The best restaurants East

If you want to eat well or have a drink in Pitlochry, here is an address that is often unanimously acclaimed. This large gastro-pub opened in a 19th century mill whose wheel turns in the quiet of the terrace is absolutely perfect. There is a bar area and another restaurant, in a setting that is a little more classy than the norm, but still very traditional. The food is impeccable, neat and inventive, and the real ales are often made in Scottish microbreweries. Good to know: the establishment is also a very pleasant hotel.

In an elegant room covered with tartan patterns, you can enjoy traditional Scottish cuisine, with salmon, haddock, pork, beef, chicken or a variable vegetarian dish. All is put in a Scottish sauce using ingredients from the national soil, Mull cheddar, or Haggis. There is also a whisky bar on site. The establishment also acts as a hotel, with several rooms, and offers accommodation for rent: a bunkhouse and independent chalets of various sizes, with the option of bed & breakfast.

Deans is a mainstay of the culinary scene in Perth, with its sublime and carefully crafted Scottish cuisine. The dishes are fine and well presented, made with fresh ingredients and brilliantly combined. The influences are local, but also European. The service is impeccable and friendly. The setting is elegant and classic, in a beautiful simplicity. At lunchtime and even more in the early evening with the pre-theatre menu, prices are reduced, for an excellent meal at very gentle prices. Also think about Sunday brunches!

Don't miss this superb, very authentic and endearing place, located at the southern exit of Aviemore. Everything is deliciously Scottish and full of character. The old house has a regional mountain theme, with skis and guitars on the walls and above the big fireplace. Live music is regularly programmed and you can also sit on the tables outside. The food is more restaurant style than pub style and is accompanied by four real ales, including some from the nearby Cairngorm Brewery.

It hovers in an urban and arty atmosphere in the excellent Foodstory Café. Bar made of reclaimed wood, apparent wind tunnel, psychedelic lamps: the setting is quite offbeat and the food excellent. One chooses mainly between wraps and sandwiches, which are accompanied by several salads cooked on a daily basis. The whole is healthy, vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free. There are also cakes and breakfast. It is a very pleasant place to sit down for a bite to eat, or for a longer period of time.

A pub, café and restaurant, the Drouthy Cobber is organized around a long contemporary room where salads, burgers, brunches, snacks and tasty breakfasts are served. All the products come from the Speyside, a rich pantry that offers tasty culinary possibilities between excellent meats, daily seafood and nearby market gardeners. On the drinks side, there are always at least three real ales and a huge choice of single malts. Musical events are often organized.

With both British and French influences, Doll's House aims to deliver the best of national products, from the land to the plate. Its beautiful stone house hides a room where comfort and tradition are combined, with old exposed beams and thick benches. The menu includes Shetland salmon, rabbit pie, leek and potato pie, Perthshire lamb and beef from local farms.

Fished on the coast of the Kingdom of Fife, the fish served here is fresh and delicious. Offering the freshest and tastiest fish is their credo. Fish & chips is of course the speciality, but there are other choices with salads, langoustines, mussels, salmon, burgers and even tacos, as well as vegetarian and gluten-free suggestions. The room is sober and quite elegant. It is possible to take away for a small fee.

Café 52 has a concrete reputation in the granite city! It has become a highly sought-after gastronomic establishment. Its small, long mineral room is quickly filled by regulars who come to empty plates of mackerel with beets, Guinness beef, vegetarian lasagna, smoked haddock or chicken with zucchini. Chefs are constantly creating new dishes, using local products. For dessert, Mrs. B's sweets are in the spotlight, all in poetry and delicacy. It is best to book in the evening.

The beautiful dark wood room is a perfect setting for this well-kept and much appreciated establishment, by locals and visitors alike. The food here is raw to perfection, with haggis, Loch Etive trout, Scrabster hake, Portmahomack pork and Black Isle sheep. The staff is smiling and the content of the plates is irreproachable. The wine list is international, with an original selection, made to surprise the taste buds.

