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.

Scottish Pub in a cool little town. This place was exactly what I was looking for after a morning…read morespent checking out Tantallon Castle and a 3 mile walk back to town. The Fisherman Pie, which was Haddock, Smoked Haddock and Salmon in a Creamy Leek & Chive Sauce, topped with Mash Potato and Isle of mull Cheddar, was delicious. Even the Seasonal Vegetables, which were served with the pie was really good. On top of that, they had a nice long list of ciders to select from and they had the Kopparberg Strawberry & Lime, which is one of my favorites.

From the outside the Ship Inn looks like a local bar on the "welcoming" side of the scale as…read moreopposed to the "Tourists Beware" side. On entering it is a spacious and cosy looking bar that is definitely suited for tourists with a collection of beer mats almost being used as wallpaper to cover most of the free space behind the bar, some of which I had never even heard of! The decor and feel to the sitting area itself is traditional with a modern fusion, little tweaks like old spirit bottles (JD mainly) being used as candle holders are excellent to the vibe of the place and really let you settle happily in to one of the booths and take the surroundings in. We went in here because my better half was feeling hungry (I was saving myself for the North Berwick Fry which is just next door to the Ship Inn, in hindsight I should have eaten here) and decided to pop in here for a drink & a bit of lunch/dinner, we definitely weren't disappointed. A chicken and bacon burger was ordered and a chicken and bacon burger it was. Where the chicken that this chicken breast came from I don't know but it was definitely doing some serious weightlifting and bulking up. It was MASSIVE, in all it's chickeny beauty I found it hard to resist taking a huge bite out of the burger. Long stoy short, I ended up taking a huge bite out of the burger. The chicken was beautifully juicy for general pub grub and the bacon was lovely, sweet but slightly salted which gelled all the flavours of the breaded chicken and the toasted roll together. Thinking about it now, I'm getting hungry again. Every time I have a pub burger, the side salad always lets it down, every time, it's like the bars expect people not to eat it, but not this bar. The salad was crisp and fresh, served up with a deliciously sweet vinaigrette that was perfect for dipping a wee bit of the roll in. The spirit measures were 35ml and the guest ales on offer covered breweries such as Innis & Gunn and The Inveralmond Brewery (who do beers such as Lia Fail and Ossian) which justified the bar being about 60-70p more expensive than the others we visited.

This is a restaurant for people who love good food! I appreciate well prepared, carefully sourced…read moreingredients that somehow turn into magic when combined. It's a small and very popular restaurant so book in advance. You can tell the staff are invested in proving an enjoyable experience for customers. The overall vibe is caring about food and people - it's not fast food!

Cool Decor, great location Prices reflect all of that…read more Stopped in for a late lunch Enjoyed everything we had, both food and beverages

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.

We were a group of 6 and waiting time was less than an hour on a busy Monday at 2pm. Notification…read morewas via text or through a link which you can monitor your table's availability. We had a lovely meal here at Makars Mash Bar (technically called The Makar's Rest) We ordered the following: - Coke & Ginger Kombucha - Free Range Gourmet Scotch Egg (deliciousness to share and a great way to begin a meal) - Home Grown Lion's Mane pan-fried bites, served with vegan aioli wasn't a hit with the group but I really liked it. - Slow Cooked Lamb (rich and full of flavor) - Crown Of Slow Cooked Beef Shoulder (incredibly tender and literally fell apart) - Makars Wild Boar Sausage With Beef Dripping Gravy (got a bite in and it didn't taste gamey) - Sides of Black pudding mash and Scottish cheddar cheese & onion mash which we really enjoyed. - Sticky Toffee Pudding was a perfect end to the meal. Great comfort food, generous portions, and a really enjoyable experience overall. Would definitely recommend. Atmosphere outside in the chilly air was a challenge at first. Outdoor heaters would have been a plus. At least we were seated.

Makars Mash is one of those places that is always at the top of folks recommendation lists for…read moreEdinburgh. I found this to be for good reason. At the door, parties of 2+ had around an hour wait. I was lucky enough to be dining solo, so was immediately seated to a small high-top area by the door. Service was very kind. I ordered the Lamb and Classic Mash. The side pickles were tasty and refreshing. The mash was truly good. I ended up wishing I picked a different protein because the lamb came on the bone, wish was hard to eat around for me. Since it was my first day in Scotland, the conversion between pounds and dollars hadn't yet processed for me. As a heads up, ordering the 23.00 pound classic entree came out to be $32.50.

