RESTAURANTS
APEX CITY QUAY HOTEL
1 West Victoria Dock Road, Dundee
(01382 202 404; www.apexhotels.co.uk)
The Metro Brasserie and Alchemy Restaurant sit back to back on the ground
floor of this sleek waterfront hotel. Both make creative use of Scottish
fare in a Med-based menu - Shetland salmon, Arbroath smokies and Aberdeen
Angus are all there. Sample one of the three splendid taster menus
(vegetarian, meat, or seafood) at the Alchemy restaurant, recently awarded
two AA rosettes.
BUT ‘N BEN RESTAURANT
Auchmithie, nr Arbroath (01241 877223)
A cliff-top fish restaurant housed in a couple of ancient adjoined cottages
that serves Arbroath smokie pancakes and seafood platters at very modest
prices. Enjoy an all fish affair at this homely family-run favourite of
Gordon Ramsay no less.
THE COCK AND BULL
Ellon Road, Balmedie, near Aberdeen
(01358 743249; www.thecockandbull.co.uk)
A dual carriageway is an unlikely place for a great restaurant. But on the A90
coastal road eight miles north of Aberdeen is a fine pub with a bright young
chef - Ryan Paterson. Local produce cooked with a flair includes, loin of
venison set on a bed of barley and wild mushroom risotto with Strathdon blue
cheese and elderberry jus. The view beyond the speeding cars is idyllic -
drums of freshly cut golden hay, wispy sand dunes and the crashing sea.
THE OLD INN
Gairloch, Wester Ross (0800 5425444; www.theoldinn.net)
Indulge in local seafood and game at the north-west Highlands in the 2006 AA
seafood pub of the year for Scotland. The Seafood Inn Kettle broth comprises
locally caught lobster, crab, langoustine, mussels, scallops and salmon.
Other dishes on the menu include ceviche of sea-fresh scallops and wild
venison steak.
THE REAL FOOD CAFE
Main street, Tyndrum, Scotland
(01838 400235; www.therealfoodcafe.com)
Excellent local suppliers and sourcing have given this award-winning former
Little Chef on the A82 between Glasgow and Stirling an unrivalled reputation
for fish and chips and a pretty good one for its butcher's fine oven-baked
flaky crust pies, home-made muesli and beefburgers made from cattle reared
on the farm down the road.
MEAT
THE ABERFOYLE BUTCHER
206a main Street, Mayfield, Aberfoyle by Stirling, Stirlingshire FK8 3UQ
(01877 382473; www.aberfoylebutcher.co.uk)
Offering both free range and organic Scottish breeds of lamb and beef as well
as Shetland lamb and game from around the country, they produce their own
black pudding, white-pudding and haggis. Try their traditionally cured and
smoked bacon or one of their 30 varieties of sausages. They have just
introduced a range of ready meals and homemade pies.
ANGUS ORGANICS
Arlie Estate Office, Cortachy, Kirriemuir, Angus, DD8 4LY
(01575 570103; www.angusorganics.com)
All meat is produced on the estate which is Soil Associated accredited. Their
cattle are grazed on clover rich grass in the summer and organic cereals and
grass silage in the winter. Their sausages include pork ginger and spring
onion and they offer a range of burgers made with top quality Angus beef.
ARDALANISH ORGANIC FARM
Isle of Mull (01681 700265; www.ardalanishfarm.co.uk)
Hebridean mutton and Highland beef are the speciality here. They also sell
their meat via Loch Fyne’s delivery service (01499 600264; www.loch-fyne.com)
BLACKFACE
Weatherall Foods, Crochmore House, Irongray, Dumfries DG2 9SF, (www.blackface.co.uk)
Stocks seasonal meats and game from local producers including Iron Age Pork
(cross between Tamworth sow and Wild Boar). Blackface also, provide dinner
party and home freezing solutions.
BLACKMOUNT ORGANICS
Blackmount Foods Ltd., 8 The Wynd, Biggar, Lanarkshire
(01 899 221 747; www.blackmountfoods.com)
A good mail-order source of beef and lamb, all produced on local farms and
slaughtered in Shotts before being brought back to Biggar for processing.
Within the modern plant, experienced butchers prepare the cuts of meat after
it has been properly aged, to give a tasty and tender cut. Blackmount source
their chicken and pork from fully traceable sources.
