The top 100 local restaurants across the UK have been crowned by a prestigious food guide and 12 Scottish eateries are included in the list.
The Good Food Guide is a "discerning diner's trusted guide to eating well" in Britain’s restaurants, cafés, pubs and hotels. Restaurants were divided into eight categories: Central & East of England, London, North East, North West, Scotland, South East, South West, and Wales.
For each one, a regional winner was declared, with The Kinneuchar Inn in Fife topping the list for Scotland. According to the Good Food Guide website, the restaurant is "still part of the local scene, and a rare example of a genuine dining pub in Scotland".
The judges praised the 17th century pub, which serves a daily changing 'a la carte' menu based on ingredients sourced from the nearby Balcaskie Estate, for its "eclectic dishes based on East Neuk’s seasonal larder".
The list was nominated by the public with more than 37,000 votes. The tally was confirmed by inspectors from the organisation, who journeyed to each restaurant to determine which deserved a place on the final shortlist.
Elsewhere, Glasgow had a strong showing in the top 100, with The Loveable Rogue, Celentano's, Bar Brett, Eighty Eight, Ga Ga Kitchen & Bar, Gloriosa, and Eusebi Deli all appearing. Edinburgh also impressed, with The Palmerston, L'Escargot Bleu, and KORA by Tom Kitchin being included in the influential list.
The Kinneuchar Inn wasn't the only Fife restaurant to make an impression, with The Dory Bistro also being named. This seafood restaurant and art gallery, found in the fishing village of Pittenweem, is renowned for its affordable and sustainable food.
Meanwhile, The Galleon Bistro in Tobermory and The Bothy in Moray also have a spot in the top 100. The former is a family-run eatery that serves up delicious steaks, local seafood, and pasta, while the latter prides itself on its "warm and welcoming atmosphere".
The final Scottish restaurant to appear in the Good Food Guide 2023 is The Oystercatcher in Argyll and Bute. It was praised by the organisation for its "stunning garden, exceptional views", and "delicious food".
CEO of UK Hospitality Kate Nicholls commented: "Local restaurants are so often the heartbeat of communities; providing jobs, generating economic growth and, most importantly, providing fantastic food. It’s brilliant to see such huge support from the public for their local restaurants and is deserved recognition for their hard work.
"This sort of support is invaluable as venues face ever-rising costs and is essential in keeping valued businesses viable."
More information and the full list can be found on the Good Food Guide website.
Good Food Guide 2023 entries for Scotland
- The Kinneuchar Inn, Fife (overall winner)
- The Loveable Rogue, Glasgow
- Celentano's, Glasgow
- Bar Brett, Glasgow
- Eighty Eight, Glasgow
- The Palmerston, Edinburgh
- L'Escargot Bleu, Edinburgh
- Ga Ga Kitchen & Bar, Glasgow
- Gloriosa, Glasgow
- Eusebi Deli, Glasgow
- The Oystercatcher, Argyll & Bute
- The Dory Bistro, Fife
- The Galleon Bistro, Highlands & Islands
- KORA by Tom Kitchin, Edinburgh
- The Bothy, Moray
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