Fig & Thistle is a cozy friendly old style bistro inside with a limited menu and some interesting instagram friendly outside "pods" with neon wording and heaters which is an odd pairing of seating options. I suspect my review would have been more glowing if my partner and I had ordered the salmon with aromatic rice and the burger which were both recommended. Instead we got: - wild mushroom linguine with chicken breast and pancetta - 3/5 since the dish arrived with only two visible mushrooms and no pancetta. It was a bit too cream forward for my taste and they did deliver some crisp pancetta when I asked but I definitely would not call it a mushroom linguine. If my vegetarian friends had ordered this dish they would have faced linguine in cream sauce. Tasty but missing the mark. - duck breast - 4/5 this was prepared well but nothing super amazing - bread and butter - 4/5, the bread had a little peppery quality to it which made the soft white bread more interesting read more

What a sweet bistro! John, Amy, and Maya were very accommodating and sweet on a busy night. Business is good and rightly so! Our group really enjoyed everything. Try the haggis - a bite of all the components on the plate was delicious. Don't skip the bread, you will have room and regret not having some of the best we have tasted in Inverness. The table ordered the burger, Venison, lamb, and mushrooom linguini. We all left full and content. read more

Fig & Thistle Bistro - Haggis - Scottish Near Me - Inverness, HLD

See all

We loved sitting outside in the little tents for lunch-- nice and cozy. We were told immediately that they were understaffed and so service would be a little slow - appreciate the heads up. We got skin-on chips, the roasted cauliflower, quesadilla with chicken, chicken malai tikka and fish n chips with a couple drinks. Can't complain about any food - everything tasted awesome. The drinks were very refreshing too. read more

See all

Really unimpressive food for a 'bistro.' You're much better off at a pub. Sweet but inexperienced server.

What a fantastic little bistro. A nice variety of food options. Most of us are vegetarians and there was some really delicious dishes for us to eat. My son got a hamburger which was very good weight. Staff were accommodating and nice. Great gem in the city! The goat cheese appetizers were good, get the big portion if you have a few people to share it with. read more

Fig & Thistle Bistro - Storefront - Scottish Near Me - Inverness, HLD

We had a wonderful experience at Fig & Thistle this evening. We had a party of 9 which we know is a lot. Loved the outdoor seating -so thankful for the heaters. Everyone in our party was pleased - I would definitely recommend the venison as well as the roasted cauliflower risotto. Highest praise for the service, thank you for taking great care of us! read more

Highly recommend!!! One of the best lunches ever. Hubby and I shared the cauliflower with risotto and the smoked haddock croquette. Yum to both. Beautifully presented and excellent flavors. Good service and food in a quaint, cheery restaurant. read more

Fig & Thistle Bistro - Cauliflower on risotto - Scottish Near Me - Inverness, HLD

See all

Pretty good dinner. The venison was a nice dish and there are good wines offered by the glass. The meat was cooked nicely but the gravy was a bit bland. My friend got a burger that she was happy with as well. Not a bad dinner and the staff were really sweet. read more

Honestly the food was okay at best. I will say the restaurant is very cute. Ordered the cauliflower risotto, which I felt lacked flavor. I also felt prices were pretty expensive for what you get. read more

Fig & Thistle Bistro - Scottish Near Me - Inverness, HLD

The soup of the day was a potato, carrot and leek soup. One of the best soups I've ever had. Perfect for a cold blustery day. The goat's cheese tartlet was a light accompaniment. Just the right amount of food for a light lunch. The service was great and the restaurant is cozy. read more

Fig & Thistle Bistro - Grilled goat's cheese, fig and onion tartlet - Scottish Near Me - Inverness, HLD

See all

Good service, good food. My companions and I enjoyed the duck. The brie appetizer was also good.

