‘Cosy’ Edinburgh restaurant crowned best gastropub in Scotland – see the full list

A “cosy” Edinburgh gastropub has been crowned the best in Scotland. Earlier this week, the winners of the annual Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropub Awards were unveiled.

The prestigious UK-wide list of 50 pubs and bars is put together by collecting votes from more than 100 professionals in the hospitality industry. Coming in at number 41 on the list, and the only Scottish destination to be included, is The Scran and Scallie in Edinburgh.

Situated in the popular neighbourhood of Stockbridge, the gastropub serves up “pub classics with a fresh, modern twist”. The Scran and Scallie comes from the team behind the acclaimed Michelin-starred restaurant The Kitchin, as well as the award-winning Castle Terrace Restaurant.

It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand, which are awarded to restaurants that serve high-quality meals at an affordable price. The judges praised the gastropub for its “great Scottish scran” and “welcoming approach to both service and its Scottish heritage”. It was also singled out for both its classic pub food and contemporary seasonal plates.

Headed by award-winning chefs Tom Kitchin and Dominic Jack, as well as head chef Jamie Knox, the menu at The Scran and Scallie includes dishes such as fish and chips, hot smoked salmon salad, and cauliflower steak. The gastropub also offers a curated list of drinks, including a large wine list and a wide selection of local brewed ales and artisan beers.

The judges commented: “Holder of a Michelin Bib Gourmand, Edinburgh’s leading gastropub, The Scallie & Scallie is the award-winning, popular pub by Michelin-starred chef Tom Kitchin, with true Scottish fare at its heart.

“The pub, which opened in 2013, is found in the Scottish capital’s busy Stockbridge neighbourhood and is backed by the team behind the popular Michelin-starred restaurant The Kitchin and the award-winning Restaurant with Rooms; The Bonnie Badger.

“A long-term favourite on the Top 50 Gastropubs list, this pub showcases great Scottish ‘scran’ alongside a range of traditionally brewed ales and artisan beers served against a cosy, family-friendly backdrop.

“The Scran & Scallie has received rave reviews nationwide for nearly a decade thanks to its take on seasonal pub classics, a warm and welcoming approach to both service and its Scottish heritage, and a menu punctuated by a ‘From Nature to Plate’ philosophy.

“Inspired by 18th century menus and Robert Burns suppers of the time, the pub’s Scots language on menus boasts modern classics such as Fish & Chips, Ham, Egg & Chips, Fish Pie and Sunday Roasts supplemented by seasonal plates including Shellfish Ravioli, Salmon Wellington, Game Terrine and Mallard en croûte to name but a few.”

Meanwhile, topping the UK-wide list is The Unruly Pig in Suffolk. Judges praised the gastropub for its “warm” atmosphere and “filling and well-crafted pub food”.

See below for the full list of the top 50 gastropubs in the UK. More information can be found on the Top 50 Gastropubs website.

The top 50 gastropubs in the UK

1. The Unruly Pig – Woodbridge, Suffolk
2. The Devonshire – Soho
3. The Star Inn – Harome, York
4. Parkers Arms – Clitheroe, Lancashire
5. The Mariners – Rock, Cornwall
6. The Red Lion and Sun – Highgate, London
7. The Three Horseshoes – Batcombe, Somerset
8. The Sportsman – Seasalter, Kent
9. The Cornish Arms – Tavistock, Devon
10. The Bull & Last – Highgate, London
11. The Bull – Charlbury, Oxfordshire
12. The Gunton Arms – Norwich, Norfolk
13. The Fordwich Arms – Canterbury, Kent
14. Harwood Arms – Fulham, London
15. The Angel at Hetton – Hetton, Yorkshire
16. The Edinburgh Castle – Ancoats, Greater Manchester
17. The Baring – Islington, London
18. The Pack Horse – Hayfield, Derbyshire
19. The Woolpack Inn – Slad, Gloucestershire
20. The Rat Inn – Anick, Northumberland
21. Shibden Mill Inn – Halifax, Yorkshire
22. Canton Arms – Stockwell, London
23. The Loch & The Tyne by Adam Handling – Old Windsor, Berkshire
24. The Black Bear Inn – Usk, Monmouthshire
25. The Clarence Tavern – Stoke Newington, London
26. The Black Bull – Sedbergh, Cumbria
27. The Abbey Inn – Byland, Yorkshire
28. The Pipe and Glass – South Dalton, Yorkshire
29. The Coach – Marlow, Buckinghamshire
30. The Longs Arms – South Wraxall, Wiltshire
31. The Broad Chare – Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland
32. The Hand & Flowers – Marlow, Buckinghamshire
33. The Bulls Head – Craswall, Herefordshire
34. Heft – High Newton, Cumbria
35. The Crown – Burchetts Green
36. The Silver Cup – Harpenden
37. The Waterman’s Arms – Barnes
38. The Camberwell Arms – London
39. The Dog and Gun – Skelton, Cumbria
40. The Drapers Arms – Islington, London
41. The Scran & Scallie – Edinburgh, Midlothian
42. The Durham Ox – Crayke, Yorkshire
43. The Eagle – Farringdon, London
44. The Merry Harriers – Hambledon
45. The Tamil Prince – Islington, London
46. The Wild Rabbit – Kingham, Oxfordshire
47. The Three Fishes – Whalley, Lancashire
48. The Dog at Wingham – Wingham, Kent
49. The White Swan at Fence – Fence, Lancashire
50. The Double Red Duke – Bampton, Oxfordshire

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