3 Best Restaurants in Stirling and the Central Highlands, Scotland

This lively pub in a converted whitewashed farmhouse is a little hard to find but worth the effort for the extensive menu---from burgers and steaks to jambalaya, curry, and haggis "draped" in a whisky-and-mustard sauce. This is all good home cooking without pretensions, and the servings are more than generous. Inside, the buzz of conversation bounces off dark-wood walls decorated with a fashionable collection of bric-a-brac. From the outside terrace you can look across fields to the hills beyond.

Run by the Bechelli family for four generations, this casual, light, and airy café in Bridge of Allan, just a couple of miles from Stirling, is a popular spot with locals. It is a well-tried Scottish combination of fish-and-chip restaurant and ice-cream parlor. Try the traditional "fish tea"—here confusingly called "catch of the day"—which consists of fish-and-chips served with tea or coffee and bread and butter. This place is time-honored, tasty, and a good value. There's a tantalizing selection of Italian ice cream too—if you have room.

Retaining the feel of an old-fashioned bakery, Mhor Bread delights with not only its homemade sourdough and other delicious breads, but also doughnuts, shortbread, and more. The café/tearoom is open for breakfast and lunch, with menu items such as fine sandwiches, soups, and desserts, including an amazing array of pies with different fillings. Want to go on a picnic? You can order takeaway lunches.