You know how much I love tasty treats and how much I appreciate eating well! In fact, when I travel to a region or a country, I am just as eager to discover its cultural riches as its gastronomic riches. I find that this is part of the true joy of discovering a territory. That’s why I’ve put together a special article on Scottish gastronomy (don’t roll your eyes, these two words are definitely not mutually exclusive), to complement my first article on the Inverness region, with a selection of specialties and great addresses to taste them…
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Table of Contents
A small selection of Scottish specialties
Indeed, one of the very pleasant surprises of this trip was my discovery of Scottish food and gastronomy, which is just excellent. Another interesting point, I noticed that on almost every restaurant menu, dishes that are Gluten Free are indicated. They seem more advanced than us on this point…
- The Scottish Breakfast by Daviot Lodge
I have already told you in my first article about the guest house where I stayed during my Scottish trip. But I would like to come back to it more specifically to help you discover the typical Scottish breakfast. First of all, it is served with tea; in fact, even lunch can be served with tea. On this point, the Scots are not in disagreement with the English…
Porridge, this preparation of Anglo-Saxon origin based on cereals and with an unappealing appearance, is ideal to have in the morning if you know you are going to be active during the day. We can summarize it by saying that “it sticks to the ribs”. Since it’s a bit bland on its own, I advise you to enhance it with something sweet, honey, sugar, jam, fresh or dried fruits…
Black pudding, a type of blood sausage but with a slightly different consistency and usually presented in lightly grilled slices. A must-try! Personally, I was won over.
If you are brave, you can also try the version with smoked fish. Early in the morning, I promise you it wakes you up!
- The Scots also make very good scones (yes, really!).
- Club sandwiches, always very popular at lunchtime (which is clearly not the most filling meal of the day in Scotland) in Anglo-Saxon countries.
- The homemade soup of the day
Almost all restaurants or establishments offering food service have the soup of the day on their menu, always homemade. And most of the time, they are delicious.
- The Scottish version of Fish and Chips with Haddock.
- The case of Haggis
The famous stuffed sheep’s stomach, the Scottish national dish. Put that way, I understand that it might not make you dream, but it’s actually just delicious! Why don’t we have this in France?! I ask you!
- The Scottish tea time
The afternoon tea break with a few small cakes (like shortbread, the Scottish specialty) is of course not an option; you will have to give in to this delicious tradition sooner or later… Preferably by a fireplace, it’s better…
- Scottish cheese
Yes, it might seem incredible, but there is a local production of cheeses and, frankly, some are not bad at all.
If you want to taste local cheeses, I advise you to take a look at The Cheese Pantry, a very good address for this type of product. Plus, well-packed, you can even bring some back in your suitcase; I tested it and I didn’t stink out the whole plane!
- Scottish beers
Scotland is best known for its whisky in terms of alcohol, but the country also has a very beautiful and vast production of local beers, which you must absolutely taste if you go to the region.
- Irnbru
Well, if you go to Scotland, you will have to try at least a sip of the national soda, Irnbru. This thing is a mystery, it’s not good, it looks like a kind of medicine, it’s super caloric but obviously the Scots love it… A mystery thicker than that of Loch Ness…
- Scottish whisky
If you go to the Highlands you absolutely must visit a distillery! Even if you don’t like whisky, the explanation of how this traditional Scottish alcohol is made is truly fascinating. For my part, I went to visit the Tomatin whisky distillery, which has existed since 1897. The legend of this whisky is that it is the “softer side of the Highlands”, because to make its whisky, Tomatin uses the pure water from the surrounding rivers.
To taste, I would say that these single malts are quite sweet with notes of vanilla and apples; they are also aged for some in Bourbon barrels and for others in Sherry barrels (another alcohol quite popular locally). In terms of products, there is a 12-year-old, 14-year-old and 18-year-old for this Scottish single malt, as well as several limited editions of older vintages for enthusiasts. You will of course be able to taste them at the end of the visit…
Tomatin Distillery Inverness-shire Scotland IV13 7YT
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My Favorite Addresses in the Inverness region
To best enjoy all these good things, here is my small selection of great addresses in the Inverness region.
The Mustard Seed restaurant
Open since 1995, this restaurant offers beautiful cuisine in a friendly atmosphere (the fireplace plays a part in this).
It is located near the banks of the River Ness, in the former part of a church, which allows it to have impressive high ceilings. Moreover, many elements from the era have been preserved and combined in a quite successful mix of old and modern. In summer, you can also take advantage of the added terrace on the upper floor to eat outdoors and with a stunning view of the river.
To taste:
- As a starter, I tried the chorizo and black pudding salad, with a spicy vinaigrette sauce (£6.95).
- As I explained earlier, on the menu of all restaurants you will always find the homemade soup of the day for those interested (£3.45).
- As a main dish, the pan-seared salmon fillet with mashed potatoes (£15.25).
- Chicken breast stuffed with haggis and served with mashed potatoes and a whisky sauce (£14.95). Absolutely delicious and a perfect introduction if you have never eaten Haggis.
