21 of Scotland's best places to eat al fresco

St Andrews

A macaroni cheese toastie must surely be one of the topmost comforting snacks. Located conveniently by the beach in St Andrews and on Kingsbarns Beach, the Cheesy Toast Shack is a haven for all cheese devotees.

Expect plenty of cheesy delights from this award-winning food truck and admire the stretchy strands of melted cheese from the range of freshly made toasties. After indulging in gooey, cheesy goodness, you can walk it off with a stroll down the long stretch of beach.

Kate Carter-Larg and husband Sam [Larg] opened the fife shack together. Kate reveals: "Sam and I started The Cheesy Toast Shack due to our total love of cheese. We wanted to create a lifestyle for ourselves where we could work together, whilst being our own bosses, and creating grilled cheese sandwiches seemed like a no brainer to us.”
 www.instagram.com/thecheesytoastshack/?hl=en

Cafe Canna

West Bothy, Isle of Canna PH44 4RS  
Café Canna sits right on the bay, on the tiny Hebridean Isle of Canna, and unsurprisingly fresh seafood is a speciality. “We must be one of the most remote restaurants in the country,” says owner Gareth Cole, “and so out of love but also necessity we source as much as we can from our island and its shores. We’re best known for our locally caught seafood dishes – massive platters of lobster, crab, and langoustine – and our foraged seaweed dishes. Our meat comes from the fields next door, veg from the patch over the wall, bread is baked daily, and we even brew our own beer (not a popular thing to run out of!). We pride ourselves on offering diners something a bit different. We only have 18 inside seats but have many times that outside – all right on the water. You can see the buoys where the claw you’re cracking came from, and if you haven’t been, Canna is a pretty stunning island.”

Civerinos Slice (Prom Slice)

Portobello, Edinburgh EH15 1HJ  
You can’t miss the pastel pop of Prom Slice, the colourful venue on the edge of Portobello beach beside Noble’s Arcade. At Prom Slice you are encouraged to tuck into a generous pizza slice (or two) from the comfort of one of their deckchairs found along the beach. Primarily offering the classic New York slice style of pizza, Prom Slice also boasts a 20” pizza – the largest you can get in Edinburgh. Vegan and veggie options are available as well as a host of inventive and traditional sides – including the iconic seaside cone fries. Civerinos founder, Michele Civiera, tells us: “We’ve been serving up authentic, NYC style pizza on Portobello beach since 2021. I live in the area and love the vibe. Especially seeing the prom bouncing, bonfires going, and watching everyone chowing down on a slice. Sunny days, sunrises, and sunsets, you can’t beat it.”

Glenuig Inn

Lochailort PH38 4NG  
Located in the tiny but lively highland village of Glenuig along a beautiful stretch of coastline, Glenuig Inn is about a mile before the road stops and well worth a detour. Local beers take pride of place at the bar, and there’s a simple bar food menu. Glenuig is a hub of musical talent so if you’re lucky, you’ll catch a live music session. 
The inn is right by the beach in a calm bay making this a welcome lunch or dinner spot for hungry sailors and kayakers exploring nearby inlets and islands. 

Pillars of Hercules

Falkland, Cupar KY15 7AD  
This organic farm, farm shop and cafe has attracted a loyal following for nearly four decades. The cafe offers hearty vegetarian and vegan-friendly fare. Pillars of Hercules has excelled in fully utilising their outdoor space, creating a series of dog-friendly al fresco seating areas many of which are undercover. Inside the large marquee there is even a fire pit to keep snug throughout all seasons. Despite being located just off a main road, Pillars of Hercules distils a sense of calm with its earthy wooden structures and abundance of vegetation, visitors can sit in the marquee or decking area and enjoy the peaceful surroundings overlooking the farm and gardens.

The Seafood Shack

Ullapool IV26 2TY 
In 2016, two young local women decided to take advantage of the abundance of fresh seafood coming into Ullapool. 
Kirsty Scobie and Fenella Renwick opened their own seafood catering trailer and it’s been hugely popular ever since. The food is simple, quick, and deliciously fresh. 
The Seafood Shack is open daily, and the changing menu is posted on their Instagram and Facebook pages each day. Visitors can enjoy fresh langoustines with garlic and thyme, lobster, hand-dived scallops, monkfish bites, fish curry, and local mussels depending on the day’s catch.

The Ship Inn

Elie and Earlsferry, Leven KY9 1DT  
For beachside dining, The Ship Inn in Elie is hard to beat. The beach bar and barbeque opens every afternoon in summer: order fresh lobster from the barbie with a glass of something delicious and watch the sun set over Elie Bay. The Ship Inn even has its own cricket team who play all their home games on the beach. 

ShrimpWreck

Portobello, Edinburgh EH15 1HJ 
From a tiny kitchen on Portobello Promenade ShrimpWreck serve up some of the best hot seafood in the city street-food style – think bowls of mussels, crab macaroni cheese, or how about Pittenweem lobster in a brioche bun with crunchy remoulade and old bay fries? Owner Ewen Hutchison says: “Being able to cook our food with a view of the sea while seeing and hearing how satisfied our customers are is a genuine dream come true.” For visitors and the many local regulars, ShimpWreck is pretty dreamy too. 

The Waterside Hotel

West Kilbride KA23 9NG  
With an expansive restaurant garden right on the beach and a charming beach-hut lined terrace, The Waterside is the ideal spot for a sundowner this summer. Enjoy panoramic views of the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Arran. Pair a cold drink with a sharing seafood platter of hot smoked salmon fishcakes, tomato and chilli sauce, seafood, hot-smoked salmon and prawn cocktail with toasted garlic focaccia.