Initially intended just to have a quick coffee and cake here on the way home from Little Sparta but…read moreonce seated the idea of a proper dinner took hold. The potted crab starter was very good (perfect toast-to-crab ratio), as were the chicken & leek pie and Szechuan duck breast mains. The passion fruit & lemon posset dessert finished things off very well. Our little companion enjoyed her cheese burger & introduction to a physalis. Intimate atmosphere, good service (extra ketchup for the wean and a box to take the burger home in were no trouble) and the wine selection looked very good so a non-driving visit will need to be made in the future.

This is as good as it gets for good food in quirky comfortable surroundings…read more We first stumbled across the Old Bake House in August 2010 while riding the roads south of Edinburgh. We thought it was a cafe and were greeted by a gentleman in a tuxedo - most unnerving at midday when we walked in wearing motorcycle leathers. 'May I help you?', 'uh, yes, do you have a table?' (I thought that we may have stumbled into some private club by mistake!). 'do you have a reservation?' 'no'. i was still slightly gobsmacked by the tiny entrance, the guests waiting by the fire, reviewing the menu with an aperitif in hand and the tuxedo wearing gentleman with a mohawk offering us a seat. We fell deeply into the comfortable couch after stowing our helmets and jackets, reviewed the menu and were then shown through a small hallway, passed the kitchen to the back room - or, more accurately, rooms. Since then, we have walked through the same small hallway at least half a dozen more times, and taken many overseas guests to the Old Bake House. It is truly a hidden gem. Usually when I visit a restaurant over and over, I love to try different meals, but I find myself unable to order anything but the glazed salmon which has been cooked perfectly 4/5 times. Slightly over on one occasion but the rest of the meal made up for it. Desert is always delicious and the delightfully simple pear, walnut, blue cheese salad is usually our starter. On one occasion I had to order the chicken fajitas (because the salmon wasn't on the festive menu), and I was not disappointed - they were so good that I will have a dilemma next time we go back. What to order, the chicken fajitas or the salmon?? Ian often orders the Sunday roast and has sometimes been rewarded with double yorkshires! The food is great, the wine is good, the beer is good, the temporary staff are hit 'n miss, the full time staff are great, the ambience is good, making the journey to West Linton can be an adventure or a hassle - but all in all we have never had anything but a great experience.

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 menu has enough choice to give even the pickiest of eaters something to love, however it is…read morelimited enough to prevent the indecisive from spending time unable to choose a dish. We had such a fab time here, and the entire table loved their meal - the beef was our favourite dish. The only thing to be wary of is to make sure you request a table on the ground floor and not up the staircase, if you have mobility issues.

Forage and Chatter was my last meal in Edinburgh, and I'm glad that I could end my visit here on…read moresuch a high note. I made reservations for one. And was seated in their outdoors (-ish) area. It's almost like an outdoor alley but still has a roof. I agree with the previous Yelper comparing it to a farmhouse/garden. The service was impeccable. Each team member that helped take care of me was very attentive, polite, and knowledgeable. I ordered the cured salmon appetizer, lamb neck filet entree, and a few whiskys. Both dishes were cooked perfectly, with a nice combination of flavors and textures. Forage and Chatter was one of my favorite meals in Edinburgh and I would most certainly make reservations here if I ever came back.

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.

The main road heading to or from Central & West Scotland is the A74(M) which eventually becomes the…read moreM6 just south of Gretna. If you find yourself driving here, look out for a village called Lockerbie at J17. Instead of spending a fortune dining without ambience at a motorway services, do yourself a favour and stop at The Townhead Hotel instead. We did just that on the way up from Manchester recently and had a superb, revitalising meal after a testing day. My brother in law and I both had one of the homemade Buccleuch Beef burgers with Stilton served with beer batter onion rings, relish, coleslaw and deliciously crisp chips (fries). Very nice indeed, with a portion size for good, hearty appetites. My Mum, who is a starter fanatic, ordered the sharing platter for 2 as a main course and thoroughly enjoyed it. I've forgotten what my Sister ordered, apologies, but we all commented on how tasty our food had been. We were dining in the evening and there were small candles on the table, which made for a relaxing atmosphere. Declan our Waiter and Honor behind the bar were fun & attentive hosts. It was just what we needed as slightly weary travellers and gave us the impetus required for the last leg of the journey. I'd recommend a visit!

We arrived after their kitchen with shut down it was the only good place to eat in town so They…read morewent ahead and cooked us dinner. amazing fish and chips and a great steak. The steak was so soft it fell apart. great food great vegetables great service thank you thank you