The Mustard Seed restaurant 16 Fraser Street Inverness
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The Camerons Tea Room
This charming little wooden house in the middle of the meadows is located in the village of Foyers, between Inverness and Fort Augustus, right next to the famous Foyers Falls which I mentioned in the first article on the Inverness region. Inside, a warm welcome from the Cameron couple awaits you, as is often the case in this beautiful country.
To taste:
- I let myself be tempted by the Haggis Neeps & tatties (£3.95) but here it was more of a starter (yes, I wanted to eat Haggis every day in Scotland!)
- Small plate of sandwiches (£4.50).
- Baked potatoes with smoked salmon (£6.95).
- And then of course, the delicious homemade cakes that made me drool (and that I unfortunately didn’t have time to taste)…
The Camerons Tea Room Foyers, By Inverness, Inverness-shire IV2 6YA
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The Loch Ness Inn
This small hotel-restaurant located between Drumnadrochit and Urquhart Castle (which I mentioned in the first article on Scotland) offers simple cuisine with local ingredients, all day long inside as well as outside (well of course, it depends on the season and the weather). Don’t hesitate to take the opportunity to taste the many local beers served by the establishment!
To taste:
- The cottage pie (£9.95), inside this beef pie, you find Scottish cheddar, potatoes, carrots and parsnip.
- East Coast Haddock, the Scottish version of Fish and Chips with a delicious homemade tartar sauce (£11.95).
The Loch Ness Inn Lewiston restaurant Lewiston, Drumnadrochit, Inverness-Shire IV63 6UW
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The River House restaurant
This restaurant specializing in fish and seafood, puts seasonal and local products in the spotlight.
To taste:
- The Orkney Crab as a starter, crab meat mixed with mayonnaise, cucumber, capers and tarragon, served with brioche bread (£8.90).
- Toast as cheese crostini, served with figs and walnuts (£8.25).
- Grilled Kinlochbervie John Dory, a grilled fish served with mushrooms, parsnip puree and caramelized apples (£21.50).
- Another fish, the Grilled Shetland halibut, served with potatoes, asparagus and smoked salmon and topped with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce. A typical Scottish fish dish (£21.50).
River House restaurant 1 Greig St, Inverness, Inverness-Shire IV3 5PT
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Rocpool restaurant
Perhaps one of the most renowned restaurants in the city and for good reason, you eat extremely well there. This address, in the trend of chic brasseries, opened its doors in 2002 and remains one of the truly trendy places in the city to go for dinner. On the plates, you find a mix of typically Scottish cuisine with more modern accents.
To taste:
- Crispy Haggis fritters with apple and bacon (yes I love Haggis, as you will have understood!).
- A winter salad with halloumi cheese, goji berries, avocado and squash puree and pumpkin seeds.
- For the main course, I tried the smoked Haddock with a poached egg and its parsley sauce.
Rocpool restaurant 1 Ness Walk, Inverness, Inverness-Shire IV3 5NE Price: evening menu at £17.95 for starter / main course
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The Kingsmills Hotel tea time
I already told you about the Kingsmills Hotel in my first article, following my memorable experience of the “Scottish massage”. After or before your “back demolition”, you can take advantage of the charm of the place to relax by delighting in a few small cakes, accompanied by tea, obviously. The Kingsmills Hotel is a 4-star establishment located on the Highlands of Inverness. It is also an important historical place for the city, because the building dates from the 18th century.
The Kingsmills Hotel & Kingsclub Culcabock Road, Inverness, Scotland, IV2 3LP
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Still on the same theme, here is my small selection of great addresses for a drink in Inverness:
The White House, cocktail bar & bistro
This cocktail bar is a quality address, located in the center of the city. It’s the perfect place to go and sip a gin-based cocktail. Indeed, I didn’t know it, but Scotland is a gin-producing country. You will find in bars and shops several Scottish brands of this alcohol: Hendricks, The Botanist, Caorunn, Rock Rose…
To taste:
- The Hendricks Fizz with Hendricks Scottish gin, sugar, mint and champagne (£7.95).
- The Hendricks Mojito, version of the mojito based on gin obviously (£6.25).
The White House 50 Union St, Inverness IV1 1PX
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Hootananny
A very nice pub that offers live music on certain nights.
Hootananny 67 Church St, Inverness, Inverness-Shire IV1 1ES
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Johnny Foxes Pub restaurant
This bar with decor and an atmosphere that’s a bit Irish is one of the lively places to go out in the evening in Inverness.
Johnny Foxes 26 Bank St, Inverness IV1 1QU
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I hope that with all this I will have made you want to discover Scottish culinary specialties and if you, too, have your favorite addresses in the Inverness region, do not hesitate to share them in the comments!
Find all my articles on my travels in Great Britain below:
⇒ All my articles on Great Britain
⇒ All my articles on Scotland
⇒ All my articles on Inverness
MY ARTICLES ON INVERNESS (2016)
⇒ Discovery of the Inverness region
⇒ Food Tour in Inverness
Photo credits: Mademoiselle Bon Plan Photos are not royalty-free, photographer's authorization mandatory before any use
