at the ravishing Art Deco bar, which might have been transported from Twenties Shanghai. An ambitious tasting menu by Glasgow-born chef Mark Donald, previously of Number One at The Balmoral in Edinburgh, showcases locally sourced and foraged Scottish produce (the spring lamb with white asparagus, morels and haggis waffle was outstanding). Whisky, of course, features, though subtly and often surprisingly, to the extent that a simple sourdough made with malted barley from the adjacent mill almost stole the show. Steve King

Address: The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant, The Glenturret Distillery, The Hosh, Crieff PH7 4HA, Scotland
Website: theglenturretrestaurant.com

The Boatshed, Loch Goil

A social media sensation, The Boatshed Cafe is primarily popular for its unbeatable setting. It has a deck that extends out over the edge of Loch Goil, which must make it one of the prettiest places for a soup and a sandwich in the country. It operates a no-bookings policy, is only open until 4pm, and parking is scarce. Despite its limitations, its situation helps it secure praise from customers who come for the views, simple, hearty fare and homemade cakes. Once you’ve eaten, head down to the jetty where you can hire boats to explore the loch on.

Address: Loch Goil Cruisers, Cairndow PA24 8AE
Website: instagram.com

Inver, Stratchur

We named Inver, just out of reach from buzzing Glasgow on the quiet shores of Loch Fyne, one of the UK’s best restaurants with rooms. Head to this less-frequented corner of Scotland for interesting twists on traditional Caledonian cooking artfully dreamt up by chef Pamela Brunton and her partner Rob Latimer. It’s got the views to match. Large picture windows look out on bobbing boats, far-away snow-capped mountains and the occasional heron pecking on silver sands – the ideal backdrop for dining on fresh, meaty oysters smoked cod's roe with green gooseberry and pink beetroot or chef’s picks on the four-course tasting menu. We suggest washing it all down with local craft ale or a glass of natural wine before heading to sleep at one of the cosy bothies on site.

Address: Inver Restaurant, Strathlachlan, Strachur, Argyll & Bute PA27 8BU
Website: inverrestaurant.co.uk

The Strathearn at Gleneagles, Perthshire

This spot leads as one of Scotland’s most glamorous places to stay. With golf, shooting and fishing on offer, plus Michelin-starred restaurants and a wonderfully sleek spa, Gleneagles drips with beauty and class. It was refurbished in 2018 by Ennismore Design Studio (of Hoxton fame) and the new look nods to the property’s Art Deco past with a Scots Baronial style mixed with the countryside stately home aesthetic. The tucked-away Scullery feels more Mediterranean terrace than UK bolthole, its pastel-green walls covered in hand-painted local botanicals while velvet pillows with golden fringes add a pop of fun.

Address: The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Perthshire PH3 1NF
Website: gleneagles.com

Boath House Garden Café, Nairn

The Garden Cafe at Boath House is set in one of Scotland’s most beautiful walled gardens. In the summer, guests stretch out under a rudimentary canopy with a sandy floor, which makes it feel like it could be the south of France rather than the north of Scotland. Tables are decorated with paper cloths, just-snipped floral posies and plenty of candles which combine for a celebratory feel. Inside the small permanent structure, there’s a wood burner and a buzzy kitchen turning out the likes of scallops with celeriac and apple plus nostalgia-steeped steamed puddings.

Address: Auldearn, Nairn IV12 5TE
Website: boath-house.com

The Clunie Dining Room at The Fife Arms Hotel, Cairngorms

As one of the most exciting hotel openings in 2019, the Fife Arms (from the powerhouse couple behind Hauser & Wirth) quickly drew art lovers and city folk to Braemar, a tiny village in the Cairngorms National Park. Rooms are filled to the brim with world-class art – Freud, Picasso, Bourgeois, even a delicate stag’s head watercolour by Queen Victoria. In the Clunie Dining Room, the wood-fired-focused restaurant, a specially commissioned mural by Argentinian artist Guillermo Kuitca runs the length of the walls. In his distinct cubistoid style, Kuitca created dramatic and striking movements inspired by the ebb and flow of the Clunie River just outside so diners can feel a connection to the Highlands while feasting on Aberdeenshire fillet and birch-grilled sea trout.

Address: The Fife Arms, Mar Road, Braemar AB35 5YL
Website: thefifearms.com

The Glass Barn at Isle of Mull Cheese, Isle of Mull

Jeff and Chris Reade moved their dairy cows from Somerset to the Isle of Mull in 1979 with the dream of creating a sustainable and self-sufficient farm on the island. As the last remaining traditional cheese producer in the Hebrides, Sgriob-Ruadh farm feeds its cattle on grass and whisky grains from the Tobermory Distillery to keep their distinct style. They quickly set up cottages and the Glass Barn café, the latter rich in family history – the frame, which is more than 100 years old and was built on the River Clyde in Glasgow, was recycled by owner Lily Reade’s parents in the 1990s, with an ornamental and small grapevine being planted inside at the same time. Stop here for homemade cheese, crackers, preserves and sandwiches.