14 Scottish restaurants feature in 100 best local list from Good Food Guide

The Good Food Guide has announced its list of Britain’s 100 Best Local Restaurants 2026, in partnership with Square, at an awards ceremony at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London on Monday 13 July. 

Now in their 16th year, the Best Local Restaurant awards celebrate the community driven restaurants that offer brilliant value for money and top-quality cooking in a relaxed, convivial setting. In recent years it has propelled independent stars such as Bavette in Horsforth and Lucky Lychee in Winchester into the national spotlight.

For the first time, this year’s list is ranked and is topped by La Locanda in Gisburn, Lancashire, an uncompromisingly authentic taste of Italy, strategically positioned to make use of Lancashire’s rich natural larder.

As for Scotland, it was the tiny 16-cover Ar Bòrd on the Isle of Mull that came in at number three and was named best in Scotland.

In a year of rapidly rising costs for hospitality, this year’s list reflects the proliferation of micro restaurants and multistrand business models. While 10% of entrants squeeze in 20 or fewer guests, more than 25% of businesses in the list rely on additional income from trading as delis, wine shops or cafés.

As for dining trends, the tasting menu may be taking a back seat as the sheen of fine dining appears to fade as diners lean into more relaxed and affordable ways to eat out. Some of the country’s leading chefs have been trimming their sails to suit the modern diner.

Head of reviews and listings at the Good Food Guide Chloë Hamilton said of this year’s list: “in the face of adversity, creativity has flourished in unusual and unlikely places. It has been hugely rewarding to see how these tiny operations are offering outstanding quality in a way that so clearly strikes a chord with the local crowd. Arrive with an open mind and a good appetite and you’ll be brilliantly rewarded.”