Beyond whisky: foodie experiences in Scotland

When people think about food and drink in Scotland, one thing usually comes to mind – whisky. But there is much more to Scotland’s food and drink scene than distilleries and single malts.

From freshly shucked oysters on the west coast to Michelin-starred tasting menus, this is your guide to 5 of the best food and drink experiences in Scotland, beyond the dram.

1. Discover the best seafood along Scotland’s coast

Scotland’s coastline stretches for thousands of miles, and that makes it one of the best places to enjoy seafood in the world. Here are the best areas to explore for the freshest seafood, right off the boat.

Argyll

Explore the Argyll Seafood Trail to discover the best local producers, seafood restaurants, and fishing communities along the west coast.

From the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar which serves up fresh seafood straight from the loch, to the Oban Seafood Hut (the green shack) a seafood shack on the Calmac ferry harbour hat serves scallops, langoustines, and crab claws.

The Pierhouse Hotel is famous for its seafood platters or visit Cafe Fish on Mull or The Coll Hotel.

The west coast of the Scottish Highlands

The far highlands of Scotland are a mecca for seafood lovers – visit the Kylesku Hotel for fresh off the boat lobsters, the famous Seafood Shack at Ullapool and the Crofter’s Kitchen in Scourie.

Further south on the North Coast 500 visit the Kishorn Seafood Bar, the Applecross Inn and the The Oyster Shed in Carbost on the Isle of Skye.

The East Neuk of Fife

The pretty fishing villages along the Fife coast are famous for their seafood, fresh off the boats.

Head to Anstruther for the famous fish and chips, picnic on the harbour at the Reilly Shellfish Lobster Shack at Crail, go for a seafood lunch or supper at the East Pier Smokehouse restaurant or the Dory Bistro in Pittenweem or The Ship Inn in Elie where you can also watch cricket out on the sand.

Moray Firth

Home to what must be Scotland’s most famous soup, Cullen Skink, the recipe might be pretty simple (potato, onion, smoked haddock, bay leaves, chicken stock, cream and black pepper) but the title of Queen of Cullen Skink is still hotly contested annually in Cullen on the Moray Firth.

Try Cullen Skink at the Rockpool Cafe.

East Lothian and Berwickshire

Offering fresh lobster, crab, mussels and haddock caught daily, head to The Lobster Shack, North Berwick, or Ebbcarrs in St Abb’s for crab sandwiches.

2. The best distillery restaurants: go for more than a dram

Distilleries may be known for their world-class malts, but many have quietly evolved into top restaurant destinations in their own right. If you’re visiting for a dram, stay for the food, because today’s distillery experiences often involve fine dining and whisky pairings. Here are 5 to visit:

Glenturret Distillery – the Glenturret Lalique Restaurant at Glenturret near Crieff offers two‑Michelin‑star fine‑dining inside Scotland’s oldest distillery.
The Macallan – visit the TimeSpirit at The Macallan near Aberdour in Speyside for a a nine‑course tasting menu by Roca Brothers inside Macallan distillery.
Glenmorangie – stay at Glenmorangie House near Tain for a four‑course dinner and dram‑pairings at this boutique hotel.
Talkisker – Skye’s the popular Three Chimneys restaurant now has a pop up down at the Talisker Distillery where they serve up locally caught seafood platters.
Isle of Raasay – over on the lovely Isle of Raasay, try the Borodale House Restaurant at the Raasay Whisky Distillery.

3. Discover farm-to-fork restaurants in Scotland

Scotland’s vast landscapes are home to working crofts, farms, and lots of foraging. The farm-to-table movement in Scotland is here!

Inver Restaurant (Loch Fyne) has ever-changing tasting menus feature hyperlocal produce, foraged herbs, and seafood caught just offshore.
The Free Company (Balerno, near Edinburgh) this restaurant has an on-site regenerative market garden with a “pay‑what‑you‑think‑it’s‑worth” dinner series.
Moss (Stockbridge, Edinburgh) this restaurant sources almost everything from the chef’s family farm near Dundee.
Ballintaggart Farm / Grandtully Hotel (Perthshire) this former working farm has a with kitchen garden on-site and offers up cooking classes as well.
Monachyle Mhor, Perthshire is a hotel on a working farm and with a seasonal approach, this is sustainable Scottish dining at its best.

