From watching otters and seals as you tuck into your main course, to fine dining spots with wild and creative themed menus, dining in a dungeon, a converted grain silo or even in a hayloft, there is no shortage of unique restaurants and dining experiences in Scotland.
So here are 17 unique restaurants in Scotland where you have to eat to believe.
Dhoom, Dunfermline
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The Silver Darling, Aberdeen
Enjoy dinner with a view at The Silver Darling located on the harbour at Footdee. Boasting a unique heritage and stylish interior, tuck into a delectable selection of locally caught seafood and fish served up on a creative dish with the best Scottish produce. Head upstairs for floor-to-ceiling glass windows that offer an incredible panoramic view of the harbour and Aberdeen. Watch the ships sail by and keep an eye open for seals and dolphins bobbing around in the waters below as you enjoy a delicious meal.
Explore the menu at The Silver Darling
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Vovem Meat & Liquer, Aberdeen
Who doesn’t love a steakhouse and bar? Well, Vovem Meat & Liquor is just that. Not only do they serve up succulent steaks, Loch Fyne oysters and charcuterie boards, but Vovem boasts their very own secret bar. Speakeasy 21 Crimes is Aberdeen’s first ‘secret bar’ and even requires a password to get in. Located within Vovem on Union Street it is an exclusive and elusive bar that features a distinct vintage-style interior.
Find out more about Vovem Meat & Licquer
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The Clunie Dining Room at The Fife Arms, Ballater
The Clunie Dining Room delivers an impeccable fine dining experience at The Fife Arms Hotel. Original, modern dishes use Scottish ingredients from the surrounding estates, and the wood fire adds a gentle, smoky flavour to the dishes. The no-expense-spared interior of the restaurant has been transformed by lavish chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and a huge stag’s head overseeing proceedings. It’s a feast for the eyes as much as it is for the palate.
Find more information about The Clunie Dining Room
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Eat on the Green, near Ellon, Aberdeenshire
Ready for a truly exceptional dining experience? With a kitchen commanded by the famous ‘Kilted Chef’ Craig Wilson, Eat on the Green is a stylish, award-winning establishment. Housed in a former post office, it offers refined modern Scottish cuisine, priding itself on the use of locally sourced produce, seasonal ingredients and the very best picks from Scotland’s abundant larder.
Plan your visit to Eat on the Green
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The Howff, Dundee
Your senses will be dazzled at The Howff. This hidden gem in Dundee is an absolute must if you’re passionate about food. The Howff offers an interactive experience where you can interact with the chefs while you dine – they will talk you through the dishes, the ingredients and the processes. A perfect place to relax and unwind, all while enjoying the friendly and welcoming staff, cosy atmosphere, and great pub grub.
Find more information about The Howff Secret Supper Club
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Six by Nico, Edinburgh
Visit one of the hottest restaurants in town and enjoy endless bragging rights. Six by Nico is an innovative, fine dining spot with a bold twist that delivers six-course tasting menus that change every six weeks. The food here is straight out of a chef’s wild imagination. Themes include American diner, seaside, illusion, forest, and even more outlandish ones such as ‘The Chippie’, Disney films and Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Multiple trips to this ever-evolving restaurant are a must!
Find more information about Six by Nico
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The Free Company, Edinburgh
The Free Company is unlike any restaurant you will ever go to. Located on the outskirts of Edinburgh, at the foot of the Pentland hills, this family-run business is a farm-to-table restaurant. It serves seasonal, home-grown produce in a supper club style atmosphere every few months, in the setting of the farm’s hayloft. How cool is that! There are log-burning stoves that create a lovely feel, beautiful floral installations hanging from old metal cartwheels, and even a piano in the bar should you feel musical.
Start planning your experience at The Free Company
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The Table Restaurant, Edinburgh
One table, ten seats and one chef; this fine dining venue is rather special. The very definition of exclusive, you could say. The Table Restaurant might seem a tad refined for this list at first glance, but that doesn’t make it any less quirky. Held in an intimate setting, prepare for an interactive dinner. First, you’re greeted and served by the chefs at a table overlooking a gleaming open-plan kitchen, where they’ll talk you through each dish as it’s being prepared. It’s not cheap but you’re in for a truly theatrical experience that you’ll never forget.
