Overall Value: FANTASTIC lunch spot when visiting Giant's Causeway. Local and fresh ingredients…read morefor some of the best grilled cheeses we ever had, plus amazing desserts, plus unique coffees/drinks, all at a very reasonable price. When factoring price, this was easily one of our favorite food spots during our entire trip. Do yourself a favor and skip the overpriced restaurants, and walk/drive the 30 seconds from Giant's Causeway to Maegden for lunch when visiting. The Food: We got the Maegden Mix grilled cheese with corndale salami (£7) and the Smoky Special grilled cheese (smoked cheddar with Corndale chorizo and red pepper/chilli chutney, £7.50). The grilled cheeses were phenomenal. The ingredients were all so fresh and high quality, it really was one of the best grilled cheeses I have ever had, with perfect mixture of crunch brown crust and overflowing gooey cheese. The Smoky Special also had a delightful kick to it, and really stood out. The grilled cheeses also came with a side of homemade pickles - we picked jalapenos and pickled watermelon. I have never had pickled watermelon before, but my mind was blown - such a unique, awesome flavor. The grilled cheese were so good, we also opted for dessert and got the ice cream "slider", which is ice cream in between two chocolate chip cookies topped with fudge and toasted marshmellow. (£4.50). Wow. There was a whole lot going on there. The ice cream is so rich and flavorful, and the combination of flavors really impressed us. A big slider, definitely enough for two to share (although it gets a bit messy). We also got Pineapple chilli soda (£2.50) and Golden Latte (blend of tumeric, cacao, coconut, and vanilla, £3.20) to drink. The Golden Latte was interesting and delicious - the tumeric really came through in a nice way that I had not experienced before in a drink. The chilli in the pineapple chilli soda was a little bit more subtle than I expected. It was a refreshing drink, just a little underwhelming based on the description. Space and Pace: This is a foodtruck located in a field, less than a minute drive from Giant's Causeway. There are plenty of benches for seating. All the food/drinks are made to order, so it takes a few minutes to actually be served. Absolutely worth it! Service: Really friendly and patient with our questions, with great recommendations.

A great option for a quick meal after a morning tour. The cafe is comfortable and the food is…read moresurprisingly good. The Cullen Skink soup is delicious. The sandwiches are also very good. The staff is attentive.

After the tour stopped here for a delightful lunch. The place is busy so do be patient. I had a…read morelovely smoked haddock soup and roll and my companion had a nice steak pie. I wouldn't necessarily make this a destination stop for the restaurant as it is just located right inside the Ardbeg reception/gift shop area and more like a cafe but if you are here for the great tour a perfect place to stop for a bite.

Spectacular. The best seafood I've ever had. SO fresh, and so well cooked! Drew is a seafood…read morepurist, believing in showcasing the incredible flavour of the fish instead of drowning it in sauces, and we couldn't have had a better experience. His incredible connections around the area culminate in a platter worthy of kings, with some incredible smoked options, dips, home-baked bread, and more. While neither my partner nor I have any dietaries & the meal is (obviously) primarily seafood-oriented, we were pleased to find out that you can request a meal suitable for even vegans! Would highly suggest having a conversation with him about what you like & want to explore, he's very friendly and extremely helpful. Keep in mind it's BYOB, however complimentary coffee & dessert is offered. He has great local suggestions for stores to buy wine from, though, which I would also recommend! Also ask Drew about taxi options home - he put us in touch with an excellent driver and even organised it for us. All in all, I couldn't recommend this experience more. Absolutely incredible, will absolutely come again the next time we're in Scotland!

From the owner: Seafood extravaganza using local and ethically sourced produce.read more

A five-star view, with caveats…read more First off the Drift Inn is without a doubt the best place to eat and drink in Lamlash. We've tried the competition and frankly the Drift has the best beer and Scotch selection, food, and atmosphere. Inside it's a restaurant, outside it's a country pub with lots of well-spaced outdoor seating. It has the basics food-wise down pat. Huge fish and chips and excellent mussels - in the latter case just the right size between tasty and chewy. A great wine and beer selection and excellent service. The one down side was an overly-promised starter. Spending 15 quid on a few tiny bits of food artfully arranged stuck in the craw somewhat. But what the hell, they're nice people and the rest of it was superb.

