Frequently Asked Questions - Scottish Food & Drink (2024)

WHAT KIND OF FOOD WILL I FIND IN SCOTLAND?

A huge range - as well as all our excellent traditional dishes (which we'll talk about a little later) and10Michelin star restaurants, Scotland is a very cosmopolitan country and you'll find restaurants specialising in food from many different cultures.

Eating local is very important in Scotland and you'll find lots ofrestaurantsthat proudly serve dishes made from locally sourced ingredients. What could be better than trying a mouth-watering new dish in the place where the ingredients were farmed?

WHAT IS SCOTLAND'S NATIONAL DISH?

Haggis! AKA the 'Great chieftain o the puddin'-race' - as Robert Burns once called it. In Scotland, haggis is a real celebration dish and nothing quite beats tucking into a hearty portion alongside your nearest and dearest.

WHAT OTHER TRADITIONAL DISHES WILL I FIND IN SCOTLAND?

Keep an eye out for:

  • Scottish smoked salmon
  • Haggis
  • Black pudding
  • Stovies
  • Bridies
  • Scotch pies
  • Aberdeenshire butteries
  • Fish and chips
  • Scotch broth
  • Lorne sausage
  • co*ck-a-leekie soup
  • Cranachan
  • Clootie dumpling
  • Dundee cake
  • Shortbread
  • Peppermint creams
  • Tablet

Remember, each region boasts its own traditional delicacies so be sure to ask the locals what they would recommend too!

IS THERE ANY FOOD THAT I CAN ONLY GET IN SCOTLAND?

There are a number of Scottish foods that have been granted European protected status, a designation which identifies high-quality products that are unique to a particular region. Scottish delicacies with protected status include:

  • Scotch beef
  • Scottish wild salmon
  • Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop cheese
  • Arbroath Smokies
  • Scottish Farmed Salmon
  • Scotch Lamb
  • Shetland Lamb
  • Orkney Beef
  • Orkney Lamb
  • Stornoway Black Pudding
  • Orkney Scottish Island Cheddar

You can buy these fantastic products throughout the world, but what could be better than trying them in the place where they are produced?

WHERE CAN I BUY LOCAL PRODUCE?

Localfarmers' markets and farm shopsare terrific places to find quality local produce and to meet the people behind the products. Some supermarkets offer local choices too.

IS THERE ANYWHERE I CAN SEE FOOD BEING MADE?

There are a number of cheese makers, ice cream makers and smokehouses you can visit. Some farmers markets also offer cooking demonstrations, so you can see the produce being turned into a tasty meal and pick up recipe tips.

Find more top Scottish food experiences

Frequently Asked Questions - Scottish Food & Drink (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular food and drink in Scotland? ›

Don't leave Scotland without trying...
  1. Haggis. Haggis represents the best of Scottish cooking, using every part of the animal and adding lots of flavour and spices. ...
  2. Fresh fish. The fish and seafood that Scotland's waters have to offer are just sensational. ...
  3. Lobster. ...
  4. Grouse. ...
  5. Cullen skink. ...
  6. Clootie dumpling. ...
  7. Gin. ...
  8. Whisky.
Jan 25, 2023

What is the traditional drink of Scotland? ›

WHAT IS SCOTLAND'S NATIONAL DRINK? Whisky! (Although IRN BRU likes to think of itself as Scotland's 'other national drink' too).

What are 5 fun facts about Scotland? ›

5 Fun facts about Scotland
  • It's home to one of Europe's oldest trees. ...
  • Golf was invented here. ...
  • The national animal of Scotland is a unicorn. ...
  • Over 90% of Scottish residents live in less than 5% of the country's area. ...
  • There are over 900 islands in Scotland, according to the Scottish government.

What is a full Scottish breakfast? ›

So, what is a full Scottish breakfast? Usually made up of bacon, link sausages, Lorne sausage (also known as square sausage or slice), black pudding, haggis, baked beans, fried mushrooms and tomatoes, toast, tattie scones and fried eggs, the full Scottish breakfast is a sight to behold.

What is the main meal Scottish? ›

Haggis Scotland

One of our most traditional and famous dishes is haggis, neeps and tatties, (turnips and potatoes). A delicious combination of meat, oatmeal, onions, salt and spices, haggis is really flavoursome.

What is the number one drink in Scotland? ›

Irn-Bru has long been the most popularly consumed soft drink in Scotland, consistently beating rivals such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Fanta, and reportedly sells 20 cans every second throughout Scotland.

What do Scots call alcohol? ›

Scottish Gaelic vocabulary: drinks
DrinkDeoch
alcoholdeoch làidir<))
a pintpinnt<))
beerleann<))
ciderleann-ubhal<))
16 more rows

What are traditional Scottish sweets? ›

View Range DELICIOUS SCOTTISH SWEETS Include: Boiled Sweets, Caramels, Chocolate Creams, Liquorice, Retro Sweets, Rock, Soft Creams & Soft Rock and Toffee.

What is the Scottish drinking dish? ›

“Quaich” is a Scots rendering of the Gaelic word “cuach”, meaning cup. The two-handed design of this drinking vessel incorporates trust, on the part of both giver and receiver. Quaichs were used most commonly to contain whisky and brandy but larger quaichs were vessels used for drinking ale.

What is the national dish of Scotland? ›

Haggis is our national dish, and the first recipe dates back to the 15th century (in recorded history).

What is neeps? ›

Neeps are what Scots, Irish and a lot of Northern English people call turnips - ie the big orange veg. Others call those a swede. The wee white ones - whether you call those a turnip or not - are not part of a 'neeps and tatties' recipe.

What is the average Scottish diet? ›

The average Scottish diet is low in cereals, vegetables and fruit but high in confectionery, fatty meat products, sweet and salty snacks, cakes, and excessive amounts of sugary drinks and alcohol.

How much does Scotland drink? ›

In 2022, the average number of units of alcohol consumed per week by all drinkers was 12.6 units, ranging significantly by age from 15.5 units among drinkers aged 16-24 years to 10.2 among drinkers aged 75+.

What time do Scottish people eat? ›

There are no set times! Eat when you want to. Traditionally, most Scots have been early eaters. At home, lunch was usually 12 - 1 and dinner between 5 - 6pm.

What is the food history of Scotland? ›

Scotland's earliest inhabitants were nomadic hunter-gatherers, who hunted and harvested what they needed. We know there were elk, deer, wild horse, bear, wolf, beavers, wild boar and aurochs (wild ox) to hunt as well as smaller animals, birds and fish. This way of life lasted over 4,000 years.

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