Scotland is not short on rugged natural beauty and this is particular evident on the West Coast, stretching from the popular beaches of Ayrshire to Fort William, the gateway to the highlands. In between is Argyll and Bute, an outdoor lover’s paradise and the urban centres on the Clyde, including Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city. The diversity of landscapes on the West Coast is matched by an incredible range of restaurants, the only common theme being the high standard of cuisine on offer.
The Greater Glasgow area certainly has the most restaurants, encompassing everything from sushi bars to classic fish and chips. Indian food is particularly popular and the universally acclaimed tikka masala dish originates from the city. There is a wealth of other options too, including Chinese and Thai, French and Italian, and a good selection of vegetarian restaurants.
Other towns on the West Coast will have all the most popular international restaurants too and some of their own local favourites. On the Ayrshire coast there are many classic seaside restaurants catering for the demand of the many visitors on day trips and seaside holidays. Some of these are associated with grand seaside hotels while others are incorporated into seafront pubs, with hearty pub food dominating the menu.
The West Coast plays host to Scotland’s most famous walking route, the West Highland Way, which starts in Milngavie, north of Glasgow, and ends in Fort William. On the way there are some great old drover’s restaurants and country hotels and inns. Often the menus will contain the kind of home cooked specialities to fuel those boundless outdoor activities but there are fine dining options too, where the top quality locally sourced produce is used to the best advantage.
There are West Coast restaurants to suit any tastes or budget and a selection are presented here to whet the appetite.
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