We went for dinner and had a great experience. We both ordered fish and chips as it was our first night in Scotland. Delicious meal! Waitress was quick and helpful. The place wasn't too busy, but we had to wait 30 minutes. Think they may have been understaffed. Atmosphere was typical for a pub. read more

Fig & Thistle Bistro was one of the highlights of my time in Scotland. The food was beautifully made -- simple, fresh, and full of real flavor. You can tell they care about what they put on the plate. Everything was locally sourced and tasted so fresh. The staff was kind, attentive, and personable without hovering, and the whole place had a cozy, peaceful feel. All of Paul's recommendations were on-point. If you're in Inverness and want a meal that's memorable, go here. Highly, highly recommend! read more

See all

Food is not just about eating, but it's the connections we develop. Fig and Thistle is one of the best places I have eaten at. Abdullah runs a great, gourmet restaurant and is a lovely person to chat with. We enjoyed the Penne Contadina- super fresh flavors, Lamb Kofte- my son thought it was the best lamb skewers he has had, Cauliflower and spicy squash risotto- curried flavor in a risotto was something I had not had before and relished it, Fish and Chips, Mango sorbet- perfectly sweet and creamy- don't ask me how it was creamy being a sorbet We ended our meal with great coffee. Service was 5 stars and we enjoyed dining at the immaculately maintained outside patio. Highly recommend Fig and Thistle Bistro. Would love to return. read more

See all

The Fig and Thistle is an amazing restaurant in Inverness. the ambiance was elegant yet cozy. Our server, Paul, made excellent recommendations- we absolutely loved the food which was so unique, flavorful and delicious! read more

Seated us outside in a tent, after getting water and waiting 20-25 mins for someone to come out and take our order we just left. Blessing in disguise, went to Little Italy couple doors over. Service and food was fantastic! read more

Incredibly cute bistro in the heart of Inverness. My wife and I stopped in on our last day and were absolutely enchanted by the atmosphere and friendly local service. Food was absolutely 5 star, and we would highly recommend! read more

See all

Cute little place across from the mega shopping mall. Tight seating. Good service by our server, Holly, and helpful information about stouts and old pub using only fermentation pressure, no gas, in their drafts. Enjoyable little place on a rainy afternoon. read more

We were 15 minutes early for our reservation and they let us sit on a bench for a few minutes before seating us at the table in front of the window. Saw many people came in without reservations being turned away. Shared chicken liver pate as appetizer, it was delicious! Only complaint was that it came with only 3 little strips of brioche toasts and was not enough to finish the tittle ramekin it came with. The mains were sirloin steak with creamy pepper sauce and pan fried hake with risotto (a special). We asked for medium rare for the steak but it came more of a medium. The hake is more cooked than what I would like, but as a bistro plate it was perfect. I really can't fault the restaurant as we have American accents. Both dishes were delicious otherwise and I would come again if we had more time in Inverness. read more

See all

Owner was very thoughtful and service oriented. The food was good. The only negative was that he first wanted to seat us in the back behind the bar and espresso machine when there were many quieter tables available upfront. However, we spoke up and got a nice table for two in the window. read more

It was absolutely delicious the service was spot on fair prices. Its a nice place in a great spot read more

While on a short trip visiting Inverness, we decided to have one nice meal and we chose Fig and Thistle. It's a cute little place not far from the city center, with a nice, homey vibe inside with little wooden tables and friendly staff. While it is bigger than it looks from the outside, you may still be fairly close to other diners! When we came in they had our table ready, and we begin perusing the rotating menu. All the options seemed delicious, as did the specials. We ordered a bottle of wine for the table, which was reasonably priced and came quickly. Then, we were ready to order. But no one came. So we sat, and sat, and waited some more and finally someone came back to get our orders. For our appetizer, I shared a grilled goats cheese with a fig and onion tartlet and one of the specials, a Thai style chicken skewer. The grilled goat's cheese tartlet was honestly spectacular, rich and gooey and flakey and crisp. The Thai chicken skewer was the opposite, dry and uninspiring, on a bed of bland vegetables, something that would be better suited to a frozen food aisle than such a nice establishment. The entree, however, was redeeming: my linguine with mushroom, chicken was everything it needed to be, and the bite I had of the roasted lamb rump was enough to tell me it was cooked to perfection. Likewise, the mango cheesecake was a soft and sweet melody, creamy and delicious. The meal ended strong and we were very satisfied that we'd dined here. read more

See all

When I tell you this was hands down the best sirloin I have ever had, it was. My husband and I brought our 15 and 13 year old daughters for dinner. I have never heard two teenagers rave about their steaks and "juicy sauce" in my life. It is a beautiful setting, quaint and so worth every dollar we spent. Our waiter, older gentleman was so nice. We explained that in the US a good thing is when you say, "it's so good I'd slap my mama"! This place was it! Well done and a must dinner spot. read more