Fresh, seasonal and Scottish is the slogan of this table, often seen as the best in Pitlochry. At lunchtime you can enjoy paninis, sandwiches, baked potatoes, burgers, salads and pub-food inspired dishes. In the evenings, the menu is a little more sophisticated, with meat and fish being the main focus. The presentation is neat and appetizing, in a brewery room where wood is dominant. The restaurant also serves brunch: why not let yourself be tempted by a full breakfast?

Bar of the famous Scottish brewery Innis & Gunn, this modern and trendy address has made a good place in Dundee. The emphasis is of course on the choice and quality of the beers, but the food is also excellent, with great classics like fish & chips, steaks, burgers, pies, salads and snacks at low prices at lunchtime. Smaller appetites can even choose dishes in small portions, and gourmands can take several to share.

The Vine Leaf Restaurant is a small, sober bistro with a warm atmosphere. On the menu, specialities of local game, seafood and some vegetarian dishes delight the taste buds. Grilled half lobster with cheddar cheese, roasted quail with caramelized pecan nuts, pan-fried beef salad with black pudding, Spanish beef cheek, pan-fried salmon with coconut milk and coriander... That's it for some starters and main courses. For dessert? White chocolate fondue, cheesecake banoffee... It is advisable to reserve because of the small number of places.

Located at the easternmost point on the north bank of the River Dee, this is the favourite restaurant of many visitors to Aberdeen. The restaurant serves seafood and fish as well as excellent meats, including seasonal meats. The chef, Craig Somers, presents a selection of the finest Scottish produce, cooked in a traditional and tasty way. The place combines the pleasure of taste and the view, because in addition to the beautiful presentation of the dishes, the sea view is a real asset of this establishment. Its desserts too, made by a pastry chef!

This hotel has a sumptuous restaurant open to non-residents. IX Restaurant promises you an unforgettable show cooking: local products cooked with mastery, menu changing with the seasons, kitchens visible from the room like a theatre, wines in perfect harmony... The address is excellent for dinner or for the traditional sunday lunch. Afternoon tea is a pure delight... especially as it can be made with champagne!

A Fish & Chips out of the ordinary. If you finish the ashvale whale, the house will offer you a second one, free! Well, if you insist... Or you can choose to finish with a dessert, for the final sweet note. You'll even be given a certificate of achievement! Apart from that, The Ashvale is an excellent seafood restaurant, but not only. A family establishment, it has thought of children's menus and the small appetites of the elderly, not to mention vegetarians and gluten intolerant people.

This beautiful establishment smells of the Highlands in its cosy, traditional manor house, with a bar and restaurant area. Both are perfectly decorated and very typical, with tartan carpeting and a pleasant medieval castle atmosphere. The food is local and very successful. There are two real alesat the counter. The establishment is also a hotel***, with 32 single, double and family rooms, all with private bathroom and including breakfast.

The mountain atmosphere is claimed loud and clear in this excellent café on the first floor of a sports shop. The decoration is based on elements from the region, with skis, mountaineering helmets and sledges. Through the windows, the Cairngorms' summit is not far away and you can enjoy it even more on the balcony. The food is perfect and the breakfasts are worth the detour. The menu is inspired by New Zealand, with a resolutely Scottish touch. The place is very popular and it's best to arrive early in the season or at the weekend.

It was here that Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, met Kate Middleton while they were both students at the University of St Andrews. Northpoint owes its fame in part to this place, but there is a reason why the two young men met here: it serves breakfasts, good cakes, pancakes, multi-flavoured scones and snacks, as well as soups and varying small dishes at lunchtime. Everything is homemade, with generosity, between tradition and creativity. Evenings are sometimes organized.

International cuisines are very present in Dundee and this good Mexican food promises a successful culinary journey. Tacos, burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, enchiladas, all are on the menu and you choose the garnish. There are also some less ordinary dishes and a fairly complete cocktail menu. The Saturday lunch menus are good value for money. The airy dining room has warm and cheerful colours. Please note: the venue is popular, so if you wish to dine there, especially in the second half of the evening, booking is advisable.