Diners' Choice: Scottish restaurants in Inverness

OpenTable

Updated November 05, 2026

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Scottish cuisine in Inverness? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

The Loch Ness Inn

4.8

4.8 (1363)

£25 and under

Scottish

Inverness

About the restaurant

The Loch Ness Inn, is a small hotel located in Drumnadrochit, just 1.5 miles from Urquhart Castle and 15 miles from Inverness, the capital of the Highlands.

Our restaurant offers diners the chance to experience the best of local Highland produce, cooked to perfection, in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. We have a wonderful wine & gin list to accompany your food.

Visit our Brewery Bar and sample our excellent range of local beers and whiskies.

Top review

Jason

Dined on Oct 20, 2026

An amazing gem that I could have missed but so glad I didn’t. CANNOT RATE THIS HIGH ENOUGH!!!

Cafe 1

4.8

4.8 (2747)

£26 to £40

Scottish

Inverness

About the restaurant

Welcome to Cafe 1
I have pleasure in offering you a unique, fine dining experience here in The Highlands at Cafe1, Inverness.

We take great pride in sourcing local ingredients - some produced by ourselves from our own Croft!

Our open plan kitchen turns quality Scottish produce into appealing modern dishes.

We are a restaurant that moves with the times.

All tables are re-booked 2 hours later.

Cancellation policy.
No shows will be charged at £40 per person.
Cancellations within 5 hrs of dining will be charged £15 per person with the restaurants discretion.

Norman MacDonald MBE
Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland
Proprietor

Top review

tracey

Dined 2 days ago

Lovely frienfly staff,beautifully set table,food was amazing, well done to waiting staff and chef, and to add to it,the owner came round tables asking was all ok, what a lovely caring gesture

The White House

4.6

4.6 (1433)

£25 and under

Scottish

Inverness

About the restaurant

Stylish City Centre cocktail bar and bistro offering a wide range of cocktails, quality wines and premium spirits together with freshly prepared, Scottish based lunch and dinner menus available all day from 12 noon til late. The emphasis at The White House is on high end customer service in a relaxed and friendly environment. Table service means there is no need to queue at the bar so why not pay us a visit, take a seat, relax and let us look after you....!

Top review

Steven

Dined on Oct 28, 2026

Service and food was great. It was a lovely place during the day and the food selection was very good

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The Kitchen Restaurant

4.5

4.5 (88)

£26 to £40

Scottish

Inverness

About the restaurant

The Kitchen Restaurant is a stunning venue, spread across three floors, located in the heart of Inverness, offering breathtaking views of the River Ness and Inverness Castle.
As an independent restaurant, we pride ourselves on serving modern Scottish cuisine, using fresh, locally sourced ingredients to create seasonal and flavourful dishes.
Whether you're joining us for a relaxed family meal, a romantic date night, or simply to enjoy freshly prepared food in a beautiful setting, The Kitchen provides the perfect atmosphere for every occasion.
Our friendly and attentive team look forward to welcoming you to enjoy exceptional food, expertly crafted cocktails, and a carefully selected wine list.

Top review

Steven

Dined on Oct 23, 2026

We had a great experience from the minute we walked through the door at The Kitchen. We were given a choice of tables to choose from as we had booked for lunch at it had just opened to the public, so we chose a window seat looking out over the river onto the castle. Very ambient indeed. The background music was soft Irish folk music which took us back to our recent couple of trips to Dublin, so smiles all round. Service was great and our server was very knowledgeable about the food and helped us to make our mind up with her wonderful descriptions. Soup and sourdough bread for starters with whipped butter that tasted of Scottish tablet. How did they do that..marvellous introduction to the Kitchens food. The soup immediately got my tastebuds going, no seasoning required as it was delicious the way it was. Next course was the eggs benedict with hollandaise, bacon and croissant..beautifully presented. Again, delicious to taste with the most flavourful bacon I've ever tasted. The croissant was wonderfully flaky, the eggs done to perfection with a wonderfully jammy yolk and the hollandaise just so tasty. Finished off with some Scottish Cranachan. Made with juicy raspberries and two shortbread rounds at the side. This was our first visit to the Kitchen and it wont be the last. Great service, well priced considering the level of skill and knowledge that went into the food, I cannot praise this restaurant highly enough. We'll be back to sample the evening menu soon. I hope this place goes from strength to strength. A jewel in the highland crown for sure.

Contrast Brasserie

4.5

4.5 (1167)

£25 and under

Scottish

Inverness

About the restaurant

Welcome to Contrast Brasserie. With a sharp focus on Scottish, locally sourced produce, we invite you to savour the tastes of the season with a touch of Pan-Asian flair.

From succulent rare breed pork, prime dry-aged beef to market fresh fruit and vegetables we try to stay true to our Scottish roots, creating simple dishes built around one great ingredient. Located just a short walk from the City Centre of Inverness, take a wander along the tree lined river where a warm welcome awaits!