See all

We made reservations at this restaurant that was perfectly located near our Airbnb. The service was questionable but the location was ideal. Not convinced we would return if given the opportunity. read more

So glad we read about this quaint, charming restaurant! The service is outstanding and the food is fresh and prepared lovingly! We had three amazing plates and one standard burger plate with three incredible starters! No room for desserts thought they do tantalize you with a chalkboard full of irresistible decadent treats!! The restaurant boasts some annual rewards they've recently won and, oh it is so deserved! We will be sending clients here for meals and in fact have to reach out to see if they have a larger space for small groups or families. The dining area is small but just make a reservation and be sure not to miss out. They have delish daily specials, a huge wine, beer and cocktails menu. Great find in the Highlands! read more

Fig & Thistle Bistro - Hake and mussels risotto with spring peas - Scottish Near Me - Inverness, HLD

See all

Food was pretty good. The service was rushed and weird and we had a late reservation so it wasn't like they needed the table. The room is close and brightly lit. It felt like our waiter was on speed! The pizza place up the hill would have been a better option. read more

Lovely bistro that fulfilled the needs of our family for that day. The staff was lovely and Scotland was wonderful.

The service was slow from the start. Everything from the water to our dinner. Might be the worst ribeye ever - both steaks were cooked wrong. One was overcooked and the other was undercooked. And both were of very low quality meat. It should be removed from the menu if this is the best they can do. Other meals looked better and the others in the party seemed to enjoy their entrees. read more

My vegan daughter and I enjoyed a tasty, beautifully prepared and served meal at Fig & Thistle in Inverness during our stay in Scotland in September 2022. Delightful owner and staff, very professional, kind, and friendly. Highly recommend. Although we were fortunate to get same day reservations, because it is so popular, I recommend you book ahead. read more

Fig & Thistle Bistro - Delicious vegetarian Risotto - Scottish Near Me - Inverness, HLD

See all

My husband and I wandered in here without reservations on a Thursday night and got seated at the bar. We soon realized what an upscale place it was and felt underdressed. The staff was very nice and didn't t seem to notice. The bartender made a good martin($20) and opened a new bottle of red wine when my husbands glass tasted of stale cork. He poured out the rest of the bottle and the new glass was good. The food was quite good. We shared the chickpea fritter starter, the burrata and tomato salad and the bison tenderloin fillet. The bison came with a yummy grit cake with tomatillo sauce, the bison had a cherry glaze, cilantro dollops and mole sauce. It was cooked very nicely but really the mole was overpowering. We were able to just not eat the sauce as it was to the side. I would have given this 5 stars but we felt it was overpriced by 1/3. Our shared meal and 2 drinks came to $155 without tip. I'm not sure this small Montana town can support that for long. We did enjoy our time there but it's just too much money. read more

Best pizza ever. Really, we were just walking by when we saw and smelled that wonderful pizza. We could not resist. Tasted every bit as good as it looked. Great salad and terrific service, too. read more

We stopped here for lunch a couple of weeks ago after our guide recommended this restaurant. We were lucky to get a table but highly recommend a reservation bc it gets filed quickly. Ambiance is great, service was fabulous. We started off with the soup of the day which was a tomato basil, which I have to add one of the best I've ever had. It had a smooth texture not highly acidic as most are, that's a plus. I had a salmon spread on toast on top of a mango corn medley with fresh sprigs. It was beyond delish. I ordered chicken breast on a bed of roasted potatoes and crisp green beans with a tomato sauce and my bf ordered a steak with mushroom sauce on a bed of mash with carrots. We were in heaven. Everything was cooked to perfection. It's a meal I will remember for ages. This is a must if you are in Inverness you will not be disappointed. read more

See all

Hands down best meal we had in Inverness. Everything we ordered was delicious - the steak, salads and desserts. I ordered the scallops special which was great. Definitely make a reservation during the busy/tourist season! read more

Fig & Thistle Bistro - Scottish Near Me - Inverness, HLD

My favourite restaurant in Inverness. Bistro type restaurant with excellent food. I almost always eat from the specials board as the menu doesn't change much. Last time I was in I had the mushroom risotto with steak and it was delicious, I couldn't fault it. The seafood dishes are great too. It's small so book ahead. Closed sundays and Mondays. read more

