The Whisky experience group tour we were on was simple yet top rated. Especially hosted by Thomas…read moreand Irene who were incredibly patient, very informative and knowledgeable. If you're on a group tour, these two would ensure a wonderful experience. The Deanston whiskey is top notch and the whiskey experience provided us with a taste of 3 very varied types.

Great tour and smooth scotch samples. Not the run of the mill tour. Explains the distillery process…read moreand best explanation of how to warm your palate to have a smooth experience

We popped into The Village Inn for a quick drink and ended up wishing we were staying for dinner…read more The food menu looked fantastic, with plenty of hearty pub classics and some nice surprises. It's clearly a local favorite, with a warm, welcoming vibe and friendly staff who make you feel right at home. They had a good selection of ciders and wines, which were all very reasonably priced. This is a relaxed, down-to-earth place that's everything a little village pub should be. Highly recommended.

Found this gem on our way to Glasgow from Dunnottar. Great service and great food. Small dining…read morearea and quaint decor that highlights the antiquity and charm of this old building and historic town. Make reservations of possible as this place is very popular with the locals and everyone that came in knew the wait staff and walked straight to their tables as if this is a weekly tradition. We got lucky someone graciously offered their table and eat in the small lounge area to enjoy their drinks. Food was amazing. I ordered chicken curry and was not disappointed. Great quality for a small unassuming restaurant in the Scottish countryside. Those I was with started more traditional and ordered pies, they all commented that the good was great. Highly recommend of you can make this a planned stop between major cities/attractions as you cruise through the countryside.

First place we ate when we came in. Vibe was super cool, had live music. Got the fish & chips and…read moresteak pie, yummy first meal!!

7pm reservation, we were seated immediately. The menu is clever and there really seems to be…read moresomething for everyone. My frittata was light but full of fresh piping hot vegetables. The wine list is replete with moderately priced wines; honestly we would have been willing to pay more for a couple of even better alternatives, but I would not classify that as a complaint. Service was friendly and attentive and this restaurant is so eclectic and fun.

Just an awesome, rockin' final meal in Edinburgh - fantastic food, good service and energized local…read morevibe! Absolute must to get reservations! We tried on our first week in Edinburgh and failed, but were able to make reservations 3 weeks out for our last night in Scotland, and we are glad we did. Pork cracklins were a bit hard and crunchy, but everything else was perfect. We had fresh bread and langostinis for starters, along with a smokey whiskey cocktail, the Smoked Indiscretion! For mains we enjoyed the poached Cod, and the Pork with Barley. Service was very good, and wine selection was extensive. Atmosphere was loud with music and locals' chatter in the bar below, but dark tables and heavy wood panels made it a perfect place for a couple celebrating 3 weeks of travel. Highly recommend a visit to the Devil's Advocate, if you can book a table in advance.

The Devil's Advocate is undoubtedly a treasure to find in Old Town Edinburgh, especially if you…read moreaccidentally take the News Steps to get there, only to realize you should have simply taken the steps up Advocate's Close from Cockburn Street. But they call these lessons, "character building," apparently. No matter, the Devil's Advocate is worth the search. Located in an old Victorian pump house halfway up (or down) Advocate's Close, the Devil's Advocate is known for a killer whisky shelf of more than 300 different bottles from various distilleries across the Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Campbelltown, the Islands, and Islay. I finally sipped on a 15-year Tamdu that has convinced me to keep a bottle at home. Then there's the Clydeside 2024 Limited Edition Cask Strength that was wicked impressive. The bartenders are class at making and serving seasonal and regular cocktails that have their spin and character. My wife enjoyed gin-based cocktails such as the Clean Slate (with St-Germain, citrus, and sugar), Rose Garden (with Yellow Chartreuse, Cocchi Rosa, apple, lemon, and mint), and Bee's Knees (honey and lemon). I went full speed ahead with the scotch cocktails, which are essentially classics with a scotch-substituted twist. The Double Shot is an Espresso Martini with Dalmore 12 in addition to Kahlua, espresso, and demerara -- quite smooth without being too sweet. The Scotzia is a Negroni with Fettercairn 12, while the Boxcar is a Sidecar only with Aberfeldy 12. We enjoyed the bar for a few hours, watching the bartenders make magic while sipping on cocktails, while listening to 80s pop tunes. A great evening indeed.

Great location in central Stirling. My favorite restaurant on a recent trip to visit my daughter…read more In fact, we liked it so much we went on back-to-back evenings. My daughter very much liked the ravioli appetizer. On the second evening, we both had the bacon steak burger. The wait staff on both occasions were friendly and attentive. Nice to a beverage list with plenty of N/A options.

Sweet server with good suggestions- we had the burger and the rolled haddock. Apparently the…read morehaddock is a fav and it's been on the menu for 8 years. Everything was excellent, nice quiet restaurant right down the hill from Stirling Castle.

