Dornoch Castle Hotel

A mighty presence in a pretty town, Dornoch Castle was the former bishop's palace for the 12th-century cathedral that sits across the market square. Smartly restored and packed with baronial Scottish character, the dining room was once the bishop's kitchen, and has a crackling log fire in an 11-foot fireplace as a grand centrepiece, but equally inviting is the modern conservatory-style Garden restaurant which looks into the castle's walled garden. The kitchen deals in modern Scottish dishes, starting with a tender seared loin of rabbit on a ragoût of Puy lentils, carrot and thyme, following by excellent local cod, pan-fried and partnered with colourful vegetable ribbons, saffron cocotte potatoes, and lemon and herb butter sauce; local meat fans might find roast rack of Dornoch lamb sharing a plate with fondant potato, aubergine caviar and fresh thyme jus.