So glad we found this place! Loved it so much at lunch that we made a reservation for dinner. Every dish was delicious, and they had multiple options for a gluten/dairy free meal. Ian (owner) was friendly and helpful, as well as the rest of the staff. read more

I could not figure out how to get a reservation online, so once in Inverness I walked up to F&T and they promptly gave me a reservation. It was a short walk from our hotel, across the bridge, and up the street to the pedestrian walkway leading to Fig & Thistle. It is a small place, light woods, dominated by a bar on the first floor. We were seated in a bright, airy room upstairs (with its own bar), next to a window. Our server brought menus and a large chalk board of the specials, which included lamb koftas, haddock and onion croquettes as appetizers, along with cod as a main. My daughter had mussels as a first course, prepared in the traditional fashion and pretty tasty. Her main course was salmon, served with rice and a curry sauce. The curry was bright yellow and fairly light--not spicy. My spouse had the fig tartlet, tasty, and the cod special, with her chorizo on the side. Very nicely prepared. I started with the chicken liver parfait--a light pate with oat crackers and chopped apple compote with raisins. I was scraping the plate. I then had the rump of lamb medium rare, perfectly prepared and delicious over mashed. Our fourth had the burger, which he said he enjoyed. For drinks, there is nothing on tap. I had the Wildcat, a darker lager, while our fourth had the Caringorm Gold lager. My spouse and daughter had wine by the glass. Overall, the food was excellent. We ordered desserts to share: Cheese plates (2): scotch brie (soft and gooey), a goat cheese rolled in oats and pepper (think boursin), apple smoked cheddar and a soft blue cheese. All delicious, with crackers and the same apple compote. I am a sucker for cheese plates, and these were pretty good ones. Chocolate tart with raspberry: an almost solid stick of chocolate, with sweet raspberry sauce and fresh fruits. Very nice dark chocolate, very firm. Then came the check--four drinks, four excellent appetizers and main courses and three desserts for 129L, pretty good. Nice service as well. One of our best meals in Scotland. read more

We were so lucky to snag a reservation here last minute as there are only about 10 tables in the place. We came with a tour group and were given many recommendations to other Inverness restaurants, but I did a little more research and happened to find this gem. This just so happened to be one of the best meals we had while we were in Scotland. It was our anniversary, and I'm glad we found somewhere so good to eat on the day of. We had a smoked haddock croquette appetizer, I had salmon in a curry sauce, and my husband had the sirloin steak. We both licked our plates clean, and my husband couldn't stop raving about how perfectly the steak was cooked (a compliment from a man from Texas). I'd highly recommend this to anyone visiting Inverness, but be sure to book early since it is so small. :) read more

See all

My wife and I arrived in Inverness at about six one Friday night in the summer of 2016. Against all expectations, it was quite humid as we checked into the Kingsmill Hotel. As my wife took a quick nap, I decided to take a quick tour of town by walking to the City Centre. Descending a steep hill, I took inventory of a number of restaurants in the Eastgate/High Street area, including some on a relatively carless Stephens Street. When I returned to the hotel I recommended that street to my wife. So back we came. Little Italy looked like it might have promise, but fate told us to keep walking all of one door down to reach this eatery. "Why not?" we pondered, and wandered inside. "Do you have a reservation?" the hostess asked. "No, we do not" we replied in our best streetwise American accent. "Oh, I suppose we could seat you downstairs". "Ok" we responded. As the door remained open, a relatively cool breeze was being allowed to permeate where we sat. For a while, anyway. About twenty minutes after we sat a group of about six older people came in, and apparently were too cold, even though it felt like 30 degrees centigrade with about 95% humidity. As they appeared to be local regulars, the hostess quickly acquiesced to shutting the door. At that point the wife and I started panting with sweat. I should point out that as far as the food itself went, it was quite delicious, when it eventually came. We would've taken dessert out, but for some reason they refused to do that. We probably could have been persuaded to compromise by at least eating at an outdoor table, but I don't believe they had been left out. read more

Delicious food, great service, lovely ambiance, and wonderful wine! Highly recommend to anyone

Got this recommendation from the owner of our B&B. She called, they got us right in, and the atmosphere is wonderful. Every bite was delicious. The butternut squash risotto and the iced cranachan parfait are not to be missed. read more