THE GUIDE: THE BEST MAC & CHEESE IN SCOTLAND
If you've been keeping up to speed with my goings on here on the blog or over on Instagram, you'll know how much this girl loves her Mac & Cheese. It's such a simple dish to make but it takes an extra 'something something' to make it a knockout dish in my opinion. Throw in some mature cheddar cheese (Arran and Mull do fine varieties), add a crispy breadcrumb/parmesan herb coating and you're on the right track. Although garlic bread is a nice side to dip into the sauce, I am a BIG believer in always having chips with your Mac & Cheese.
So that being said, I thought it was about damn time I shared my tips on the best places around Scotland for Mac & Cheese. It's selfish to keep them all to myself after all! So, with no further ado, here we go...
Catch Fish & Chips
186 Fenwick Road, Giffnock. Catchfishandchips.co.uk
Without a shadow of a doubt, this is one of the best damn Mac & Cheeses I have ever had. With that perfect combination of mature Isle of Mull cheddar, a crispy herb coating, it's a winner. Add to that the melt-in-mouth chippy-style chips, quirky vinegar sprays and the tasty roasted garlic & ginger mayo...simply put: it's sublime.
Anstruther Fish & Chips
42-44 Street, Anstruther. Anstrutherfishbar.co.uk
JUST LOOK AT THE PICTURE! Sorry. I got a bit excited and carried away there, but seriously, just look at the Mac & Cheese bomb that landed on my table the first time I visited this infamous Fife haunt. Holy mac-a-mole! Again, this one had a great mature cheese sauce and I liked that it was coupled with bread & butter, chips (equally as good as the mac) and a drink. All for a bargain price of around £8. I'm already planning my next trip here.
The George Hotel
1 Main Street E, Inverary. Thegeorgehotel.co.uk
Ah The George Hotel. The first place in this world of ours where I thought, this is the best damn Mac & Cheese I've ever tasted. And to this day, that sentiment remains. With so much to do in Inveraray, wherever you are in Scotland, head here and check out the fantastic atmosphere and food on offer at this historic venue (dating back to 1860). Gold medal to team George Hotel.
Oak Tree Inn
Balmaha. Theoaktreeinn.co.uk
Climb up Conic Hill. Roll back down again. Crawl across the Balmaha car park and hit up this place for a bliming fantastic Mac. It's the best way to end a hike up the beautiful Conic Hill. Trust me when I say, you'll demolish the dish within a few seconds. But they will be the best few seconds. That you can trust me on.
Dores Inn
B862, Dores, Inverness. Thedoresinn.co.uk
A work colleague recommended this place to me while I was travelling through Inverness so thank you Saoirse for helping me discover this beaut of a place. Stunning location on the loch and next to the Loch Ness Monster hunter who resides a short hop outside the inn - hope he gets some free Mac & Cheese! Lovely venue, and equally lovely Mac & Cheese.
Salt & Vinegar
1044 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow. Saltandvinegarglasgow.co.uk
Salt & Vinegar is a welcome addition to the Shawlands scene. Part restaurant, part takeaway, they have stuck to their quirky nautical theme and serve up great dishes. The Mac & Cheese was delicious, loads of it (as you can see from the pic above), lovely and creamy and very, very moreish. I really need to head back here soon.
The Mill House
4 Dean Street, Stewarton. Themillhouse-stewarton.co.uk
The Mill House was a random stop off one night while I was driving through Ayrshire. As such, I didn't have very high expectations of it but I was so pleasantly surprised by the stunning high class barn-like interiors and the food offerings. The Mac & Cheese had such a tasty mature cheddar and topped off with the best crumbly herb coating. The apple crumble and chocolate brownie desserts also deserve a mention here as they were mouthwatering.
Church on the Hill
16 Algie Street, Glasgow. Churchonthehill.co.uk
Church on the Hill's Mac & Cheese offering cannot be faulted. A fine cheese sauce topped with parmesan and baked to perfection. The home cut chips get a 5/5 from me. This is the perfect place to head to on a Friday night to kick off your weekend.
18 Moss Side Road, Glasgow. Waverleytearoom.co.uk
Cheezo, the amount of cheese on this bad boy dish from Waverley Tea Room. Bad pun aside (sorry), this is the perfect amount of cheese overload you need to ward off any hangovers you may or may not have at the weekend. The garlic ciabatta (always got to be a ciabatta in my view) compliments it nicely. Pair with some skinny fries and kiss that hangover goodbye.
Phew. That is a whooooole load of mac! The places I've listed are ones I have discovered and rated so far but keep an eye on this post as I will include some updates on any future Mac & Cheese finds! All in the name of research of course...
Leanne x