I go every year to Scotland and make this one of my stops to visit and eat. I love these people…read moreand the food along with the groceries are fresh! The farm is self sustaining and clean.

**WARNING** This is a lengthy review and you WILL be hungry after reading!…read more Just outside Perth and a short detour from the A9 lies Tibbermore (I know, cute right!), a typical 'blink and you'll miss it' kinda place, but really, just don't blink cos this place is awesome! It really does have it all - fresh fruit and vegetables all leafy and colourful, a gin lovers corner, wonderful cheese and meats deli, health foods section including a variety a GF flours, breads and oatcakes (try their own oatcakes, completely different from the brand that sounds like Talkers but sooo much tastier!), tray upon tray of freshly laid eggs...I could go on but you get the idea! And that's just the food section! They also have a glorious gift section where I could've easily spent a small fortune. Everything from kitchen gadgets to picnic baskets, kiddie gifts to Emma Bridgewater pottery and everything in between. I spotted a few local producers too which I loved as I always like to see locals businesses supporting each other. Then there's the café/restaurant which has a few outdoor tables but plenty inside if they're taken; the day I visited it was glorious but somehow we got lucky and got a table outside (my shoulders can prove that #scottishtan!...). The menu has lots of tasty options incorporating as much of their own produce as possible - I opted for the Homemade Chicken Liver pate while my parents both had the Smoked Ayrshire Ham & Gloagburn Curried Banana Chutney sandwich (Dad went hunting for the ham to buy later he was that impressed!). Once decided, we had to go inside and order at the counter; I'm not sure if this was due to us sitting outside or standard practise as when we asked for a second round of coffees (and some more oatcakes for me as I'd ran out!), a waitress came over with one of those electronic hand-held thingys to take that order so I wondered why she couldn't have done that initially, anyway, not really a star-affecting issue. Pricewise, we were just shy of £10/head for a sandwich and coffee (exc our 2nd coffee round), a tad steep but it's all fresh and local produce so I don't mind paying that when you know you're getting good quality (and it really was!). Given it's out-the-way location it's a busy wee place but worth the trip as you could easily spend a couple of hours here eating and browsing. There's plenty parking available and even a small play area for kids. Farm Shops like this don't come around too often, which is a shame as they really are wee gems of places!

With so may average pubs in Edinburgh, this one really stood out. Best off so far. I had the…read moreShepards pie which was fantastic and mostly meat. Veggies were perfectly cooked and seasoned. My daughter had the duck, and it was the best meal on our trip for her. Generous portion perfectly cooked and seasoned. Very impressed and I would come back in a heart beat. Very few pubs were as good as this one.

Well, we had dinner on one of our last nights in Edinburgh, and it did not disappoint! Get your…read morereservations! The upstairs dining room (bar side) is absolutely charming and welcoming, and the staff could not have been better, or friendlier. The food? Come ON! Really grand! We started with the chips and dip (fries with Sriracha Mayo) - they were crisp and the mayo was just spicy enough. My husband had a sizeable portion of fish and chips, which was perfectly cooked, and had a light batter. I had the most delicious burger, with bacon and cheddar; mash on the side. All the food was hot; well seasoned; and quickly served. The Doric has their own GF beer on draft, which is quite good, and a selection of regular beer for those of you who don't need GF. Great selection of scotch, as well. Make your reservation ahead of time, and don't miss the oldest pub in Edinburgh!

This is a cool place. You use an app to order or waitress will come around. Food here is decent. I…read morewouldn't call it great. The app does make it easy but anything you order from a waitress just know you can only pay at the bar. If you're catching the train keep this in mind when paying. Staff here is very friendly. It's a great stop if you're in town and want a cold pint or some whiskey.

It's been a few years since we've been in Stirling, but I still crave that cheese toastie. It's the…read moresimple things!

We stayed here for five days while attending a wedding at the nearby Barony Castle, and I can't…read morepraise The Horseshoe Inn enough! The rooms at the inn were small but cozy, with comfortable beds and everything you need included. The free breakfasts at the attached pub were generous and delicious, as were all the meals. The fish and chips were heaven! The chicken and leek pie was amazing, with a flaky crust and creamy, tasty interior. The staff were friendly and helpful but not at all intrusive. And to top it off, the bus from central Edinburgh stops right outside the inn door. The setting is bucolic, the food beyond delicious, the rooms cozy - I really hope I have another chance some day to stay here!

