With autumn in full swing, finding a warm and welcoming pub for a tasty lunch with family and friends is an ideal way to enjoy this time of year. From gastropubs with top-notch grub to community hubs with hearty fare, the humble pub lunch is an art form we can all appreciate.
With that in mind, the Guardian newspaper enlisted Peter Irvine, author of Scotland the Best, to pick out the best Scottish pubs for Sunday lunch, with four of his choices making the overall UK top 30.
From Edinburgh to Perthshire and over the water to the Isle of Skye, Peter's choices offer the very best of pub cuisine for any foodie to check out.
The Ox, Edinburgh
Opened in 2014, The Ox is Peter's first pick, with the experienced food writer stating: "There are still very few places in Edinburgh specialising in Sunday lunch – and clearly there is a demand. The Ox’s usual diverse menu is available all week, but on a Sunday most diners go for the roast – beef, pork belly or veggie nut with big Yorkshire puds, triple-fried chips, green beans and cauliflower cheese."
The pub in the city's busy Broughton Street serves Sunday lunch from noon until 9 pm, with booking ahead strongly advised.
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Meikleour Arms, Perthshire
Widely considered to be one of the best gastropubs in Scotland, Peter's next choice, the Meikleour Arms is run by the Mercer Nairne family and lies close to the River Tay, speaking about the popular venue, he added: "As much as possible is sourced on their estate and farm: the meat for the roasts, the fish, the vegetables and, at this time of year, the mushrooms."
With locally sourced ingredients and imaginative dishes, it offers a memorable day out with the option to spend the night in the hotel afterwards.
The Barley Bree, Muthill, Perthshire
This delightfully named pick in Perthshire is run by Frenchman Fabrice Bouteloup, with Peter describing it as a "bistro par excellence", he adds: "Sunday lunch in all its English and Scottishness is a speciality – the roast beef, the Yorkshire pudding cuit à point. Barley Bree is also a hotel, with six cosy inexpensive rooms upstairs."
He also points to the nearby River Earn and gardens of Drummond Castle as great places to burn off all those calories with an autumn walk.
Kinloch Lodge, Isle of Skye
This foodie favourite on the Isle of Skye was made famous by Lady Claire Macdonald, who Peter explains. established it as one of Scotland’s first country house hotels. He adds: "Kinloch Lodge is now run by her daughter, Isabella, and its Sunday lunch has become a drop-in treat for locals and passing visitors. Chef Jordan Webb sources as much as possible locally: seafood from the waters at the bottom of the garden, venison from the surrounding hills, veg from the polytunnel out back."
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