Coming up: organs, iron, tablet, teacakes, foods you’ve heard of, foods you haven’t, lots of soups and seafood, some must-take tours, why Scottish eats are deeply underrated, and 22 traditional Scottish foods you need to try!
🐘 Alright, let’s talk about the elephant in the room here before we get started:
🇬🇧 People think British food is terrible 🤮
(and that’s probably even more true when it comes to Scottish food)
… but while I can understand that reputation (for reasons I won’t bother going into here), that reputation is actually inaccurate and unjustified ❌
You see: if you know where and what to eat, British food is amazing. And that’s especially true for Scottish food!
So, in this guide, we’ve brought you everything you need to know about Scottish food. Here’s what to eat, traditional foods to try, and the best places to get them all 😋
1. Haggis
- What it is: the organs of a sheep, cooked inside another organ of a sheep!
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): no-one really seems to know exactly where haggis is from… so you can get a good one in ANY part of Scotland
When you think of Scottish food, you think of haggis.
And when you think of haggis, you probably think ‘eeeew, no, I’m not gonna eat that!!!!’*
(*well, if you’re a big baby man-child)
You see, the idea of haggis as a stomach-churning mess is actually one of the biggest Scottish misconceptions.
🐏 Because, here’s the thing: haggis is actually delicious. Really really delicious. Haggis is made from chopped-up heart, liver and lungs (all from a sheep), then mixed with oats, onions, and spices. Then that combo is cooked inside a sheep’s stomach. It might not sound great, but it certainly tastes great.
It’s best eaten in an old-school traditional pub. Ask a local for their recommendation.
2. Haggis, neeps, and tatties
- What it is: haggis, but with its TRADITIONAL trimmings
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): again, anywhere in Scotland is good
People eat haggis in many forms.
… but it’s best eaten in the traditional way: with neeps and tatties (that’s mashed turnips and mashed potatoes). It’s real Scottish comfort food, it’s super simple but super tasty, and it’s an absolute must-try 🥔
A bonus food for you: Scotland loves turnips and potatoes. Clapshot, another Scottish favorite, is also made from them. Clapshot is mashed turnips and mashed potatoes, mixed together, with butter—and often also combined with chives and fried onions. In old-school pubs, you’ll see it served with haggis, mince, sausages, and other meats.
3. Cullen skink
- What it is: a thick Scottish soup made with potatoes, onions, butter, milk, and smoked haddock
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): it originally comes from Cullen, a small fishing village sitting a 90-minute drive east of Inverness. So it’s best in this region!
Cullen skink looks bland, boring, and beige, but it’s unbelievable.
Homely and hearty, it’s perfect for cold weather; and it’ll make you wonder why putting smoked fish into soup isn’t more popular 😋
4. Scotch broth
- What it is: a big lumpy soupy mix of vegetables, meat, and pulses; and one of my favorite foods on the planet
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): it was a classic staple in rural parts of Scotland, where you’d throw everything you had into a pan. These days, it’s not really a staple anywhere; but you can still find it on some pub and cafe menus
More soup!
Because I spent my childhood in Northumberland* and Newcastle*, I was raised close to the Scottish border 🏴
And because I was raised close to the Scottish border, I spent lots of my youth slurping on Scotch broth (it’s pretty popular in some parts of northern England too).
🍲 Anyway, Scotch broth is a hearty, warming soup made from cuts of meat (sometimes ham, sometimes lamb, occasionally beef), barley, root vegetables (like carrots, turnips, and leeks), and sometimes split peas (or even lentils).
Depending on the chef, your Scotch broth might have a soupy texture, or might even be closer to thin mashed potato. It’s best cooked for hours on end, to let the flavors all mix together. Massively recommended!
For more on Northumberland, here are:
- The most beautiful towns and villages in Northumberland
- The 20 most beautiful places in Northumberland
- The 10 best beaches in Northumberland
- The 11 best castles in Northumberland
- The best hikes in Northumberland
For more on Newcastle, here are some popular guides:
- My love letter to Northeast England
- The 15 best beaches near Newcastle
- 13 surprising reasons you need to visit Newcastle
- Everything you need to know about the Newcastle accent
- 21 top things to do in the Ouseburn (Newcastle’s best neighborhood)
5. Arbroath Smokies
- What it is: haddock, lightly salted, then hot-smoked
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): the harbor town of Arbroath, which lies a 30-minute drive east of Dundee
🎣 Super smoky, Arbroath Smokies are very distinctive. If you’ve ever had Northumbrian kippers, you’ve had something similar.
These hot smoky pieces of fish are sometimes flaked into soups or stews… but if you really want to taste the flavor and smoke of the fish, you should just eat them with bread and butter (and that’s exactly what most locals would recommend).
