Winter is the ideal season to discover Scotland’s amazing dining scene. Escape the cold, wind and rain and enjoy a hearty meal and a warm drink to cheer you up and keep you cosy. This winter, as you enjoy every bite and sip of Scotland’s finest, you’ll also be making a meaningful difference. These renowned restaurants have partnered with local charities to lend a helping hand to those in need. By choosing to dine at these restaurants, you’ll be supporting initiatives that provide vital support and resources to the less fortunate during the cold winter months.
StreetSmart is a brilliant charity that works with local partners to make a real difference in the lives of homeless people across the UK. With homelessness on the rise due to the pandemic, they need our support more than ever.
StreetSmart has teamed up with over 560 restaurants in 24 UK cities, including some of the best in Scotland. Every time you dine at one of these restaurants, a voluntary £1 will be added to your bill. That money goes straight to StreetSmart, who use it to fund essential services like beds, housing, employment training, and mental health support.
In Scotland, StreetSmart supports The Rock Trust and Right Here, two amazing organisations that help young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Edinburgh. They offer prevention, intervention, and aftercare services, tailored to each individual’s needs.
And the best part is, you don’t have to worry about any admin fees or hidden costs. Thanks to LandAid, StreetSmart’s generous partner, every penny you donate goes directly to the people who need it most.
As a trusted friend who always knows the latest trends and best places to be, we’ve handpicked the crème de la crème of Scotland’s dining scene for you to explore.
For a Cosy Brunch Experience…
Don’t miss Twelve Triangles Kitchen Table at the top of Easter Road. Their menu is infused with winter flavours, featuring comfort food elevated with gut-loving goodness like kimchi, sourdough, and kefir. It’s the perfect spot for those seeking serious flavour using kitchen staples and simple, in-season ingredients.
At Kitchen Table, co-founders Emily Cuddeford and Rachel Morgan aim to create simple yet innovative dishes that are flavourful and seasonal. They source their ingredients from local and independent producers and make their own yoghurt, butter, and bread. They also use fermentation and low-waste techniques to enhance their menu, such as making pickles, frangipane, and house beans from leftover or by-product ingredients.
Some of the current dishes on offer include a warming green lentil dhal with roast squash and crispy kale, Pittormie honey madeleines with honey and fennel seed sugar, damson jam and cultured cream, and pink fir potatoes with pickled walnut salsa verde, whipped feta and foraged leaves. The drinks menu features coffee from Obadiah, a local roaster, and daily specials such as Pittornie raspberry shrubs and elderberry, ginger and mint water kefir.
Visit: twelvetriangles.co.uk
For the Special Occasion…
With a warm and welcoming atmosphere, set within the iconic Cathedral House just a short walk from Glasgow city centre, Celentano’s is perfect for enjoying a snack and a bowl of pasta alongside a negroni after work, savouring the menu over the course of a long, memorable evening. With a prestigious Michelin Bib Gourmand award, Celentano’s is the epitome of culinary excellence at great value, and an ideal destination for celebrating special occasions.
Celentano’s builds its seasonal menus around what’s available from local suppliers each week. This always includes Dean’s signature snacks to start alongside Celentano’s sourdough bread and homemade pastas. Guests can then indulge in sustainably sourced fish, meat, and vegetable-lead dishes, ideal for sharing with the table. Complement your meal with a carefully curated selection of wines and their unique twist on classic cocktails.
Visit: celentanosglasgow.com
For the Sophisticated Lunch Spot…
For a lunch to remember, head to Fin & Grape in Bruntsfield. Their 3-course lunch menu for £24 consists of Salt cod mousse, herb oil, and grilled bread to start; Plaice fillet, crushed potatoes, leeks, roast chicken & mushroom dressing for the main course; and finishing off with Dark chocolate mousse, banana, miso, peanut for dessert. It’s some of the best value you will come across.
Why not book a table for late-afternoon and move your rendezvous down to their basement wine bar to enjoy their new wine and small plates menu into the later hours. You’ll find a range of wines to suit your small plates, and personal palate, from organic and biodynamic to natural and conventional, all carefully selected by Founder and Head Chef Stuart Smith.
He says: “Our wine list is curated in a similar way to our food menus. We work with suppliers who know the producers they work with personally and who understand which wines fit well in the restaurant and with the style of food we serve. For me, it is about whether our winemakers are working in a responsible manner and whether the wines are delicious, the most important factor!”
The new menu will provide diners with a selection of dishes perfect for sharing this winter, with prices starting at as little as £5 for both small plates and house wines.
Visit: finandgrape.com
Other Participating Restaurants:
- Argile Restaurant, Edinburgh
- Restaurant Martin Wishart, Edinburgh
- The Little Chartroom, Edinburgh
- Wedgwood, Edinburgh
- The Gannet, Glasgow
- Peat Inn, St Andrews
- Cafe St Honoré, Edinburgh
- Heron, Edinburgh
- Eleanor, Edinburgh
- Pomelo, Edinburgh
- One Under Bar, St Andrews
- 18, St Andrews
- The Bridge at Rusacks, St Andrews
Indulge in these culinary delights and make a difference this winter. Book your reservations and support a charitable cause. For more information about StreetSmart’s campaign, visit streetsmart.co.uk.
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