Early Bird Menu not available on Saturday night

Top review

DAVID

Dined 6 days ago

Been here a few times over the years, glad to say that the food and service are still excellent. Can't wait to return soon.

Blackfriars Inverness

4.5

4.5 (31)

£25 and under

Scottish

Inverness

About the restaurant

We’re a traditional Scottish ale house with a modern twist, serving fine homemade food from across Scotland with a strong emphasis on local produce. We proudly use Scottish beef and, whenever possible, locally sourced seafood — and being in the heart of Scotland, we’re lucky to have plenty of both.

Please be aware booking the bar are is for drinks/ food can be served if available

Top review

Michele

Dined on Oct 24, 2026

We had a beautiful evening at Blackfriars. The room is cozy and service exceptional. Our food was outstanding with very generous portions. Highly recommend it!

Hootananny Inverness

4.5

4.5 (865)

£25 and under

Scottish

Inverness

About the restaurant

WE DO NOT ACCEPT BOOKINGS FOR DRINKS/MUSIC ONLY
MINIMUM ORDER OF ONE MAIN PER PERSON
WE DO SERVE FOOD ON SATURDAYS ON A WALK IN ONLY BASIS

Top review

Vyth

Dined on Oct 27, 2026

A big thank you to our lovely tattooed waitress for her warm welcome, kindness, and wonderful smile! 😊 My girlfriend and I really appreciated the effort she made to speak to us in clear, understandable English so that we could communicate more easily. It was a thoughtful gesture that meant a lot to us. We would also like to thank her and the entire restaurant team for giving us such a lovely evening, with a great atmosphere, good music, and genuine Scottish hospitality. We had a wonderful dinner and will keep a very fond memory of this experience during our trip to Scotland! It's these little human touches that make a place truly special. Thank you all for making our evening so enjoyable! 🎶🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

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Popular dish

Homemade Sticky Toffee Pudding

Popular dish

Beer Battered Fish and Chips

Popular dish

Chicken Balmoral

The Mustard Seed Restaurant

4.3

4.3 (197)

£26 to £40

Scottish

Inverness

About the restaurant

Situated on the picturesque banks of the River Ness in the heart of Inverness, The Mustard Seed is a celebrated culinary staple housed within a strikingly converted church building. Since opening in 2001, this vibrant restaurant has become a firm local favourite under the dedicated leadership of Managing Director Christine Robertson.

The interior boasts magnificent architectural features, including a double-height ceiling and a roaring open log fire that creates a cosy yet elegant atmosphere. Diners can enjoy views of the river from the mezzanine or the top-floor terrace during the warmer months. The culinary philosophy centres on simple, hearty cooking that highlights the exceptional quality of seasonal Highland ingredients. Combining modern European influences with a warm Scottish welcome, the restaurant provides an inviting setting for everything from casual lunches to special evening celebrations in the city centre.

Top review

Margaret

Dined on Oct 28, 2026

Food delicious. Excellent menu. Staff friendly and professional. Swift service. Pleasant ambience.

THE BABETTE

4.0

4 (61)

£25 and under

Scottish

Inverness

About the restaurant

BABETTE IS THE NEWEST and most electric addition to the city centre. We are the fresh perspective, the late-night spark, and the vibrant soul of Academy Street. Your new obsession has a name, it’s THE BABETTE

Babette has officially arrived as the high-octane heartbeat of Inverness, flipping the script on the historic Rose Street Foundry. We are the newest, boldest, and most electric kid on the block—bringing a New York-style brasserie energy that the Highlands have been waiting for.
Our dining room doesn’t just sit; it swells with energy as guests linger late into the night over locally brewed beers, crisp champagne, and house cocktails crafted with a modern edge. Led by a dynamic local team, we bring classic dishes alive in new and delicious ways that are fiercely fresh.

From locally soured seafood, oysters, lobster, mussels and scallop to fabulous beef and venison we have you covered. If you're looking for a low key fish and chips we are that guy too

We cant wait to meet you x

Top review

Charessa

Dined on Oct 26, 2026

Delicious first stop on our 10-day vacation in Scotland. Great food and recommendations from our amazing service team. Would definitely return!

Highlander

4.4

4.4 (138)

£25 and under

Scottish

Inverness

About the restaurant

The Highlander Inverness is the city’s home of live traditional Scottish music, with performances every night and free entry for all guests. We proudly serve a variety of local craft beers from beloved Highland breweries and offer an impressive selection of single malts and Scottish gins to pair with any meal. Our menu celebrates authentic Scottish flavors, featuring dishes like mince and tatties, haggis, steak and ale pie, and classic fish and chips. Join us for a warm, lively atmosphere and experience the best of Inverness hospitality!

TABLE BOOKINGS FOR FOOD ONLY
Email us on manager@highlander.scot for other enquiries

Top review

Fiona

Dined on Oct 13, 2026

Absolutely great service everyone was so friendly and welcoming would certainly recommend can’t wait till next time

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Experience

Festive Lunches

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