BAAD (Barras Art and Design)

Calton Entry, Glasgow G40 2SB  
In the heart of the Barras Market in Glasgow’s East End, BAaD is a popular performance and events venue. While the interior of BAaD is impressive in itself, its outdoor seating area is an absolute suntrap and always promises a lively atmosphere. Enjoy food and drink in one of BAaD’s outdoor areas, choose from The Backyard, the container courtyard surrounded by colourful murals or nab a seat in the upstairs mezzanine outdoor space. With regular music and pop-up events throughout the summer, the stylish venue is a magnet for all ages.

Plockton Inn

Loch Carron, Plockton IV52 8TW  
Overlooking Loch Carron, Plockton is known as ‘The Jewel of the Highlands’ and this pretty harbour town never fails to charm. At Plockton Inn take a table in the sunshine and feast on local langoustines. The town speciality, known as Plockton Prawns, are sustainably creel-caught daily by local fishermen and served hot with garlic butter or cold with Marie Rose sauce. Pair with a crisp pint from Plockton Brewery before a relaxing stroll along the shore.

The Lobster Shack

North Berwick Harbour EH39 4SS 
Lobster on the beach anyone? The Lobster Shack is a must when visiting North Berwick. For those sunnier days enjoy fresh lobster, crab, fish tacos, chowder and fishcakes from the seafood shack found in the harbour. There is also a fully covered heated outdoor seating area for refuge when the wind is blowing a gale. Owners Stirling and Jela Stewart place great emphasis on using the best local suppliers and strive to be as sustainable as possible.

Mono

Kings Court, Glasgow G1 5RB
On sunny days Glaswegians flock to Mono to enjoy the fully vegan menu at the outdoor tables in the Trongate. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed with picnic benches at the front of the venue. Mono hosts regular live music and offers creative vegan dishes and a great selection of local beers. Try the artichoke, chickpea, and beetroot salad with harissa dressing. “Our beer garden is a sun trap where we are fortunate to have the sun all day long,” Noel O’Donnell, General Manager at Mono says. 

Cold Town House

Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2JU  
Pub views really don’t come better than this. Perched high above The Grassmarket, the rooftop bar at the converted church Cold Town House will give you unfettered views of magnificent Edinburgh Castle. Order a crisp pint of Cold Town Beer, which is made at the on-site brewery, and got for hot Neapolitan-style pizzas or loaded fries. The pizzas are inspired by different Edinburgh neighbourhoods, and we recommend trying ‘the Grange’ with tomato sugo, Fior di Latte, chicken, nduja and parmesan. This is a really popular spot when the sun shines so definitely one to book.

The Wood Fired Food Shack

Strontian, Acharacle
This little hidden gem serves some of the best food and drink in Ardnamurchan. Take a seat under the trees on the wooden deck and enjoy unbeatable views of pretty Loch Sunart. Wood-fired pizzas are made to order and frequently feature just-picked vegetables from the garden of welcoming owner and chef Ailidh McFadyen. Check their Facebook page for opening hours.

Arisaig Shellfish Shack

Main Street, Arisaig PH39 4NH
The west coast is where much of Scotland’s best shellfish is landed, of course, but buying it and preparing it can be a lot of work. Thankfully, Arisaig Shellfish Shack has now made luxury beach picnics a breeze. Co-owner Paula Wilkinson says: “We started the Shack in 2021 with the goal of making Scotland’s incredible shellfish as easy and convenient as possible. In essence, we take the ‘hell’ out of shellfish. Everything is cooked, cracked, split and ready to take to the beach!” The platters are indeed beautifully prepared and a real summertime treat. Order ahead. if you can. 

Café Cùil

Carbost, Isle of Skye IV47 8SU 
Surprisingly for a rural café, Café Cùil began in Hackney in East London with Skye chef Clare Coghill, at the helm. Now happily relocated to home turf, enjoy Clare’s award-winning brunch menu in Carbost. Try the Lochalsh beef brisket with Orkney cheddar sauce, poached egg and caramelised onion jam, or the Highland shakshuka with veggie haggis. Tables outside give incredible mountain views. 

Grandtully Hotel

Grandtully, Strathtay PH9 0PL 
The sunny courtyard outside The Tully Bar is unsurprisingly popular. Order a house negroni (or a nogroni for the driver) and plenty of plates to share from the excellent bar menu – think Loch Fyne oysters with buttermilk, cucumber and dill; ham hock croquettes with smoked honey aioli, and Isle of Mull crab crumpets. Outdoor stoves stave off the chill when the sun goes down.

Tarmachan Café

Quarry Studios, Crathie AB35 5UL  
Deep in the woods in the Cairngorms national park, Tarmachan Cafe is well worth seeking out. The building has won two RIBA awards for architecture and uses the space creatively. Sit outside surrounded by a wildflower meadow or book in for a long table rooftop barbeque dinner. On the menu you’ll find imaginative dishes making the most of local produce and excellent home baking.

Banchory Lodge

Banchory AB31 5HS 
At the confluence of the River Dee and the Feugh in the heart of Royal Deeside this riverside hotel is a lovely peaceful place to spend a warm afternoon. Tables are set across the tree-lined gardens and there are colourful quirky ‘sitooterie’ sheds if you’d like an extra shelter. On the menu you’ll find topped flatbreads, loaded tacos and generous grazing boards to share.

Teuchter's Landing

Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6LU
Hidden round the corner from Rennie’s Lock bridge at The Shore, this tented riverside beer garden is a cracker. There’s a good range of local beers on tap, including Paolozzi lager and Moonwake IPA – brewed just 160 metres across the water. On the menu you can order from the restaurant menu, so everything from nachos, burgers, and mugs of Cullen Skink, to a full shellfish platter.