I loved this pub and the food was probably the best we had on Arran. I actually didn't know about…read morethis place until the day before we left to go to Arran when I had 4 different people recommend it to me - I knew we had to go from that fact alone! It's in the lovely town of Lamlash and really easy to find. We parked along the road and then walked down as we were there quite early and it didn't open til midday. There's a beautiful view over the water to Holy Isle and you can get a ferry over if you're so inclined - we decided to just appreciate it from afar. The pub itself is kind of nautical/rugby themed and really cosy inside - there's a fireplace and lots of seating as well as some couches and a kids area. I ordered a bowl of Cullen Skink (Scottish haddock soup) as well as the Angler's Platter for one (Creeler's hot and cold smoked salmon, seafood and soft cheese mousse, fishcake and homemade bread). The soup was just delicious - I don't eat Cullen Skink enough and when I have one as good as this, I wonder why - thick, jam packed with fish and really tasty. I loved the platter too - the fish cake was the highlight for sure, but everything on it was so tasty and I loved how local it all was. Staff were friendly and welcoming, and we enjoyed grazing here for a while. They have a great booze selection but as I was driving I didn't have any - next time we visit I would definitely see about getting the bus or a taxi here from Brodick so we could get stuck into the gin! Note: they have gluten free bread, breadcumb and batters are available upon request.

We're from America and had no idea what to expect from a Scottish country inn. It is charming in…read moreevery sense of the word. You get up in the morning, get pampered with a big Scottish breakfast. I liked to take a walk around the driveway afterwards and I saw deer a few times. The pub is downstairs, but around the corner, so inn guests have a little space from the comings and goings. Speaking of the pub, they have 400 whiskeys on their list, and a number of flights. It's also nice to go curl up on the couch next to the wood stove on a cool evening with a good book in the hotel living room. There's a dog and a cat in residence who are pretty sure that they run the place who are very good company. Dinners are large portions, I was more comfortable with the appetizers, especially the Kintyre smoked mussels. What really touched my heart was I'm gluten free, and they went out of their way to get gluten free bread and crumpets for me. I did not expect it. That's the first time I've gotten to have bread before a meal outside my home. Usually, I sit there while I watch everyone else eat theirs. I'll never forget that. One more unforgettable part of Ballygrant is going for a walk on a clear night. There are so many stars...

I only had time for a beer (or 2) and some bacon fries while waiting for my bus but if the fresh…read morecrab claws and massive lobsters are any indication of how yummy their seafood menu must be, this is an awesome place. Tiny dining room area on one side, pub on the other, outside patio sunny and protected from the wind. Just downright cozy. The pub is run by a great gal and her dad supplies the seafood and was accompanied by his darling puppy Archie. Can't ask for a better experience than sitting around sharing a pint with folks like this!

Having visited Islay twice now, I will say that they have the best seafood available on the island…read more It may not be the quickest to get to if you're staying in Bowmore but I will say it is worth 30+ minute drive. It is a small bar with about 6 tables but it has such a nice and cozy feel. Since the seafood is freshly caught daily, the menu can vary but I can say that every dish I've had there was delicious. My favorite was smoked salmon, unlike any other smoked salmon I've ever had. They also have a decent bar selection, so you will not be disappointed.

I'd had Inver on my to-visit list for a while, and recently I decided to just go ahead and book a…read moretable for lunch for no particular reason rather than saving our visit for a special occasion. I made the booking by email (they were quick to reply) and then we headed on our way from the south side of Glasgow on Saturday. I always underestimate just how far away this part of the world is - so don't listen to your maps, as it will probably take a bit longer with traffic going past Loch Lomond. It took us 20 minutes longer than expected but thankfully they still had our table waiting for us when we arrived. Inver is really beautiful - right on Loch Fyne and looks over at the ruins of old Castle Lachlan. Inside its Scandinavian, minimalist styling and super relaxing. I had a G&T to start and then we stuck to soft drinks but it would be lovely to stay nearby and have a few wines. I ordered the mussels to start followed by the local langoustines. In hindsight, this was maybe too much food but I was just excited for the delicious seafood options! If you're not a seafood fan there's plenty of locally sourced meats on the menu. The mussels were a massive bowl - for the price (£10) I actually expected a smaller portion and really struggle to eat them all. The broth they were served it was heavenly - burnt cream, cider and dill - I will be dreaming about this perfectly balanced broth for weeks to come. And it was served with slices of their home made sourdough bread which seems really dense and heavy but is actually perfectly delicious. Oh, and the butter was amazing too. Onto our mains. The langoustines come as 3 or 6 in the portion - I'd gone with 6 because I'm greedy and thankfully managed the lot. They came with a slice of lemon, mayo as well as more delicious bread - to be honest, I ate them just with the lemon as they were so delicious and perfect they really didn't need anything else. We had a side of green beans (with anchovy and mint) as well as hand cut chips - again, totally flawless and actually the highlight was the beans as they were just so fresh and the anchovy puree was totally perfect. Yes, we'd eaten a lot but I couldn't pass up dessert - I ordered the cherries and goat's milk sorbet. Woah. Not only was it totally beautiful to look at but the flavour was just amazing - it was almost on the savoury side with a hint of sweetness from the cherries. Again, another dish I'll be thinking about for weeks to come! I love that there's a little shop area (hidden amongst the bookshelves) where you can buy some of their produce to take home - we got red cabbage kraut as well as a loaf of bread but they also have jams, butter and scones. There's also a bar area so if you feel like relaxing in a comfy chair after all that food, you can. We paid our bill (£100 for 2 x 3 course meals + sides + soft drinks, tea and one G&T) and then walked around to the ruins of Old Castle Lachlan which was the perfect way to finish the meal. It's about a 20 minute round trip so make sure you wear suitable shoes! I would love to go back to Inver and stay nearby (possibly at Castle Lachlan which is available to rent!) as it was just a wonderfully exceptional meal. It's great to see a restaurant doing something a bit unusual with Scottish produce. Note: There's free wifi but only for 10 minutes so use it wisely. Otherwise it's £3 for the day.

