Five restaurants in Scotland have been named among the best in the UK at a prestigious national awards ceremony.
The winners of the annual Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards have been announced, with multiple Scottish eateries included in the top 100. The top-placing Scottish restaurant is the Glenturret Lalique in Crieff, which appears at number 36.
Located in the heart of Scotland’s oldest working whiskey distillery, it was described as a "restaurant like no other". The judges added: "Using the finest, hyper-local produce available, [chef Mark] Donald’s tasting menu takes you on a journey through the Scottish landscape.
The cooking is graceful and elegant, and underscored by the beautiful jewel box dining room, which overlooks the tumbling waters of the River Turret."
Meanwhile, The Palmerston in Edinburgh is the second-highest Scottish restaurant in the top 100, coming in at number 41. The new all-day restaurant and bakery was singled out for its "gutsy, calorie-ignoring dishes" and prices that "won’t break the bank".
The next highest-placing Scottish eatery, at number 80 in the overall top 100, is Inver on the shores of Loch Fyne. The judges praised the characterful restaurant for its "contemporary and progressive take on traditional Scottish food".
The final two Scottish restaurants to appear on the list are Aizle and The Kitchin, at 81 and 93 respectively. Both located in the Edinburgh, the former was called "thoughtful and ambitious" while the latter "remains the standard bearer for classical cooking in Edinburgh".
Elsewhere, London dominated the list, with over half of the top 100 restaurants being situated in the UK capital. Meanwhile, only three restaurants in the top 10 are located outside of the city.
UK Head of On-Trade for Estrella Damm James Healey commented: “Estrella Damm has always been proud to support the National Restaurant Awards and each year we are amazed at the array of incredible talent, who are all fully deserving of this recognition of being the very best in the UK.
"We are honoured to share our passion for brewing with the best restaurants in the UK, who also clearly share our devotion to quality and taste in all that they do. We hope this list encourages everyone to get out and support each and every one of these restaurants and join us in celebrating the success of the industry."
More information and the full list of winners can be found on the National Restaurant Awards website.
Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards Scottish winners
- The Glenturret Lalique, Crieff
- The Palmerston, Edinburgh
- Inver, Strachur
- Aizle, Edinburgh
- The Kitchin, Edinburgh
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