Achi news desk-
An award-winning restaurant an hour from Glasgow has been named the best in Scotland at a prestigious event.
The Glenturret Lalique, located within the Glenturret Distillery in Crieff, Perthshire, took home the gong at the National Restaurant Awards.
It comes after the eatery was awarded two Michelin stars – joining Andrew Fairley’s restaurant at the Gleneagles Hotel.
The luxurious dinner-only restaurant is headed by Scottish chef Mark Donald, who joined in 2021.
The place markets itself as a “gastronomic experience” that provides “unmatched ingredients delivered with seamless service.”
It also offers accommodation at the distillery which is available exclusively to diners for a dinner, bed and breakfast reservation.
National Restaurant Award judges praised the “graceful and elegant” cooking and the “beautiful jewel-box dining room”, reports Glasgow Live.
The NRA judges said: “Recognised as the first fine dining concept in a distillery; an intriguing proposition, and one that the restaurant effortlessly delivers.
“Much of this is down to chef Mark Donald, who has led the Crieff restaurant since its launch in summer 2021.
“Donald previously held a star at number one at Balmoral in Edinburgh and won one at Glenturret Lalique within seven months of opening.
“Using the finest, hyper-local produce available, Donald’s tasting menu takes you on a journey through the Scottish landscape. The cooking is graceful and elegant, highlighted by the beautiful jewel-box dining room, which overlooks the rolling waters of the River Steeple. .”
Prices start from £195 to dine in the restaurant.
And the dinner menu includes dishes like scone tatties, juniper-smoked venison and lobster toddies.
The place is open from Wednesday to Saturday and also serves a lunch menu at the Lalique bar.
The Michelin guide said: “Housed inside a working distillery, a sense of luxury washes over you here, with Lalique glassware everywhere you look – from decanters to chandeliers.
“The cooking itself comes from Mark Donald and his team and maintains that high-end approach, with ingredients such as lobster, caviar and Wagyu beef popping up on the menu.
“These are handled with great precision by the chefs, which results in exceptional dishes.”