St Andrews Restaurants: 10 Incredible Places To Eat In St Andrews (2024)
Are you planning a trip to St Andrews and looking for the best places to eat? My guide to the best St Andrews restaurants includes 10 of my favourite eateries, serving everything from seafood to modern Scottish cuisine. Updated for 2024.
The food scene in St Andrews is unrivalled and it pulls me back time and time again. I’ve visited St Andrews dozens of times over the years, and each time I fall in love with the historic town a little more.
There’re just so many incredible things see and do, from sandy beaches to gorgeous historical architecture. But in a town that’s so popular, finding the best places to eat and hotels to stay in, can be overwhelming.
Thankfully, there’re incredible St Andrews restaurants scattered across town.
St Andrews Best restaurants | Foodie Map + Guide
If you’re looking for an overview of the best St Andrews restaurants, saved in one-handy downloadable list, then don’t look any further! These are the best restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops, carefully curated for their exceptional food & drinks.
Luckily, I’ve spent weekend breaks and and pretty coastal hikes here and sampled plenty of brunches, lunches, and dinners around St Andrews. In fact, I’ve made a point of eating my way through the town!
And these days, I have a list of firm favourite places to eat in St Andrews, including casual cafes for a quick bite, stellar restaurants for delicious dinners, and special occasion seafood dining.
The food scene across Fife is, in my opinion, extra special in part due to the quality ingredients which are found nearby. Particularly when it comes to fish, veg, and locally sourced produce, which each of the restaurants on our list take full advantage of.
Convinced to plan a foodie weekend in St Andrews? Don’t worry, I got you!
This article covers the best St Andrews restaurants, plus a few tips to help you choose the perfect dining experience.
Planning a trip to St Andrews?
Here are my top picks for places to stay in the town centre, each within walking distance of our restaurants:
The Arran: for the best luxury design-led hotel
No1 Apartments: for the best luxury self-catering apartments
Haar: for the best small boutique stay
Annandale Guest House: for the most gorgeous guest house
Incredible St Andrews Restaurants
These are my favourite St Andrews restaurants, serving up delicious dishes and creative menus. I’ve eaten in pretty much all of them, though a few remain on my foodie bucket list! Let’s go:
1. The Bothy
Best for: beautiful interiors & delicious hearty meals
Location: 3 Church Square, St Andrews KY16 9NN
Situated in the heart of town, this St Andrews restaurant is one of the prettiest places to eat.
They serve a contemporary Scottish menu of seasonal dishes like pork belly, ribeye steak, and seafood crumble. There’s a brilliant selection of light bites too and a delicious sandwich selection if you want a smaller lunch (the Bothy Club sandwich with crispy fries is stunning and I make a point of coming here to devour this plate of yumminess!)
Inside, The Bothy is beautifully decorated, a cosy bolthole in a midst of the busy town. Whilst on sunny days nab a table in the courtyard and watch the world go by in the busy square.
Genuinely one of my absolute favourite St Andrews restaurants, you’re guaranteed exceptional food and a cosy atmosphere, alongside really lovely staff.
2. Dune
Best for: seasonal menu, contemporary setting
Location: 80 North St, St Andrews KY16 9AH
One of the newest St Andrews restaurants for 2024, Dune is a wonderful eatery just a few streets back from the heart of town. This stunning loft-style restaurant takes over from The Rav and is the latest offering from acclaimed St Andrews chef Dean Banks.
Dune is open for dinner and drinks from Thursday to Sunday, with Thursday dedicated to very affordable steak frites. Plus, they offer a delicious brunch option, but only at the weekend. Either way, be sure to book a table in advance.
Now, I haven’t yet had the chance to sample the menu at Dune (it’s so new but very much on my list). But the compact yet perfectly formed menu of small plates sounds mouthwateringly delicious. Expect fresh produce and seasonal ingredients, with unique dishes like octopus hotdog, tamarind wings, and pig cheek croquette.
We did manage a peek inside on our last visit to the historic town, and can confirm it is beautifully designed, with a contemporary loft.
3. The Adamson
Best for: contemporary brasserie
Location: 127 South St, St Andrews KY16 9UH
You’ll find the Adamson on South Street, one of the town’s liveliest streets teaming with pubs and bars. It’s well worth exploring after dinner at The Adamson.
This restaurant serves an excellent menu throughout the day and in the evening. For lunch and dinner, there’s plenty of choice on the extensive menu, including lobster risotto, a classic burger, and king prawn linguini.
After dinner, be sure to ask your server for directions to the hidden cocktail bar. The Adamson is not only one of the best restaurants in St Andrews, it’s also the perfect spot for funky cocktails and drinks. I was shocked to find one of the best bars in the town tucked away at the back of the restaurant! Highly recommend their classic margarita, made by the loveliest bartender.