6. Stornoway black pudding
- What it is: a dense savory sausage made with blood, oats, fat, and seasoning; with a peppery flavor, and coarse texture
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis. Ask a local their favorite butcher, and buy it there, DON’T get it from a supermarket
Many European cultures have their own version of blood sausage.
… and black pudding is the British version. Of all the British versions, lots of people reckon Stornoway black pudding is the best. It’s made with Scottish oats, it has a slightly-smoother texture, it’s firm, and it doesn’t have lumps of fat 🖤
It’s usually added to breakfasts or sandwiches, but you might also find it in other dishes (and it’s sometimes used to make soups and stews a bit richer).
7. Cranachan
- What it is: a dessert; whipped cream, toasted oats, honey, and raspberries
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): it’s not hugely popular these days; so get it wherever you can!
Sort of like a trifle, sort of like Eton Mess, Cranachan is super tasty. It’s simple, but it’s pretty decadent. Highly recommended!
8. Tattie scones
- What it is: a flatbread-like griddle-fried staple made from mashed potatoes, flour, and butter. The best ones are soft on the inside, and a little bit crispy on the outside
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): you’ll find them everywhere in Scotland. Again, don’t bother with the ones from a supermarket—get them in a cafe or bakery
🥔 These are ADDICTIVE. Some people eat them with just a bit of butter, but it’s more common to eat them for breakfast (more on the Scottish breakfast soon). Or some people might have them with bacon, or sausages, or some other type of meat.
9. Rowies (also known as ‘butteries’)
- What it is: not quite a bread roll, not quite a croissant, these flat salty baked goods are made of butter, lard, salt, sugar, flour and yeast. They’re AMAZING
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): they’re originally from Aberdeen. So, the Aberdeen area is the best place to get them! Truffelos is a particularly popular spot—but any bakery is a good option
Some people eat their rowies hot with butter. Some people toast them. Some people eat them cold. Others have them with jam. However you have them, just make sure you try some.
According to legend, these were invented for fishermen. On their trips out of Aberdeen, the fishermen needed something dense, high-calorie, and not-too-perishable to sustain them. And rowies are what they came up with! 🚣
10. Tablet
- What it is: a crumbly, fudge-like sweet made from sugar, condensed milk, and butter. It’s super sweet, and it almost literally melts in your mouth
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): anywhere in Scotland! If you can find an old-school traditional sweet shop, that’s where you should get your tablet. The stuff from chain stores doesn’t come close
Surprisingly grainy, the history of Scottish tablet dates back to at least the 1700s. No-one seems to know if tablet was invented in Scotland, or just adopted.
Either way, it’s a very Scottish flavor, and it’s one of my favorite British sweet treats.
11. Irn-Bru
- What it is: Scotland’s unofficial national soft drink. It’s bright orange, aggressively fizzy, and impossible to accurately describe
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): it’s originally from Glasgow. But you’ll see it in the vast majority of Scottish stores and supermarkets. If you buy it, make sure it’s chilled!
🟠 Irn-Bru (pronounced ‘iron brew’) is weird.
It tastes amazing, but no-one really seems to understand why. You see: it’s bright orange, it’s very fizzy, and it sort of tastes like a handful of coins. But despite that, it’s delicious. Somehow both sweet and sharp, it both looks and tastes aggressive.
Once you’ve got used to its weird flavor, you’ll fall in love with it.
12. Scottish seafood
- What it is: cod, haddock, salmon, trout, langoustines, scallops, mussels, crabs, and things you probably haven’t even heard of
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): it comes from Scotland’s MASSIVE coastline (which, to most people’s surprise, measures in at approximately 18,743 km/11,646 miles). Anywhere coastal serves up good Scottish seafood, but the west coast is best
Because the Scottish coastline is so big, you of course get lots of sea life.
… and like any island nation, the place has a big fishing heritage 🎣
🏖️ Scotland’s west coast (especially the region around Oban, Mull and Skye) is EXCELLENT for seafood. And Loch Fyne is legendary for oysters and salmon. Orkney is great for scallops. Shetland is known for mussels. Most coastal towns have impressive markets with fresh catches. And big cities transform fish into high-end dishes and platters.
Wherever you go in Scotland, try to eat the local seafood.
Even if you’re in a city, you’ll find some excellent stuff—because, get this: wherever you go in Scotland, you’re never more than 65 km (40 miles) from the sea!*
*for more strange stats, here are 23 surprising facts and stats about Scotland.