CALEDONIAN CONNOISSEUR
Home Farm, Newton Don, Kelso (01573 227310; www.caleyco.com)
Chef Nick Nairn is part of a team bringing 100 small producers of naturally
reared, wild and organic food from all over Scotland, from Aberdeen Angus,
Highland or Belted Galloway beef, Black Hebridean and Blackface lamb, game
birds, pies and haggis, to ready-prepared casseroles and hotpots.
GEORGE BOWER
75 Raeburn Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh, EH4 1JG (0131 332 3469)
Offers rabbit and wild boar as well as a wide range of specialist, organic,
rare-breed meats, homemade sausages, pies and cooked meats.
CROMBIES OF EDINBURGH
97-101 Broughton Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3RZ
(0131 557 0111; www.sausages.co.uk or www.haggis.co.uk
and www.ilovesausages.com)
Jonathon Crombie represents the third generation of this family run business.
He and his father Sandy offer over 45 varieties of fresh daily-made sausages
each week including pork mango and apple, beef and Guinness as well as
vegetarian and gluten free options. They have won numerous awards including
Slavakto European Gold Medal; first prize in the Scottish Butcher’s
Competition and Gold in the Made it with Meat Awards. They also make their
own haggis.
DONALD RUSSELL
Inverurie, Aberdeenshire (01467 629666; www.donaldrussell.com)
Butchers Donald Russell have built up their reputation supplying leading
restaurants and can send out traditionally farmed grass-fed beef and lamb,
venison and game, along with duck, geese and guinea fowl.
FINDLAYS
116 Portobello High Street, Edinburgh, EH15 1AL
(0131 669 2783; www.findlayofportobello.co.uk)
Mr Findlay selects his free-range livestock personally to produce his South
East Scotland champion black pudding and beef sausages (Scottish Meat
Federation), and Scottish Champion bacon and haggis (voted by the Scottish
Federation of Master Butchers). The butcher's is one of Rick Stein’s food
heroes and their haggis is so well known that they have had to set up a
specialised haggis production plant!
HUGH GRIERSON
Newmiln Farm, Tibbermore, Perth PH1 1QN
(01738 730201;
www.the-organic-farm.co.uk)
Hugh Grierson produces Soil Association approved beef and lamb. His livestock
is grass fed and reared on his own farm in Perthshire. The beef is hung for
21 days to maximise tenderness and flavour. He also offers organic pork from
his neighbouring farm, Loanleven.
JAMESFIELD ORGANIC CENTRE
Jamesfield Farm, Newburgh, Fife KY14 6EW
(01738 850498; www.jamesfieldfarm.co.uk)
Ian Miller and his brother Roy own and manage the farm, which is Scotland’s
oldest established organic farm shop and home delivery service. They produce
organic beef, lamb, sausages, pork and bacon as well as free-range poultry
and homemade haggis and white pudding. In 2005, they opened their Organic
Centre that comprises a shop a bakery, butchery and a restaurant offering a
huge range of organic and non-organic produce.
CHARLES McHARDY
11 Market Square, Stonehaven, AB39 2BT (01569 762693)
Established for 99 years, Charles McHardy is a member of the Guild of Q and
offers free-range beef, pork, lamb and game. In addition, they sell 16
varieties of sausages and home-cured bacon both of which iare free from
preservatives. They offer a range of pies as well as farm reared chickens
and organic eggs. Their bakery offers a wide range of products.
RAMSAY OF CARLUKE
Lanarkshire (01555 772277; www.ramsayofcarluke.co.uk)
Producers of an award-winning bacon using the traditional family Ayrshire
cure, which they describe as “old-fashioned pickle”; they also make hams,
sausages and black and white puddings.
REEDIHILL FARM
Fletchers of Auchtermuchty (01337 828369; www.seriouslygoodvenison.co.uk)
Nichola and John Fletcher (a specialist deer vet) have been farming venison
for 30 years and are experts on every aspect of rearing the animals and
cooking the meat, which can be in the form of joints, steaks, carpaccio,
casseroles, pies, sausages and haggis.
SAULMORE FARM SHOP
Connel by Opban, Argyll, PA37 1PU
(01631 710247; www.saulmore.com)
The Ronald Family’s farm is approved by the Quality Meat Scotland farm scheme.
