If you’re heading to Scotland and trying to figure out what to eat, start here.
This is a country that knows how to do comfort food. Whether you’re chasing misty castle views or hiking through the Highlands, there’s something deeply satisfying about Scotland’s local dishes. The food is often hearty, a little quirky, and packed with centuries of tradition (and more oats than you'd think possible).
We ate our way across the country; From bakeries in tiny villages to seaside pubs and supermarket snack aisles, here’s our list of the must-try foods and drinks in Scotland.
Scottish cuisine is rooted in resilience and built around what the land provides. Oats, root vegetables, smoked fish, game, and simple pastries form the base of many meals. From Highland stews to indulgent desserts, it’s all about flavor, warmth, and a little bit of history on every plate.
It’s a classic for a reason. Scotland usually uses haddock instead of cod, dipping it in a light, crispy batter and deep-frying it to golden perfection. Served with thick-cut chips and plenty of salt and vinegar, this is the ultimate comfort meal, especially when eaten by the sea, straight out of the paper. Chris can't get enough fish and chips when we're somewhere near the ocean (he wanted to eat it everyday we were in Dingle, Ireland)!.
Buttery, crumbly, and rich with simplicity, Scottish shortbread dates back to the 12th century and became widely popular thanks to Mary, Queen of Scots. Made with just flour, butter, and sugar, it’s a perfect example of how good ingredients speak for themselves. You can find plain short bread all over the country. It’s cheap, simple, and delicious!
Take a base of buttery shortbread, top it with a thick layer of caramel, and finish it with smooth chocolate. That’s millionaire’s shortbread: a decadent, no-apologies kind of dessert that you’ll find in nearly every Scottish café. Millionaire’s shortbread isn’t necessarily from Scotland (it’s from somewhere in the UK, exact location unknown), but since shortbread is most famously from Scotland, we thought mentioning this variation of the classic would be a must. Also, we enjoyed one too many millionaire’s shortbread bars while we were in Scotland and think you should, too.
This thick, creamy soup hails from the town of Cullen in northeast Scotland. Made with smoked haddock, potatoes, and onions, it’s warming, smoky, and comforting. It’s the kind of soup that makes you wish it was cold and rainy outside. It’s similar to fish chowder but smokier and (it my opinion) a bit more flavorful.
Scotland’s love affair with oats runs deep. Traditional Scottish porridge is made with pinhead oats and often cooked with just water and a pinch of salt. You’ll find modern versions topped with honey, cream, or berries, but locals will tell you salt is the real way to go. I found a great bowl of porridge at a café in Glasgow that cooked the porridge with milk and topped it with honey and banana– so good!
Haggis is a savory pudding made from minced sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs, mixed with onions, spices, oatmeal, and suet. Traditionally cooked in a sheep’s stomach, it sounds intense but tastes like spiced sausage meets stuffing. Serve it with neeps and tatties and you’ve got a proper Scottish meal.
A soft- or hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. They’re portable, protein-packed, and available everywhere from pubs to gas stations. Traditionally they’re eaten cold so you can often find them in the refrigerated section at a grocery store, but they can also be found being sold warm, too. The choice is yours.
A classic breakfast plate stacked with bacon, eggs, sausage, baked beans, grilled tomato, mushrooms, tattie scone, black pudding, and sometimes haggis. It’s designed to fuel you through a day of adventuring (or recovering from one).
A blood sausage made with pork blood, fat, and oats. Rich, earthy, and surprisingly good. Black pudding is usually served fried as part of a full breakfast so that’ll be your best chance to try it while in Scotland.
Scotland’s bright orange national soda. Tastes like bubblegum meets cream soda meets mystery flavor. The Scottish folk are very proud of this soda and even call it the country’s second national drink (right behind whisky, of course). You have to try it once (and probably more than once). When we were in Scotland they even had a special release called “Nessie Nectar” and another called “Unicorn Juice”. Scotland has a sense of humor and it definitely shows through their Irn Bru.
Each whisky region has its own flavor profile — from peaty Islay malts to smooth Speyside expressions. Whether you’re new to whisky or a longtime fan, this is the place to sip and savor. While you could walk into just about any distillery or bar and try a wonderful whisky (or two or three), we took a tour at the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh before visiting other distilleries across the country to learn about the drink as a whole and the different varieties across the regions of Scotland. If you have time in Edinburgh to do this tour, we’d highly recommend it. If not, you’ll still have a wonderful time sipping the country’s most prized creation wherever you find yourself.
A traditional boiled pudding made from dried fruits, suet, flour, and spices, wrapped in a cloth (the “cloot”) and cooked slowly. Often served at holidays or family gatherings, this dessert is a long time Scottish tradition. Unfortunately we couldn’t find any clootie dumpling while we were in Scotland. If you’re luckier than we were, please let us know what you think of it and where you found it so we can try it during our next trip back to Scotland.
A rich sponge cake made with dates, drenched in toffee sauce and usually served with vanilla ice cream or custard. It’s outrageously good and you can find it all over Scotland. While the origin of sticky toffee pudding is a bit debated, the Udny Arms Hotel in Newburgh, Scotland claims they were the first to serve it. It’s been on the menu at the hotel since the 1960s or 70s. Even if they weren’t first to invent it, they did make it famous across the entire UK.
Made from mashed potatoes and flour, pan-fried until golden. Found in breakfast rolls or as a side. Tattie scones are simple and deeply satisfying. We had a chance to try them with our full Scottish breakfast.
A classic side of mashed turnips (usually swede) and potatoes, often served with haggis. The sweet and savory balance works beautifully. Neeps and tatties next to haggis actually reminded us a lot of Thanksgiving dinner back in the States.
Invented in Scotland in the 1990s, this novelty treat is exactly what it sounds like. Eat one, then lie down and have yourself a nap. The origin of the deep fried mars bar was at a fish and chips shop called The Carron Fish Bar in Stonehaven and the shop is still serving them up today.
Scotland’s beer scene is full of character. Whether you’re sipping a dark ale in a Highland pub or trying craft IPAs in Edinburgh, you’ll find local brews worth raising a glass to. We both really enjoyed Tennant's Lager and the Jarl by Fyne Ales. Oh, and one of our favorite juicy IPA’s is made in Scotland at Brew Dog. You’ll find Brew Dog taprooms all over the country and the beer is in just about every grocery store. Funny store: when we were overlanding the Pan American Highway through Central America Brew Dog was consistently the only IPA we could find in grocery stores.
A flaky pastry stuffed with savory sausage meat. Cheap, cheerful, and ridiculously good. Greggs is the go-to and yes, we recommend it. While sausage rolls aren’t Scotland specific, they are loved here and very abundant. Grabbing a sausage roll and coffee at Gregg’s en route to the trailhead for a rainy morning hike is the perfect way to start the day.
A layered dessert of whipped cream, toasted oats, raspberries, honey, and whisky. Originally served at harvest celebrations, now found on menus across the country. You’ll have to look a bit harder for cranachan than you will for sticky toffee pudding, but it’s worth it.
Think fudge, but firmer and grainier. Made with sugar, condensed milk, and butter, it’s sweet enough to power a small village. We found Scottish tablet at a dairy farm in the highlands, but we also saw them at grocery stores pretty often. Sometimes it was called “Scottish fudge” (probably for easier marketing to foreigners like ourselves), but it appeared to be the same thing.
Scottish food is cozy, quirky, and full of history. Whether you're eating a haggis dinner in the Highlands or grabbing a sausage roll on the go, it’s a big part of what makes travel here so memorable.
Let us know what you’re most excited to try or what we missed. And if you want to see these dishes in action, check out our Scotland vlog series on YouTube.
