Scottish Heart at Nick’s at Port of Menteith

Set beside the quiet Lake of Menteith, Nick Nairn’s restaurant blends generous, confident cooking with genuine warmth — a reminder of why he remains one of Scotland’s defining chefs.

Warning: clichés incoming. Nick Nairn’s restaurant at Port of Menteith is that rare case where the overused lines hold true.

First of all, this restaurant is a classic Hidden Gem. Port of Menteith is a small, quiet village set on the edge of the Lake of Menteith, known as Scotland’s only true lake. It’s a soft, low-lying landscape of water, woodland and farmland, with Inchmahome Priory sitting on an island just offshore. You find ‘Nick’s’ down a track off a winding country road, a bucolic, charming setting comprising a garden, polytunnel, cook school and Julia Nairn’s beautifully curated lifestyle shop. We visit for lunch on a misty day, when the lake is busy with anglers who appear in dark relief against the gray water. Ghostly! 

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The restaurant has a cosy, bistro feel: sage‑green walls, a textile feature wall panel depicting pheasants, and burnt caramel-coloured leather chairs; all is simpatico with the setting.

A glass of ‘Nick’s favourite fizz’, Nyetimber, complements my Seafood Cocktail, which arrives in a generous portion. It’s a meal in itself. King prawns mingle with smaller ones in a Marie Rose sauce, alongside chunks of home‑cured smoked salmon, slices of avocado, the odd cherry tomato and a shred of mangetout. The latter is unexpected, but it adds an extra dimension. It’s genuinely excellent.

Across the table, Mr Bite notes that his bottle of Bitter and Twisted also complements his starter of Curried Sweetcorn and Scallop Chowder perfectly. There are layers of flavour packed in: spice, salty bacon pieces, fish stock, crispy spring onions. It feels as if Chef has taken two classic starter dishes and asked, "How do I make the very best versions?" Mr B says it’s not just the best chowder he has ever tasted but the best soup, and he eats it with gusto.

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For my main course I choose the Homemade Flatbread with Smoked Chicken Shawarma, Muhammara Sauce, Walnut Dukkah and Feta. It is presented as an Arabic‑style pizza with heat, spice, nuts and cheese. A moreish dish full of surprise, and halfway through I’m asking for a doggy bag because the portion is again so generous. Mr Bite chooses the Panko‑Breaded Haddock with house tartare, crisp pommes frites and a garden salad. The fish is beautifully flaky and full of flavour, and it’s telling that for once he eats up his greens!

I’ve been looking forward to pudding, and I choose Tarta de Santiago, a favourite since walking the Camino back in the day. It is perfectly executed and lifted by bright orange gel and zest. Lovely, but overshadowed by Mr Bite’s showstopping Choux Bun, a huge wodge of pistachio ice cream sandwiched inside perfect pastry, all sitting in a pool of chocolate sauce. I have to eat half of this as well.

On the way out, I pause at the wall of photos: Nick with Tony Singh, Rick Stein, Michael Smith, the late Andrew Fairlie, James Martin, Pierre Koffmann and many more. It’s a visual timeline of his career from the beginning. 

Nick Nairn opened Braeval in 1986 and earned a Michelin star at 32 in 1991. And now, in 2026, as Mr Bite and I visit, Nick and Julia are preparing for a 40th‑anniversary dinner with chefs Neil Forbes, Martin Wishart, Stephen Terry and Jeremy Wares, all of whom credit Braeval with shaping their careers and modern Scottish cooking. Braeval was all about Scottish produce with European influence; it was pioneering.

Through television, restaurants, authoring many cookbooks, the cook school, and even the bumps along the way, the most devastating being the major blaze at Nick’s on Henderson Street in Bridge of Allan in August 2021, Nick Nairn has prevailed. He has earned one of the most prominent places in Scotland’s culinary history and in our hearts and most recently, the restaurant has been included in the Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Local Restaurants 2026.

Mr Bite and I leave Nick’s at Port of Menteith feeling warm, glowing and feeling privileged to have experienced such hospitality. The restaurant really is a special place in so many ways and an absolute must visit. 

Nick’s at Port of Menteith, Stirling FK8 3JZ 

Phone: 01877 389900 

Opening hours 

Wed: 5pm – 10pm (April – November only)

Thurs – Sat: 12pm – 10pm

Sun: 12pm – 6pm