I usually try to only do one big splurge whilst on a vacation and we did that in Edinburgh…read more However, I couldn't get the idea of Etive off my mind because I had heard so many good things about it. I decided to change my thought process and allow myself to have another splurge since this was in a different city, in a different part of Scotland. I'm so glad I did because this was a magical experience I won't be forgetting for a long time. Making a reservation was a bit nerve-racking because I know how a small town like this can book up. Also, the website was being a bit of a pain so I decided to email the restaurant directly. I communicated with David over email a few times and I was impressed with how happy he seemed to be to have us dine in with them. Walking in, the place feels so homey, with a tartan carpet and a lot of wood accents. The tables were cute and beautifully set. We were the first inside, so we were able to choose where we sat, which was a nice touch. Not to worry, the restaurant filled up pretty quickly after that. David was our server but he was also training a new employee. She was shy but just as lovely as David was. And David is quite lovely. So friendly, so knowledgeable. He made us feel so comfortable and gave a lot of fun stories to go with the wine we were drinking. We went with the Land & Sea, with the wine pairing. I'd highly suggest the wine pairing. A lot of unusual wines that are masterly matched to the food being eaten. And this food is so good, you want to be able to have a lovely drink to accompany it. Everything was just fresh and tasted sublime. The potato dish with the Isle of Mull cheddar and truffle oil is the only thing that doesn't come off of the menu and I know why. It's an amazing dish and I could eat it everyday if I had to.

When planning the Oban leg of our Scottish tour, Etive Restaurant came up time and time again as…read moreone of the premier fine dining establishments in the region. The venue is intimate but not stuffy, swathed in a darker blue color palette with tartan-print carpeting and plenty of maps adorning he walls. The cartographic imagery was very much in theme, as Etive has a clear central driving force: it is a love letter to the terroir and sea-equivalent (merroir?) that produces the best Scottish ingredients. The name itself is a reference to Loch Etive, near which where the restaurant's predecessor was located in Argylle prior to its move south to Oban in 2017. The restaurant was commended in the Michelin guide starting in 2018. David, one of the co-owners and resident sommelier, was our waiter and his passion for both his roots and the restaurant program clearly shone through. We started off with some pre-dinner aperitifs, of which there are but two choices: a Gibson martini and a negroni. Both were sensational. The martini told a maritime story by marrying a local gin from the island of Iona, stinging nettle liqueur, and some briny pearl onions. The negroni comprised of local 100-proof gin was rich and well-balanced. We also had a lovely Rioja with dinner (Arzuaga Ribera del Duero Crianza 2018) that was a solid recommendation. Then commenced the tasting portion of the evening which, for me, was the "Land & Sea" experience: Homemade bread with cultured butter - simple but delicious. Not sure what it is about the butter in Europe, but it's so complex and well-salted compared to the stuff back home. Smoked Salmon and Steelhead Trout Tarts - two little savory fish pastries in flaky pate brisée crust, served on a framed topographic map as a plate. Delicate and smoky flavors and pretty presentation. Crab Cornetto - crispy cones stuffed with crab meat and topped with thick trout roe. The crab was sweet and fresh, but the caviar was surprisingly not especially salty and I felt that the bites could use some extra salinity. Atlantic Brill - thin moist fish over a stew of eggplant, tomato, and eggplant. There were nice tangy and rustic flavors here, but this wasn't the most memorable dish. Potato chowder - pureed and whole potatoes in an impossibly decadent dish with funky Isle of Mull cheddar, truffle oil, and finely chopped chives. Like a classic baked potato on steroids, in the best way. Venison Loin and Haunch - the lamb was just perfectly cooked, one of the best iterations I've had. The deer - served two-ways as both a juicy steak and shredded meat - was paired with earthy and vegetal elements in the form of broccoli puree, foraged chanterelle mushrooms, and crunchy leek. The tangy and full-bodied sauce underneath was wonderful as well. Oban 14-year-old Whisky Ice Cream - tasted just like single-malt whisky, which was just fine for me. The wood and sea spray notes came through, as well as some nuttiness from the toasted oats. I do think it could've done with a little more of the heather honey to give it a tad more sweetness, as it is a dessert after all. Bramble Souffle - an excellent finish that married tart blackberry with sweet, aromatic English tea in the form of a gooey warm little cake with a creamy scoop of Earl Grey ice cream. We absolutely loved our experience here, not only for the delicious food but to witness the respect the team has for Scotland's natural bounty. How many restaurants makes the effort to list the specific lake, village, or island of origin for every major ingredient? Run don't walk here if you are looking for a memorable meal in Oban.