4. Forgans
Best for: lively dining, varied menu
Location: 110 Market St, St Andrews KY16 9PB
Forgans is a lively eatery in the heart of town and one of the most popular restaurants in St Andrews.
The extensive menu is a mix of classic dishes like pan-seared duck and ox-cheek stew, plus incredibly delicious sides like truffle fries. At lunch time choose from hearty ciabatta and club sandwiches. I ate a burger with Arran cheese and bacon jam, and honestly it was one of the best dinners I had in town.
Inside is warm and welcoming, with a buzzy atmosphere, and super friendly staff. Highly recommend.
5. Mitchells
Best for: casual and delicious menu
Location: 111-112 Market St, St Andrews KY16 9PB
Mitchell’s is another St Andrews restaurant I love and one of the best places to eat in town. It’s a beautiful space, with a lively vibe and excellent cocktails.
They offer an all-day menu, changing from brunch to lunch and dinner throughout the day.
I ate here after walking this part of the Fife Coastal Path and I found the staff incredibly welcoming to this solo traveller. I highly recommend the parmesan & truffle fries and chicken caesar salad.
Plus, Mitchell’s is perfectly located in the centre of town and only a few minutes’ walk from the castle and university buildings.
6. Rogue
Best for: creative menu & cocktails
Location: 209 South St, St Andrews KY16 9EF
This smart St Andrews restaurant is a bit of a hidden gem, tucked away at the end of South Street, next to old West Port Gate.
Inside is dark and stylish, with an edgy industrial vibe. At the back there’s a gin still, producing Rogue’s very own gin. This is actually a restaurant wrapped up in a funky cocktail bar, and the extensive drinks menu is cocktail heaven.
Menu wise, expect unique dishes like Johnnie Walker smoked carpaccio, American bourbon aged beef dumplings, and chimichurri cauliflower steak. There’s an impressive steak menu on offer too.
7. Tailend
Best for: traditional fish & chips
Location: 130 Market St, St Andrews KY16 9PD
A casual place to eat in St Andrews, The Tailend is a relaxed seafood restaurant.
The star of the show is most definitely the traditional fish & chips - flaky fish wrapped in crispy batter, with hand cut chips. But if that doesn’t tempt you, there’s plenty other seafood options to choose from, like sole, seabass, prawns, and mussels.
Either sit in or take-away.
8. Haar
Best for: unique dining experience
Location: 1 Golf Pl, St Andrews KY16 9JA
Newly opened Haar has quickly become one of St Andrew’s best places to eat.
Chef-Owner Dean Banks brings years of experience to Haar - the Michelin recommended chef has worked in more than 40 countries around the world.
At Haar, the ethos is very much seasonal ingredients and the absolute best produce from across the UK. Whilst the speciality at this St Andrews restaurant is seafood, there’re plenty of other options on the tasting menu; note there’s no a la carte at Haar but in return you’ll get to sample a beautifully balanced range of dishes.
This is a fine-dining experience, so expect to pay a little more for your meal here. Personally, I recommend the lunch tasting menu, for an affordable £35 per person.
9. The Seafood Ristorante
Best for: seafood and coastal location
Location: Bruce Embankment, St Andrews KY16 9AB
The premier seafood restaurant in St Andrews, this iconic eatery is a must for special occasions.
When it comes to the menu, the clues in the name - seafood is the speciality here, so expect lots of locally caught offerings from the sea. Dishes like Anstruther lobster raviolo, hand dived Orkney scallops, and Islay oysters.
Situated a few minutes’ walk from the centre of town, the restaurant is all glass and big windows, with gorgeous coastal views.
The Seafood Ristorante is a fine dining restaurant, so expect to pay more to eat here. But it is the perfect choice if you want to turn dinner into an experience.
10. Hams Hame Pub & Grill
Best for: crowd pleasing favourites
Location: 21 Golf Place, St Andrews KY16 9JA
Hams Hame is a casual restaurant a few minutes’ walk from the town centre, close to West Sands Beach and the Old Course. This cosy restaurant serves an all-day menu of crowd-pleasing favourites like buttermilk popcorn chicken, classic burgers, and fish & chips.
Plus, there’s an extensive drinks menu and brilliant selection of cocktails. A good place to eat and relax with an after-dinner drink.
So, this is my list of the St Andrews restaurants you don’t want to miss!
Whilst there’s lots of options, you can be certain you’ll find somewhere to eat in St Andrews serving seriously delicious food. And if you try any of these eateries do let me know in the comments!
Read next:
The 10 Best Hotels In St Andrews (coming soon)
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