WE SEEMED TO hit every traffic light from Newhaven to Sir Harry Lauder Road as we journeyed south…read moretowards The Horseshoe. I cannot stand others' lateness, particularly when it comes to eating arrangements, so I was slightly embarrassed to call ahead and advise of our unfortunate delay. This unassuming restaurant with rooms is situated 17 miles from Edinburgh city centre, just outside of Peebles (Eddleston to be exact). I knew very little about it, bar the odd comment that "it has a good reputation" and held two AA Rosettes. After a torrid hour-and-a-half trek I was in need of a glass of wine, never mind a three-course lunch. Let's hope that those earlier comments were accurate. A chat with the Maître d' ed to a glass of a rather special Albarino (2014) "Contrapulto" from Rias Baixas, Spain being ordered. It had a stunning colour and texture to it with fruity notes and a hint of lemon. Its richness meant that it was the perfect sipping wine and I reckoned it would pair very well with the seafood dishes I was about to tackle. My starter was an eye-pleasing bowl of smoked pancetta, clams, coco beans and chorizo. It had a wonderful aroma to it. I delved in to find a slight bite to the beans and a rather opulent sauce-come-soup in the bottom that had a welcome smack of salt and smoke from the pancetta. The clams were grit-free, thankfully, and melted in the mouth along with little morsels of squid that graced the plate with a hint of the sea. There was no chorizo as billed, but I didn't miss it; the pancetta flavour was more than enough. Sarah elected to try the pressed pork terrine with sour cherries, cashew nuts, chutney and chicory. Serving temperature can often be an issue with terrines but this one had been allowed to come to room temperature before leaving the kitchen. It was moist and properly set with crunch from the nuts speckled throughout. The apple chutney sliced through the fattiness while the chicory brought contrasting bitter notes, as well as texture. An earthy sweetness was chaperoned in by some courgette ribbons but the best thing about it was the cherries. They weren't overly sour but really harmonised with the other tones of flavour. I fancied the roast but for reviewing purposes had to go for the hake with a crispy fish cake, broccoli and mussels since Sarah won the toss. I say that like it was a chore - it wasn't at all. The fish was beautifully cooked, crisp skin and all. The tasty flakes of hake marvelled in the puddle of juices at the bottom of the bowl where it gleefully played around with some tender shallot rings cooked well enough to still bring bite to the dish. The lemon flavour from the fish cake was what really brought this dish to life; its prominence was admirable and even complemented the expertly executed broccoli stems. Sweet mussels were a little bonus on what was a very accomplished piece of cookery. It would have to be a spectacular roast to top that main course and it was as equally superb. The sirloin of borders beef yielded with little resistance. The Litmus test for a great roast is in the spuds for me, but this attempt was spot on - crisp exteriors and fluffy interiors all round. A crunchy homemade Yorkshire pudding hit the brief but it was the medley of autumnal vegetables that made this dish memorable. The assertive, slight bitterness of the chard was met with sweet carrots and roasted beetroot, but those delectable onion petals were the real star for me. The only quibble here was that Sarah felt the beetroot could have been slightly softer. All good things must come to an end and my lunch concluded with an old-school vanilla rice pudding with poached apricots and apricot sorbet. The key here was that the rice pudding wasn't too sweet and the rice still had a presence. It was creamy but with waves of vanilla tantalising the palette. I got a flavour of cola bottles from somewhere that I really liked and the cold sorbet weighed in with a contrast in temperatures. Cherry savarin with cherry sorbet, vanilla and fig was another pretty dish. The savarin was moist and the different textures on the plate were a deligt to eat. Fig was the dominating flavour rather than the expected cherry but the combinations of the smooth sorbet and the cake, coupled with the vanilla cream, were divine. This was one of the most enjoyable meals I've had this year. The consummate professionalism of the service, outstanding cooking and exemplary wine offerings coalesced to create a fine dining experience that not only ticked all the boxes but came at an extremely reasonable price to boot.

The Kailyard Nick Nairn by the DoubleTree Dunblane was the perfect meal to finish out my time in…read moreScotland. Thanks to my server Craig for the great suggestions. I ordered the smoked salmon as a starter which was light and a great place to begin. The salmon was not overpowering, which I've had before, and served over a fresh thin slice of rye. For the main course I ordered the red braised beef daube which was fantastic. The beef easily fell apart and mixed with the mash was wonderful. I also got an old fashioned but with Balvenie Doublewood 12 instead of Woodford Resevere- a much better choice especially in Scotland! If you're over in the Stirling area of Scotland, you need to eat here.

Delicious food from starter to desert I'd suggest you have the 3 courses for £30 as the 1 course…read morefor £20 would be... Well... Shockingly expensive. I'd highly recommend the pulled pork salad, trout or salmon to start, the halibut or the lamb for main and the 3 Chimneys Sticky Toffee Pudding or crémé brûlée for desert. If I had two complaints, the staff are a little lacklustre, of our three nights there we had to chase them in all but one. Also as a guy who likes a beer, there was just Stella or remnants no craft beer goodness to be had!