Updated April 10th, 2020

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If you have been reading along with all my Scotland adventures you may have been thinking I forgot to describe the foods you must try!? Of course I wouldn’t leave you wondering what to eat in Scotland! The food in Scotland needed it’s own post. Like any good traveller I strive to try as much of the local food as possible. See my full Scotland Itinerary for more recommended restaurants to try all the best Scottish foods I describe below.  

Pub Food     

Pubs are a staple of the Scotland food culture. You can’t go to Scotland without having pub fare. You won’t have to search too hard for a Scottish pub either. Take a walk down any street you will be sure to find one, or two, or three…..

The most common thing to get at a pub in Scotland is fish and chips. We had to have the traditional fish & chips in Edinburgh. Then we had them again from a takeaway place in Kyle of Lochalsh to eat on the train. The Scottish seem to love their fish & chips! 

We went to Greyfriars Bobby’s in Edinburgh. It is across the street from the Greyfriars Bobby’s Skye Terrier dog statue. The real life version of the dog supposedly spent 14 years guarding his owner’s grave after he died. There is even a Walt Disney movie about the story. Anyway, back to the food…….I ate a savory pie there, another typical Scottish dish at a pub.

Seafood

So much fresh seafood! Our first night in Portree on the Isle of Skye  we waited about 40 minutes outside in the cold for a table at the Lower Deck Seafood Restaurant, which was right on the harbor. I had a pasta with fresh shrimp. My mom had the Cullen Skink soup. It is a thick Scottish soup made with smoked haddock, potatoes and onions. The following day at the cafe stop on our tour we both ordered the Cullen Skink because it was so delicious the night before. The soup did not disappoint! It’s something I haven’t seen available other places, so if you have the opportunity choose the Cullen Skink soup! 

Our second night in Portree I had a creative salmon dinner. Fresh fish is definitely the way to go on the Isle of Skye. 

Full Scottish Breakfast

The full Scottish breakfast consists of bacon, sausage, eggs, tomato, mushrooms, baked beans, and black pudding…..at our B & B on the Isle of Skye we were spoiled. We could also have toast, cereal and fruit with it as well. It was a great hearty start to hiking days.

Shortbread

Did you know that shortbread is a traditional Scottish food? There were numerous varieties of shortbread everywhere we went. This particular one that came with my creme brûlée dessert wasn’t my favorite. There were other varieties that I quite enjoyed though. There was one kind that was recommended to try before I came. We never found it, so I guess I will have to go back again! In case you were wondering, I did love the brûlée and the berries though.

Haggis, Neeps & Tatties

It was our last day and I still hadn’t tried haggis. I told myself it was now or never. Neeps are basically rutabaga and tatties are mashed potatoes. And Haggis, well maybe I shouldn’t tell you if you plan on trying it. I wouldn’t say they are one of the best Scottish foods, but if you don’t think about it too much they are actually pretty good! A good way to try them is on the Edinburgh Secret Food Tour. While seeing the sights of Edinburgh you will be able to sample some traditional Scottish fare, such as Haggies. 

Whiskey

I’m not a whiskey drinker, but with the number of distilleries in Scotland it wouldn’t be right to not mention the drink of the country. You can even take a three day Whiskey tour from Edinburgh into the highlands of Scotland!

Other Scottish Foods

We ate at both Edinburgh Castle and Eilean Donan Castle. At the Edinburgh Castle we went for tea. We didn’t actually have tea, only a sandwich, salad and cake, but it was still fun to say we were having tea. At the Eilean Donan Castle we ate at the cafe across from the castle. We got a lovely window table so I had views of the castle as I enjoyed my steak and ale pie.

We love Italian so we also had a couple of Italian meals. It took awhile to arrive, but once it did I had a tasty pizza at Cafe Biba in Pitlochry. My very favorite meal of the whole trip was my mighty meatball pappardelle at the British Celebrity Chef, Jamie Oliver’s, restaurant in Edinburgh (sadly, now permanently closed).

These are some of the best Scottish foods to try in Scotland. What is your favorite thing to eat in Scotland? 

More About Scotland

• One Week Scotland Itinerary 
• The Best Edinburgh Walking Tours
• Visiting Edinburgh Castle 
• How to Get to the Isle of Skye from Edinburgh
• The Isle of Skye in One Day
• Where to Go & What to See in the Scottish Highlands
• The Best Things to Do in Pitlochry

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