They rear free-range Aberdeen Angus and Highland cattle as well as Blackface
and Texel sheep. Meat can be hung and cut to order in the farm shop’s
specially designed cutting room. Wild venison sourced from Argyll and the
islands is available. The shop sells a variety of home cooked products in
addition to ready meals. Situated next to the Lorn Special Area of
Conservation, the farm is committed to the preservation of its surrounding
habitat.
WILD BOAR FROM SCOTLAND
Convinth Steading, Kiltarlity, Beauly, Inverness-shire IV4 7HT
(01463 741807; www.scottishwildboar.co.uk)
Raised on the hillside of Inverness-shire these free-range wild boars are low
in fat and eco-friendly! The farm is committed to sustaining the environment
and improving natural diversity. As well as their mail order meat boxes the
farm has recently launched a Wild Boar Smoked pâté at the London Speciality &
Fine Food Fair.
FISH
ANDY RACE FISH MERCHANTS
Mallaig, Inverness-shire (01687 462626; www.andyrace.co.uk)
Organic peat-smoked salmon and smoked shellfish are a speciality, along with
fresh shellfish. Andy Race’s mussels (as well as oysters) are grown locally
on ropes by Iain McKinnon, a shellfish farmer. “The waters are cold, so the
mussels grow slowly, developing their flavour,” says Race.
INVERAWE SMOKEHOUSE
Taynuilt, Argyll (01866 822446; www.smokedsalmon.co.uk)
Set up in 1974 by Robert and Rosie Campbell-Preston, they oak-smoke organic
fish from the Shetlands, along with wild Atlantic salmon (as well as trout).
They also produce potted smoked salmon.
LOCH FYNE
Cairndow, Argyll (01499 600264; www.lochfyne.com)
Loch Fyne has come a long way from the small oyster farm which was set up back
in 1970. Now a nationwide chain of seafood restaurants, it also has a mail
order service and specialises in oysters, langoustines, mussels and scallops
from the loch, as well as smoked fish. Loch Fyne is committed to sustainable
sources, using Freedom Foods-accredited salmon from Loch Duart and organic
salmon from the Outer Hebrides, all smoked in its own smokehouses. Its
Bradan Rost kiln-roasted salmon is particularly fine.
MILK
CLYDE ORGANICS
Carnwath, Lanarkshire (01555 840271; www.clydeorganics.co.uk)
From clover-rich pastures in the Clyde valley. Available only in Scotland.
CHEESE
IJ MELLIS CHEESEMONGERS
Edinburgh (0131 66199955; www.ijmellischeesemonger.com)
High-quality farmhouse cheeses from British producers with additional shops in
Glasgow.
WESTER LAWRENCETON FARM
Forres, Morray (01309 676566 for stockists, or Valvona & Crolla,
0131-556 6066; www.valvonacrolla.co.uk)
Pam Rodway is renowned for her artisan organic unpasteurised cheeses.
FARMERS’ MARKETS
ABERDEEN COUNTRY FAIR
Belmont Street First and last Sat of the month, 9am-5pm. (01224
649000; www.aberdeencountryfair.co.uk)
A crafts and farmers’ market, typically featuring local specialities — from
Angus beef to fish freshly landed at Aberdeen and Peterhead, to local fruit
and vegetables, cheeses, breads baked to traditional recipes, and Speyside
whisky.
EDINBURGH FARMERS’ MARKET
Castle Terrace Every Sat, 9am-2pm. (0131-652 5940, www.edinburghcc.com/farm_market.htm)
The very model of a great farmers’ market, in a stunning setting. Features up
to 60 specialists, from Inverness to Northumberland, with all stallholders
primary producers: they rear it, grow it, make it, bake it. Carroll’s
Heritage Potatoes (Red Duke of York, Witchill, British Queen, Edzell Blue),
Highland beef, Auchtermuchty venison, wild boar, ostrich, hog roasts, Black
Isle organic beer, fruit wines, hand-made chocolates, gourmet crisps, grains
and porridge, a veritable cornucopia.
More
Real Food listings
There are many more fantastic restaurants in Scotland than you have listed here. Scotland leads the way in its use of fresh, local produce in its restaurants throughout the country. Scotland produces a fantastic range of ingredients. this website seems to be a little biased towards the South East. Can we widen the net?
Shirley Spear, Dunvegan, Isle of Skye
There are very few restaurants in West Scotland taking part in this promotion. There were more in earlier days
Rosemary Hammond, Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire