During our weeklong stay in St. Andrews, Scotland, we covered quite a bit of ground and came across a lot of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and other tasty eateries. There were two places in particular that we made a point to go to but outside of that, everything on our list we stumbled upon while walking around town. Spoiler alert, we didn’t leave a single place disappointed. Here is a quick review of all the places we ate during our golf trip to St. Andrews.
Jigger Inn
Along with the Dunvegan (which you will see again below), the Jigger Inn is probably the most famous restaurant in St. Andrews. It sits along the 17th hole of the Old Course and is very much in the line of fire for tee shots that must carry the corner of the hotel. There is even a large canvas covering the outdoor seating to protect diners from errant shots.
This historic building dates back to the 1850s, when it was the stationmaster’s lodge. Today, The Jigger Inn is home to golfing memorabilia, crackling open-hearth fires, home-cooked food and a superb selection of Scottish beers. The pub’s own Jigger Ale is available only at The Jigger Inn, St Andrews and at The Horse & Plow at Forbes Five Star-awarded The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin, USA.
The Jigger Inn was actually the first meal we had once we arrived in St. Andrews and dropped our luggage off at the B&B. We walked around the Old Course for a little bit then found ourselves walking into the restaurant for lunch. Andrew and Chris both had the Jigger Inn Beef Burger and it was very good. Because of the history and location, we see why a lot of people make this a regular stop when visiting St. Andrews.
The front of the Jigger Inn.
The Wee Jigger.
The Jigger Inn from the 17th Fairway of the Old Course.
St. Andrews Shawarma House
We spent one day walking around St. Andrews visiting a few of the more well known sites including the Castle and Cemetery. Afterwards, we began wandering down South Street looking for a place to eat lunch and came across the St. Andrews Shawarma House. It looks a little bit like a hole in the wall type of place but in our experience, those tend to have the best food.
Per their website, “ our chefs use only the freshest, locally-sourced ingredients to craft mouth-watering shawarmas, burgers, wraps, and more. St Andrews Shawarma House brings the vibrant and rich flavours of the Middle East right to your plate. Our menu is a carefully curated selection of traditional and innovative dishes that cater to every taste and preference, from classic shawarmas to hearty burgers and fresh, zesty wraps.”
We both got a Shawarma wrap and they both were very good and plentiful. Andrew and Chris were unable to finish their wrap and while we were being stalked by a pair of seagulls, we did not end up giving them our leftovers. However, there were a pair of ducks that walked right up to the window to receive what was probably their daily dose of shawarma from the staff.
Massive shawarma wrap that Andrew was unable to finish with the seagull keeping a watchful eye..
Ducks waiting patiently for the staff to throw them some food.
The Old Vic St Andrews
We were torn on this place because from the outside, it looked more like a college bar, and it kind of is. But during the day, The Old Vic serves quite good food to include small plates, smash burgers, fish and chips, etc. We weren’t that hungry so we ordered loaded fries and boneless wings, both of which were pretty good. It seemed kind of odd that this place was dead during dinner time but it was good and we would recommend The Old Vic to those looking for a good meal. They are located at the intersection of Bell Street and St. Mary’s Place about a 10 minute walk from the R&A Clubhouse.
The Old Vic Upstairs dining area.
BlackHorn Burgers Dogs and Shakes
Andrew and Chris were walking around town and were looking for something small to eat one evening. They came across BlackHorn Burgers and Dogs which is known for their all beef hot dogs and burgers. We ordered a two hot dog meal with fries and it was very good. Since everything is made to order, we did have to wait about 10 minutes for our food but it was worth the wait. We also saw quite a few people coming in just for the shakes, which looked very tasty. BlackHorn is located on Church street about a 15 minute walk from the R&A Clubhouse.
Delizia Gelateria
We actually visited this location when it was called Little Boss Ice Cream but they changed their name shortly after our visit to Delizia Gelateria. We stopped in one evening for dessert and Andrew got the Cookies and Cream Gelato, which was very good. They also had a great selection of pastries, quite a few options for gelato, chocolate covered strawberries, along with some other great options. Delizia Gelateria is located on Market Street about a 10 minute walk from the R&A Clubhouse.
Balgove Larder
Located on A91, which is the road that heads west out of St. Andrews, Balgove Larder is a little over a mile from the R&A Clubhouse and really requires a car to get to. The best way to describe this place would be a Farmers Market, Butcher, Cafe, Bakery, and Garden Supply store, all wrapped into one. Depending on what you are looking for, we recommend checking their website for their various hours. We were looking to get a steak dinner but when we arrived, they were only doing tea service. However, the store was open so we were able to get a few meat pies and a sausage roll. Everything we got here was very good and we understand why it is popular with locals.
Sausage Roll at Balgove Larder.
Dunvegan Bar and Grill
As mentioned above, the Dunvegan and Jigger Inn are probably the two most well-known restaurant/bars in St Andrews, especially when it comes to golf history and stories. While there is a hotel and a nicer dining room, the Dunvegan is really known for the small bar on the lower level on the corner of Golf Place and North Street. From this corner, you can see the R&A Clubhouse.
Golfers Corner Lounge Bar is the first room on the left when you enter the building and is covered from ceiling to floor with pictures of world famous golfers that have visited the Dunvegan over the past 25 years, including 35 Major Champions and golfing celebs from sport & film. They even have a picture of the 1st Man on the moon!
Considered one of the best 19th Holes in the world, we were able to get a table and enjoy dinner the evening we played the Old Course - which seemed a fitting end to a very memorable round of golf. While the food was good, what we will remember the most is just hearing the stories around the bar of the day’s golf adventures and just enjoying the atmosphere of this very historic bar. If you are in St. Andrews, the Dunvegan is a must visit.
Taste Coffee Shop
The Taste Coffee Shop was at the end of our road (Murray Park) and about two blocks from the Old Course on North Street so we frequented this establishment a few times during our week in St. Andrews. While Taste Coffee Shop has pastries and other tasty treats, Andrew was boring and ordered a Mocha each visit (probably four mornings) and they were all quite tasty. This coffee shop must be a standout in town because we met a very well known golf personality one morning at Taste Coffee who visits St. Andrews every year.
Obviously we only scratched the surface of places to eat in St. Andrews and while we really enjoyed all the places we ate at, if we were lucky enough to go back, we would try all new locations just to see what else St. Andrews has to offer.