Every month the inspectors for the global guide reveal the restaurants that have caught their attention and are worthy of inclusion in the Michelin Guide for the UK and Ireland.
While stars and bib gourmands will be revealed next year in Glasgow, the inspectors are on the road all year round, eating their way around some of the country’s best restaurants.
In November, five Scottish restaurants were added to the Guide. These are: GaGa in Glasgow, Ardfern in Leith, Mingary Castle in Kilchoan, Sotto in Edinburgh and The Dining Room at Boath House in Nairn.
GaGa, which opened on Dumbarton Road in Glasgow’s west end in 2022, is the brainchild of chef Julie Lin and the team behind The Thornwood bar.
Of this restaurant the inspectors said: “Glasgow’s Malaysian food enthusiasts should rejoice at the arrival of a new restaurant from Julie Swee Lin – who was behind the much-missed Julie’s Kopitiam and whose culinary journey was inspired by her mother.
"Partick is the lucky neighbourhood this time around, with GaGa located in a larger, more vibrant premises than its predecessor. The locals are clearly loving the place, flocking in for the fresh-tasting, intensely flavoured dishes. The pricing, on drinks and food, points to the restaurant’s real generosity of spirit.”
Ardfern is the latest restaurant from celebrated chef Roberta Hall-McCarron and her husband Shaun. It’s a café, bar, restaurant and bottle shop and came about despite the couple never dreaming that they’d open a third venue (they own Little Chartroom and Eleanore).
The Michelin inspectors had this to say of the new venue: “Describing itself as a café, bar and bottle shop, it does indeed have an appealing brunch menu, relaxed air and interesting wine selection. You’d be a fool to miss the evening’s small plates, however, which pack in plenty of flavour and have both a heartiness and a pleasing familiarity to them. The hash browns with whipped feta and jalapeño ketchup are a particular treat.”
Next on the list of new additions is Mingary Castle, which is having a stellar year having been named the best restaurant with rooms in the UK by the AA awards. Chef Colin Nicholson was also named chef of the year at our Scran Awards back in June.
Of this stunning, remote location, the Michelin inspectors said: “Situated close to mainland Britain’s most westerly point, the Ardnamurchan peninsula, Mingary Castle is the result of years of restoration work on the original 13th-century building that had been in ruins for over 100 years. Located down miles of single-track roads, it’s a remote yet utterly spectacular location.
"Today, a hotel and restaurant sit inside the one-time castle, with the latter serving a set menu of robust, hearty and traditionally based cooking, utilising local produce like venison from their own estate.”
A newly opened Italian restaurant Sotto, has also made it into the Guide this month. Sotto is the first venture by Edinburgh-born sommelier James Clark, who has spent his hospitality career at some of the city’s best restaurants, including Divino Enoteca and The Palmerston, as well as at East End Cellars and his brother in law’s winery, Poppelvej, in Adelaide, South Australia.
Of this, the inspectors said: “This buzzy wine bar and trattoria is set in the heart of bustling Stockbridge, where you can pop in just for a glass of wine with some olives and salumi around the communal, marble-topped island counter – or choose from the full à la carte of appealingly unfussy Italian dishes.
"Whether you opt for one of the pastas or the fish of the day, it’s all simple, fresh and wholly enjoyable. The top-notch wine list is almost exclusively Italian, with owner and sommelier James on hand to recommend something to suit.”
The final Scottish restaurant that’s made it into the guide is The Dining Room at Boath House in Nairn. The Boath House was once home to a One Michelin Star restaurant, before it was sold. It’s now owned by Cabin Studio (the team behind London’s Sessions Arts Club) who opened the Dining Room in early 2024.
We visited in the spring and thought it was worthy of some Michelin attention. Well, they visited and had this to say: “The restaurant is run in a way that adds to the calming, back-to-nature feel of the place; the cooking is produce-driven, with quality ingredients like aged wild turbot supplemented by plenty from their own grounds. The Garden Café is open on Fridays and Saturdays as an alternative dining option.”
Find out more and view the full list of the November additions to the Michelin Guide on their website.