Find out more about The Table Restaurant
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The Dungeon Restaurant in Dalhousie Castle, near Edinburgh
A truly unique dining experience at Dalhousie Castle’s ancient dungeons await those who dare to enter. Awarded the coveted double AA rosettes, the Dungeon Restaurant serves a modern interpretation of classic Scottish dishes cooked and prepared in a classic French style. Examples include roast partridge with toasted pine kernels and roast langoustine in tarragon with mint risotto. Enjoy a warm, atmospheric mood where candlelight flickers across the barrel-vaulted ceiling and shining suits of armour.
Check out The Dungeon Restaurant at Dalhousie Castle
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Bilson Eleven, Glasgow
Bilson Eleven is a bohemian restaurant nestled in one of the oldest and most iconic tenement buildings in an eastern suburb of Glasgow. You dine in the house’s original drawing room, where the décor blends the old and the new. This setting, combined with a modern approach to classic flavours, techniques and Scottish ingredients creates a wonderfully unique dining experience.
Explore the menu at Bilson Eleven
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Hillhead Bookclub, Glasgow
Housed in an old cinema, this hipster haunt is known for its honest food, brunch and vegan delights! Menu highlights include the roasted cod, Korean fried cauliflower and famous vegan doner kebab. This is also a perfect cocktail spot with quirky touches – and there’s never a dull moment with a ping pong table and retro arcade machines.
Explore the quirky nature of Hillend Bookclub
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The Belmond Royal Scotsman, Highlands
Riding the Belmond Royal Scotsman is one of those pinch-me moments. Feast on the best produce from Scottish land and sea, as you sneak through sky-high peaks and dramatic valleys on one of the world’s most luxurious trains. Offering the elegance of a bygone era, The Belmond Royal Scotsman serves a medley of seasonal delicacies, sourced fresh from the finest suppliers, in the iconic mahogany-panelled dining cars. Put it to the top of your wish list!
Start planning your Belmond Royal Scotsman experience
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The Glass Barn Cafe, Isle of Mull
If you enjoy good home baking, no trip to the Isle of Mull would be complete without a visit to The Glass Barn Cafe. It’s a tearoom and a shop located on a working farm, where you can come and sample or buy delicious homemade products. The building itself is rustic and unique, with a big glass greenhouse with grape vines growing over the interior walls and ceiling. The farm is also home to Isle of Mull Cheeses.
Admire the stunning interior of The Glass Barn Cafe
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Wilson’s Farm & Kitchen, Kelso, Scottish Borders
Have you ever been inside a grain store? Now you can dine inside one at Wilson’s Farm & Kitchen. Have an on-farm dining experiences like no other. Based at Cowbog Farm in Kelso in the Scottish Borders, they offer fun and quirky way to dine in repurposed silos. Their ‘off grid’ secluded bothies have their own private fire pit and enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. Don’t miss their breakfast safaris, too!
Explore Wilson’s Farm & Kitchen
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Fjara, Lerwick
If you’re looking for a place to take a family and relax, this is your place. Situated next to the sea, Fjarå offers spectacular views of sunbathing seals on warm days and crashing waves. Passionate about local produce, look out for locally produced treats such as mussels, crab linguine, steak, and organic lamb.
Discover the delicious menu at Fjara
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The Birds and The Bees, Stirling
Who doesn’t love some good, hearty pub food? Throw in a creative array of drinks and cocktails and you’re all set. The Bird and the Bees is an award-winning modern bar and bistro set in a quaint converted farm steading just a stone’s throw away from the iconic Wallace Monument. Relax by the roaring fire, enjoy a coffee in the lounge, or sip a refreshing glass of wine on the pretty garden terrace.
Learn more about The Birds and The Bees
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18 at Rusacks, St Andrews
Led by the first ever winner of MasterChef UK, Chef Derek Johnstone, 18 at Rusacks is a destination rooftop restaurant and bar with unrivalled views. The restaurant, named ’18’ after the golf course’s iconic 18th hole, which it overlooks, specialises in the very best seasonal Scottish produce/ Savour dishes cooked on an open flame robata grill as well as contemporary and innovative takes on game and seafood favourites.
Learn more information about 18 at Rusacks
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