Places to eat in Stirling

What if we were to tell you that you could eat fine-dining food, drink in the stunning views over the River Forth, the Ochil Hills and the Wallace Monument and pay around a tenner for three courses? You’d think we’d been hitting the whisky, wouldn’t you? But no, this is the premise behind The Gallery Restaurant. Based at the Forth Valley College, it’s a training initiative for chefs, servers and front of house led by their lecturer. And with a five-star rating on TripAdvisor, it’s the highest-ranked restaurant in Stirling. There is a slight catch – they’re open daily for lunch, but only on Tuesday and Thursday for dinner, but with dishes like Confit Pork Cheeks with Puy Lentil and Sage Mash and Mulled Apple Tart with Rosemary Ice Cream, the food is as high-end as the prices are low-budget.

Considered to be one of the best, if not the best, Indian restaurant in Stirling, Nawab is a short walk from our Stirling City Centre hotel. Open from Wednesday to Monday for lunch and dinner, they serve up a wide range of classic Indian starters and main courses and also have a decent European menu, including fish and chips if you’re not feeling too adventurous.

Located on King Street in the heart of Stirling’s Old Town, Maharaja is another excellent Indian restaurant open daily for lunch and dinner. Their naan breads are something of a local legend, and perfect for scooping up their signature bhuna curry.

For a taste of Italy, and some of the best pizza in central Scotland, head to Friars Street and Napizza. They’ve been making pizza the Napoli-way for over 20 years – they let the dough rest and rise for 48 hours before cooking it in their bespoke wood-fired oven at 450 degrees for under a minute. The results are impressive, with 11 pizzas to choose from on the menu or you can build your own creation.

Finally, Hermann’s Restaurant is that most unique of places – an Austrian restaurant in the heart of Scotland. If it’s schnitzel and strudel you’re after, as well as Scottish classics like Cullen skink – a traditional Scottish soup – then this is the place.

A tourist hot-spot thanks to the castle and historic battle sites, there are plenty of places in and around Stirling to recuperate with a cup of tea or coffee and a slice of cake. If you only go to one café, make sure it’s The Smithy. Located to the north of the city centre and just a short stroll from the castle, it’s a historic old building in the heart of the Old Town that serves up imaginative lunches, coffees, cakes and snacks. Either take a seat in the cottage-like interior with its oversized armchairs and rustic decor or head to the glorious garden if the sun is shining.

Located to the south of Stirling in Bannockburn, the Bannockburn Coffee House is well worth a visit, especially if you’re heading to the nearby Battle of Bannockburn Experience. A short drive from our Stirling South hotel, it’s a well-priced café that does a great range of soups, sandwiches, cakes and coffee, as well as loose-leaf tea.

A 20-second stroll from our City Centre hotel, Toast is open for breakfast, lunch, coffee and snacks and is a great place to fuel up before a day exploring Stirling. The breakfast and brunch come highly recommended, but as it’s small, it can get busy at the weekends.

If you’ve been out exploring Doune Castle – the setting of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, comedy fans – then the Buttercup Café is a must-visit afterwards. The food is excellent, and you’ll be hard-pressed to choose from their range of quiches, home-made soups and sandwiches. Just make sure you save room for their cakes and tray bakes, including a decent variety of gluten-free options.