A few months ago Marino O'Loughlin reviewed a small restaurant on the banks of Loch Fyne in…read moreStrachur called Inver, heaping enormous praise on it, however with it being nearly 5 hours away it seemed unlikely this would be a place I would be visiting anytime soon. This is where the divine intervention came in; I remembered that at the end of the month I was at a wedding just outside Glasgow. I had a spare day to kill the following day so calculated the time and distance from our hotel to the restaurant, 2 hours, it could be done! Admittedly with accommodation not available in Strachur for the night it meant a post-meal 5-hour drive back to the North-West, fingers crossed it would be worth the drive. Turns out the view alone was worth it. When dining at the Three Chimneys on the Isle of Skye the previous year I thought that I'd reached the pinnacle of dining with a view. Inver possibly trumps it. I mean look at it... The lunch menu consisted of simple but creative dishes of mainly fresh, local seafood, salads, and homemade bread and butter. Now if I was being particularly gluttonous (and if funds hadn't dictated against it) I could have ordered everything on that menu, however, I opted for the Partran Bree - crab and rice soup to start and the 'Kale Caesar' - roast chicken, soft egg, anchovy and Pecorino for main. It tasted as good as it looked. The soup was rich, velvety and delicate whilst simultaneously packing a hefty punch of brown crab flavour. Inver's take on the caesar salad was also a triumph. Crisp leaves, a perfectly boiled egg, and most importantly exquisitely cooked chicken with a beautifully crisp skin. Faultless. Having shared some of my dishes with my dining companion, it would only be fair that I sampled some of their choices; 'Tongue on Toast' - ox tongue, caper sauce and radish to start and kedgeree - smoked haddock, soft egg, rice and leeks for main. Both of which were absolutely fantastic, especially the 'Tongue on Toast' as the intense flavour of the tongue married superbly with the earthy sourdough. As well as the above I also ordered some hand cut chips with Viking Salt which unfortunately were too salty even for someone who has a particularly high salt-threshold such as myself, and Kate's leaf salad, radishes and buttermilk dressing, which unfortunately, despite being a beautiful looking salad went relatively untouched (a case of eyes being bigger than bellies). After dining at Inver it is clear to see where Pam and Rob are taking their influences from having learnt their trade all over Europe at Michelin-starred establishments such as Noma (Denmark), Faviken (Sweden) and De Superette (Belgium), however, they also manage to put their own, local spin on proceedings. According to the Inver website, "Pam and Rob took over the building in spring 2015 and with their friends and family have built the sort of place they like to spend time. We hope that you will too." I can confirm without a shadow of a doubt that I did.

A cute little breakfast and lunch place in Inverary. Not many choices for breakfast in this tiny…read moretown so we were glad to find Brambles (with an S on the end). My husband got the eggs Benedict and he was pleased it had black pudding in the middle, very Scottish food of course. He did not care for the hollandaise sauce as it had a sweetness to it. I wasn't super hungry as I was saving room for our lunch at 1pm. I got two poached eggs and toast. The poached eggs were a bit runny for my liking. Overall though this is a great cafe and I like the layout. The service was very friendly. They were setting up a bunch of reserved tables for what looked like a fancy lunch. Lot of people were working there at the time and I assume prepping for a big party.