We stayed at Sugar Boat for a few nights in July 2023, right after they opened up the room upstairs…read morefor travelers, and had a good experience. The rooms are decorated with a very modern look and spotless clean, albeit a wee too small. What was really convenient was the restaurant downstairs where we ended up having most of our meals. The food was delicious with great wine pairings. Breakfast was a bit underwhelming with a considerable lack of good service if compared to the other meals.

Fantastic burger here today. Next time I'll get a special. Good fries here too. I keep coming back…read morehere.

Given the choice in Paisley, this place is epic! Owned by the same people that own the Saporito…read moreCafe on Gauze Street and founders of the once great Tuckerbox on Bridge Street, it's far classier than Hamish's Hoose which it replaces. I went in for Christmas lunch with work. Now, Christmas lunch is a notoriously bad affair in most restaurants and it started in a familiar fashion with either pate, soup or prawns, but actuall m pate was nice. I plumped for one of the two pizza's on the menu, it came out and was massive. And it got bigger, m wedge of chocolate at the end was also humungous. In short, I was bested. The food was ver decent for a wine bar in Paisley. Rumour has it the are opening a dedicated restaurant too in the town......

A quick lunch with the wee cuz in between her Clients. I had never been to Saporito befor but had…read moreheard good things about it Firsly the decor Wow I remember these premises as an Old Man type of Pub now it is a very welcoming trendy Restaurant and Bar. As we were short on time we deceided to go for the Quick Byte Lunch Menu £4.95 for a main Course we both opted for Chicken Caesar Salad, I had a St. Mungo Beer from Draught and the wee Cuz had a Birra Moretti Shandy, I thought that they had a good selection of Draught Beers. The certainly did not skimp on the Salad it had loads of Chicken, beautifully cooked with a slight Barbecue flavour, not the sauce type barbecue, plenty of Romaine Lettuce Parmesan in abundance and a very creamy Ceasar Dressing. I have never had the wee cuz finish a meal before me I thought she had dropped it that is how tasty it was. I believe they do amean Pizza will have to go back and trythem and see.

LOVED this place. Such a quaint little spot in Stirling. We stopped in for lunch- our server was…read moreso helpful and kind and the food was delicious. I highly recommend the red pepper tomato soup and the fish and chips.

Ate lunch here with kids; we all enjoyed our meal and service was excellent. Only complaint...they…read morewere out of my first choice whisky but I was still able to tolerate my kids for the rest of the afternoon in Sterling...

Delicious Scottish food, and if tou like Turkish or Italian foods, they have that too! We wanted…read morefish and chips and steak pie and found this restaurant, and we are glad we did.

We started heading out to Loch Lomond in the rain and decided to get off the beaten path to see…read moresome of the towns along the way. We were hungry and just from the name and branding, we decided to take a shot on the idea that anything suggesting a barn full of livestock would likely provide a filling meal. We were not disappointed. We were asked if we had a reservation, which we didn't, but we were still able to get a table near the bar area around 5:30pm without a wait. Service was very attentive and friendly, even as the room began to fill up. I went for the Steak & Ale Pie and the husband went for a T-bone style Steak. Both were cooked perfectly and just flavorful enough while leaving a little room to add more salt or pepper for our own tastes. As an American, I of course had to have ketchup with my chips, and laughed at the big red tomato bottle they brought to the table as I shamelessly doused my fried potatoes in ketchup. We didn't find a less expensive or more satisfying meal along our travels after that- but we were so full after our meal at Stables- we couldn't have even tried one if we'd found it.

Food was great! Service great. Ambiance great. Had a burger with haggis and haggis Bon bons to…read morestart. We'll be back.

First of all, this is not a wine bar as it is classified. What it is is a bar that pours a good…read morebeer and serves food to a good mix of tourists and locals alike. We stopped in before heading out to dinner the other night. Lucky for out group of 6- we found a table in the back that perfectly accommodated our group. A quick trip to the bar and we were all set with our beers and yes, even one glass of wine! The atmosphere is loud and boisterous. Everyone just seemed to be out for a good time. And while we didn't eat, the food around us looked good with a wide range of offerings. Know that this is not a fancy place- rather a simple pub with wooden furniture and a smallish bar set into the corner. Great location overlooking the bay, especially if you are lucky enough to get one of the tables in the front windows. Prices are comparable to other places in the area. Given this place is just down the street from our hotel- it's definitely our place to stop and have a beer before heading in for the night.

BLUF: Best meal I had while in Scotland. This is a cozy…read morespace that you can easily dress up or be casual in. The service is very friendly and attentive. The menu has so many Scottish foods in it, there's no doubt this is a Scottish fare restaurant. I did have to look some of it up because even other Scottish restaurants hadn't had things like cranachan or rumbledethumps on their menus. Ordered were: bread, beef stovies, lamb rump, slow braised beef short rib, cranachan, and chocolate brownie. The beef stovies is beef stew with a potato pancake hat served in a cast iron cauldron. Very cool presentation, and quite a tasty stew inside. I liked the small cut of everything, so it was easy to eat. The lamb was so tender and flavorful, without being overcooked. I substituted rumbledethumps for the polenta so I could try some, it was a lot like mashed potatoes with some extra flavor in it from the cabbage. The black garlic emulsion was a little earthy but went with the lamb so well as a result. My only fault would be the mint drizzle being too sweet for my taste. The short rib was masterful, essentially fall off the bone, and a good herby rub. The desserts were a step down from the mains. The cranachan felt like it had bromelain in it, breaking down my tongue as I was eating it. Outside of that sharpness, a very tasty and solid dessert. The brownie was heavy and fudgy, so if that's your type of brownie then it's here for you. Otherwise it's too much on a stomach already packing the amazing dinner preceding it. All in all, what a place, what a meal, recommended.

Love this place! We had some of the best Scottish fare of our vacation. The haggus with neeeps and…read moretatters, venison stew, seafood stew, and sticky pudding were all excellent as was the service. Of course the whiskey selections were great also.

Finnieston has no shortage of good eateries these days, but sometimes it's hard to find a menu that…read moreticks all the boxes for you. Searching online for somewhere that was just a little bit different for a special occasion, we came across Le Petit Cochon and liked the look of the seafood choices on the menu. It's just a few steps off the main drag in Radnor Street (opposite the end of Kelvin Way), and seems to have been a burger bar in a former life. It was a Monday night, so they weren't exactly busy, and so the service was friendly and attentive, and we were soon tucking into our starters. We had the hot smoked salmon and asparagus as a starter, and straight away I realised that the food was going to be great, as the asparagus was cooked to perfection. Often the ends of the stems can get a bit stringy, but not here. Not stringy and not limp, just perfect crunch. For mains, we both had the pollock, which is a fish you don't see that much here, although it is becoming more popular. The portion size seemed a bit small, but in retrospect it was just right as it left room for some pudding! Again, the veg were cooked to 'al dente' perfection. The whole was washed down with a half-carafe of very dry white wine from their extensive wine list, and we left replete and happy.

We came here yesterday for a glass of wine. The wine was very good (pinot grigio) and the sourdough…read morewe ordered was warm and delicious! We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the staff were lovely, will be back!