13. Deep-fried Mars Bars
- What it is: a popular chocolate bar, deep-fried in batter. So: they become gooey and crispy and outrageously (and unnecessarily) decadent
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): these were invented in Carron Fish Bar, in the coastal town of Stonehaven, near Aberdeen. But you can get a deep-fried Mars Bar from almost any fish and chip shop
Yes, these really do exist.
🍫 Admittedly, they’re more of a gimmick and a novelty, and not many people eat them very often… but if you’re in Scotland, you’ve got to give them a try. You’ll occasionally find them on menus (and deep-fried Mars Bars are still a firm menu favorite in Stonehaven’s Carron Fish Bar, where the snack was invented).
… but most of the time, you can just wander into any fish and chip shop with a Mars Bar of your own, and they’ll deep-fry it for you, for a tiny price.
By the way, in case you haven’t heard of them: Mars Bars are one of the UK’s most popular candy bars. They feature a soft nougat center, topped with a thick layer of sticky caramel, then coated in milk chocolate. They’re dense and sweet, and very very tasty. Are they better covered in batter? In my opinion, no—but you should give it a try anyway.
14. Shortbread
- What it is: a classic Scottish biscuit (or ‘cookie,’ to you Americans) made from just three ingredients—butter, sugar, and flour. But shortbread is somehow so much more than the sum of its parts
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): no-one seems to know the exact origin—but that’s good news, cos it’s tasty wherever you get it
🧈 Shortbread tastes buttery, smells buttery, crumbles in your mouth, and is best enjoyed with a nice hot cup of tea. Famous brands like Walkers churn out reliable but unspectacular stuff, but local bakeries are where you’ll find the best flavors.
15. Porridge
- What it is: oatmeal; but better
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): homecooked is best… so if you’re staying in a Scottish bed and breakfast, that’s your best chance of some tasty and authentic porridge
You probably know this as ‘oatmeal’.
… but head to Scotland, and ‘oatmeal’ is actually called ‘porridge.’
🍳 Traditionally, it’s made by slowly cooking oats and milk in a pan, then seasoning with a pinch of salt (yep, oats with salt!🧂). Some people add sugar, honey, or jam; others prefer berries, nuts, or seeds.
There’s something special about Scottish porridge over any other oatmeal I’ve ever eaten. Maybe it’s the way the oats are cooked; maybe it’s their size; maybe it’s something else.
Whatever it is, when they’re done right, Scottish oats have a creaminess that makes them taste much more hearty and decadent than they have any right to be.
Anyway, porridge is a VERY popular Scottish breakfast.
But there’s one much more famous Scottish breakfast. And that brings us to…
16. Full Scottish breakfast
- What it is: one of the greasiest breakfasts you’ve ever eaten
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): it’s always best from a no-frills greasy fuss-free cafe. Ask a local for their favorite under-the-radar spot
The Full Scottish breakfast is similar to the Full English breakfast (but in my opinion better—controversial, I know 😬), with a few key extra additions.
Those extra additions are:
- Lorne sausage (also known as ‘square sausage’): basically, this is sausage meat, without the casing. And arranged into a square, rather than a tube
- Haggis: it’s not always on a Scottish breakfast, but it’s on the best ones
- Tattie scones: which we’ve already covered!
- Fruit pudding: a relatively rare addition, but some Scottish people love this on their breakfast. A sweet combo of flour, beef suet, brown sugar, sultanas, and raisins, it provides a bit of contrast to all the salt and heft of the other breakfast ingredients
Also on the Scottish breakfast plate, you’ll of course find the more ‘standard’ British-breakfast items; like bacon, sausages, black pudding, baked beans, fried eggs, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
To find the best breakfast wherever you are, ask a local. Don’t bother Googling it, cos that’ll take you to the fancier places, or the touristy ones. But with a Scottish breakfast, you want the grimiest venue you can find 🥓
17. Scotch Pies
- What it is: a small, crusty pie filled with seasoned pulverized meat
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): they’re popular in all of Scotland; but ONLY get them from a good local bakery. Ask a local for their favorite spot, and follow their advice. Scotch pies are nowhere near as good if you buy them from a supermarket
Controversial opinion for you, but British pastries are the world’s best pastries.
🥧 … and of them all, Scotch pies are absolutely some of the best. Dense, peppery, and full of meat, they’re super tasty. This is British portable food at its finest!
18. Tunnock’s teacakes
- What it is: a thin biscuit, topped with soft marshmallow, coated in chocolate, then wrapped in foil
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): these were invented by the Tunnock’s candy company, based close to Glasgow. But because they’re mass-produced, they’re great wherever you buy them (whether that’s a supermarket, or a little store, or wherever else)
When I was a kid, I used to LOVE these things. They’re light but sweet, sticky and a bit messy, and one of the UK’s very-best store-bought treats.