This was an excellent find while on a Rabbie's tour in the West Highlands. It sits near Inverrary…read moreCastle on Loch Fyne. The staff greeted us warmly and invited us in to their warm and cozy establishment. This is small town Scotland at its best. I was surprised at the worldliness of the Salt and Pepper Asian-style fries on the Daily Specials board. They were amazing as was my "Hybrid Toastie" - essentially a Scottish patty melt. Not that it was mundane in any sense. It was delicious! I washed these down with a Diet Irn Bru - the guilt-free version of Scotland's most popular soda. Once again - another great meal with friendly service. Nowhere close to Edinburgh, yet still with that flair of sophistication mixed with small-town civility.

Great dinner - amazing location…read more We were staying in one of the self-catering apartments of this Hotel. Location is great - just sitting at the lovely and quiet Loch Awe. The first night we were a bit tired from the drive and didn't feel like cooking, so we visited the restaurant. It's nice and bright with great views of the Loch. Service was very friendly. We had the Goat's Cheese Salad (Grilled Goat's cheese served with roasted peppers, salad leaves, soda bread and raspberry balsamic dressing) and the Haggis Bon Bons (Crispy Haggis balls set on roasted tomato and chili chutney served with salad garnish) for a starter. Both equally good, but especially the Bon Bons were a pleasant surprise, good tasting Haggis! For the mains we had the Salmon with veggies and potatoes (daily special) and the Traditional Fish & Chips (haddock served in a beer batter served with chunky chips, peas and Tartar sauce). Both fish tasted very fresh and tender. Hot and crispy chips. With that we had a bottle of White wine, a Sauvignon Blanc Panul from the Lontué Valley, Chile. Fresh, fruity and crisp. Just 18£. We really had a great dinner. Good, fresh food for very fair prices, especially given the fantastic location. If you just come for dinner without staying here, the way back on the one-way street might be a bit dark. Luckily our way home was just a few steps :)

From the owner: Currey our chefs mum's recipesread more

With one child-free night available to us, we wanted to head out of Edinburgh for the night and…read moreluckily stumbled on the Loch Melfort Hotel. The drive to and from the city was lovely, and the hotel is very welcoming. We had a sea-view room on the second floor with a private balcony, the views are unbelievable. We came for the quiet and were not disappointed. The rooms are charming, exceptionally clean, and include thoughtful touches like a tray for muddy shoes, Tunnocks tea cakes, and Highland Soap Company toiletries. The vast blue sea-views are echoed in the decor of the room, and the whole vibe just encourages relaxation and stillness. After saying hello to the Highland Coos (hi, new favorite animal!), we enjoyed a nip in the bar, before heading to dinner in the restaurant. The food was surprisingly delicious, I'm not sure what we were expecting but what we ate far exceeded our expectation. Everything is fresh and local, the animal proteins were all the amazing. Highlights for us were the Mussels and the Cod and Langostine, Breakfast, the following morning was fantastic as well, especially the Loch Melfort Cooked Breakfast. After checkout we took a quick stroll along the shore, said goodbye to the coos, and headed back to the city. While we enjoyed our child-free night, I would love to bring our daughter next time. There's a lovely little play-park on premises, plenty of opportunity for walks to burn off the endless kid-energy, and they even have kids menus in the restaurant. Alone, or with our kiddo in tow, we will be back for sure. Highly recommend.

A beautiful lochside location with gorgeous weather serving locally sourced seafood and game. What…read morecould possibly ruin such an idyllic scene? Well, the worst service experienced for many years and ever reducing menu in the mid-afternoon when the restaurant doesn't close until 9pm. The Melfort Hotel has stunning views across the Coryvechan toward Jura and it is a good job as a 70 minute wait for two sandwiches a bowl of mussels and a grilled salmon isn't acceptable and equally neither is it good once reminded after 60 minutes of waiting to be told the meal will be 5 minutes longer and then taking 10. When the bill did arrive we had to ask if something was going to be offered for the poor service at which point the member of staff told us he had to ask the manager, he did and gave us a third off which was some compensation but it might have been nice for the manager himself to make the offer instead of sending the lacky back with a message. The food was ok when it arrived, hence two stars instead of one but a small microwaved bread roll really isn't enough for a large pot of mussels. This had great potential but sadly let down by poor service and cheap food to accompany some very good mussels.