Last summer, we visited Scotland and discovered two unique restaurants, not only in terms of the food served, but also in terms of their design.
The first restaurant we visited in Edinburgh, called "The Scran & Scallie: Public House with Dining," is a gastropub not only renown for their great brunches, but also a holder of a Michelin guide Bib Gourmand 2017.
Offering menus showcasing Scottish food, or "scran," and traditionally brewed ales and artisan beers, they source everything locally in Scotland. This charming map displays the origin of the ingredients, carefully handwritten on tags and pinned up.
The food was a hearty modern take on Scottish breakfast food and the perfect first meal after our arrival in Scotland and walk around the artsy Stockbridge neighborhood and its weekend market.
The relaxed dining room was also a feast for my eyes, with a charming, countryside pub appeal and smart mix of toile wallpapers, obligatory Scottish tartans, and well-worn leathers benches. But the wallpaper is not your traditional toile, but instead a clever modern rendition by one of our favorite design companies, Glasgow-based Timorous Beasties, featuring their "Tree of Life Toile" and "Two in a Bush" patterns.
Here, my husband Christophe, got cozy and acted the part of Scottish Laird in this chair topped with a fuzzy sheepskin throw.
We found Dulse & Brose, based in The Bosville Hotel in Portree, after driving through the magnificent Quaraing mountain ridge on the Isle of Skye, featuring modern Scottish food.
My favorite design feature here was the cool bench seat covers which wrap over each banquette and are finished with whip-stitched edges.
The use of different textures and materials like heathered wool tweeds, soft worn-in leather hides and roughhewn wood finishes was so original and the curated selection of wares on their shelves made we wish I could buy something from them.
Not a bad place to perch with a view of the sea over the cliffside road and grab a late afternoon bite on our way back to the mainland.