🥥 Tunnock’s also makes an iconic chocolate-coated caramel wafer biscuit (much more chewy and gooey than you would expect), their Snowball (which is more marshmallow with chocolate, but super gloopy, and coated in coconut), and some other lesser-known treats.
Tunnock’s might honestly be the top-tier crafter of British retro sweet treats.
19. Sausage supper
- What it is: a deep-fried sausage, with chips (and when I say ‘chips,’ I don’t mean what Americans call ‘crisps.’ I mean fried potatoes)
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): you can get this EVERYWHERE
🐟 You’ve heard of the iconic fish and chips (well, presumably) 🤷
But if you’re not from the UK, you might not know that UK fish and chip shops serve up way more than just fish and chips. Those extra things might include pies, or sausages, or pickled onions, or other unique and unexpected eats.
🌭 … and in Scotland, if you get sausage with your chips, your meal is called a ‘sausage supper.’
The sausage is battered, deep-fried until golden, and served with LOADS of chips. No garnish, no salad, no health considerations, no nothing else. When you’re offered the traditional seasoning of salt and vinegar, ask for loads of it. Super simple, super stodgy, super greasy—but super delicious.
20. Indian food
- What it is: food… from India
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): well, it comes from India. But the UK is a surprisingly-great place for a range of diverse and delicious Indian food
If you haven’t yet been to Britain, this entry might seem a bit… leftfield.
🇮🇳 But Britain has a huge Indian population—and that’s especially true in bigger cities. So, in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee for example, you get a reasonably-big Indian population.
… and because you get a reasonably-big Indian population, you also get EXCELLENT Indian food. Glasgow is Scotland’s best-known city for tasty Indian eats and treats (top spots include Rishi’s Indian Aroma, Mister Singh’s India, and Suresh & Sons The Kitchen), while Edinburgh Indian favorites include Dishoom and Yaduvanshi.
21. Mince and tatties
- What it is: slow-cooked ground beef in a rich, meaty-tasting sauce, served with boiled or mashed potatoes
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): this is Scottish home-cooked heaven. So if you don’t have any Scottish friends, it’s best eaten in a no-frills pub or no-frills cafe
This is much more tasty than the simple recipe would have you believe. The beef is fried with onions, and some people add little else. Others add carrots, peas, or other vegetables. Whatever the case, it’s one of Scotland’s most homely and comforting meals.
22. Cock-a-leekie soup
- What it is: a chicken and leek soup that once featured (and occasionally still features) prunes
- Where it comes from (and where’s best to get it): cock-a-leekie soup dates back to the 1500s, and was probably influenced by French food. These days, it’s not so common; so get it wherever you can!
Cock-a-leekie soup is one of Scotland’s best comfort foods 🍗
It’s full of leeks and chicken, and the broth is made from peppered chicken stock. It often also includes carrots, rice, and sometimes barley. Perfect in colder months (which in Scotland, is most months 🥶).
Unlike with Scotch broth, the broth of cock-a-leekie soup is thin—but when it’s made right, it’s super delicious.
A Clever Travel Hack: Food Tours in Scotland
Although Scottish food is great, it’s often hard to find the really traditional stuff (and EVEN HARDER to find good examples of the really traditional stuff).
… so unless you have a Scottish friend in whichever city or region you’re visiting, I MASSIVELY recommend taking a food tour.
🥄 Here are some of our favorites:
- Edinburgh Tour with EatWalk Tours: excellent for eating, drinking, AND learning
- Glasgow Food Tour with EatWalk Tours: similar to the Edinburgh tour, but in Glasgow!
- Aberdeen City Food Tour: because Aberdeen is so underrated, this is ESPECIALLY good
🏴 Btw, if you’re looking for even more Scottish tours and trips (and not just food-focused ones!), here are:
- The top 18 best tours in (and from) Edinburgh
- The top 15 best tours from Inverness
- The 15 best day trips from Glasgow
Final Thoughts
So, that’s everything you need to know about Scottish food; and the top 22 traditional Scottish treats to try! 🏴
⌚ If you only have time to eat three of them, our top recommendations are:
- Scotch broth: I’m not really a foodie, but this thick soup is one of my favorite meals
- Lots of seafood: cos if you visit Scotland without eating seafood, you’re silly
- Haggis, neeps, and tatties: cos it’s the ultimate clichéd Scottish classic
For more overlooked insights into Scottish culture, here are:
- The 10 biggest myths about Scotland that Americans just can’t shake
- 20 things you shouldn’t say to Scottish people
- 20+ things you shouldn’t do in Scotland
Thanks for reading, thanks for choosing Travelness, and we’ll see you again soon. Keep scrolling down this page!