4. Try the best bakeries in Scotland

Whether you have a sweet tooth or looking for the best sourdough loaf, here are the best traditional and artisan bakeries in Scotland.

Stephen’s Bakery (Dunfermline, Fife) is best known for it Scottish steak bridies, sausage rolls, and morning rolls, look out for this traditional bakery across Fife.
Wild Hearth Bakery (Comrie, Perthshire) is known for their wood-fired sourdough loaves, and is popular in restaurants across central Scotland.
Bostock Bakery (East Linton, East Lothian) serves up artisan sourdough, French pastries, in a lovely café.
Twelve Triangles (Edinburgh) has slow‑fermented sourdough, seasonal pastries, community‑focused cafés across Edinburgh – and outstanding doughnuts.
Lannan Bakery (Edinburgh) this insta famous bakery has queues everyday – and the even has pastry bouncers!
Dune Bakery (South Queensferry) a popular bakery in the lovely South Queensferry on the Firth of Forth.
Outlier (Glasgow) is a rustic, community‑driven bakery‑café turned restaurant with inventive pastries and evening dining.

5. Discover alternative drinks, beyond whisky

From craft gins to herbal tonics and beers and ales, here how to discover Scotland’s drinks that aren’t whisky.

Scottish Gin

Scotland produces more gin than any other part of the UK, and the craft scene has exploded in the last decade.

Try Dunrobin Gin, distilled on the Dunrobin Castle Estate, the Isle of Harris Gin, infused with hand-harvested sugar kelp, The Botanist is brewed on Islay with 22 local botanicals, and Kirkjuvagr Gin is from Orkney and celebrates Norse heritage.

Scottish craft breweries

Breweries like Fyne Ales, Tempest Brewing, and Pilot produce everything from crisp lagers to experimental saisons. Many tasting rooms are located on farms or in converted barns—perfect for an afternoon session. Here are my favourites.

Cromarty Brewing Co, Cromarty – family-run, hop-forward, coastal-inspired beers; crisp session ales alongside innovative IPAs and limited-edition releases.
Fyne Ales, Argyll – a farm brewery producing sessionable and progressive beers, pop in for a drink in their taproom.
Black Isle Brewery, north of Inverness – organic farm brewery with ingredients grown on-site; taproom available. Try the Black Isle Blonde.
Harviestoun Brewery, Alva – known for Bitter & Twisted, and Ola Dubh aged in whisky casks.
Drygate Brewery, Glasgow – a craft brewery with onsite bar and experimental beers
Stewart Brewing, Loanhead – brewery taproom and beer garden, plus Friday evening tours and pizza kitchen
West Brewery & Taproom, Glasgow Green, Glasgow – brewpub setup offering German-style beers on-site
Campervan Brewery, Leith, Edinburgh – friendly taproom in Bonnington with rotating taps.

Non-Alcoholic Scottish Drinks

For the non-drinkers or the sober-curious, beyond the traditional Irn-Bru, Scotland also offers a range of herbal tonics, cordials, and botanical sodas. Look out for elderflower pressés, scot’s pine syrups, wild nettle teas, and artisanal lemonade with Scottish honey. Here my favourites to try:

Left Field Kombucha – Scotland’s first craft kombucha
Talonmore Non-Alcoholic Spirit – root and tea-based dark spirit alternative
Feragaia – small‑batch distilled 0 % spirit with 14 wild botanicals
Rapscallion Soda – adult soft fizzy drink and mixers.
Counter Culture Kombucha Soda low-alcohol (<0.5 %) sparkling kombucha soda.
Naesip – a spirit-inspired beverage with gooseberry, juniper, and botanical extracts in small batches.
Irn‑Bru –the Iconic Scottish soft drink.