The Cross at Kingussie

Once a water-powered tweed mill, this inviting restaurant with rooms sits beside the tumbling River Gynack amid wildflower gardens and woodland. David Young and his wife Katie offer a warm welcome, cosy lounges and comfortable accommodation, but the heart of the operation is undoubtedly the restaurant, with its whitewashed walls, wooden beams and open fire. Major refurbishment and redecoration has installed new flooring, natural-wood tables with slate tablemats and Riedel glassware, and there's also a sunny terrace for alfresco dining. The cooking is refreshingly unfussy and deceptively straightforward, with great attention paid to seasonality and careful sourcing of prime ingredients from the abundant Scottish larder. Expect balanced, clear-flavoured dishes and some sublime combinations from the fixed-price, daily-changing menus. Corn-fed organic chicken is a typical main course, served with vine tomato risotto, caramelised onion and wilted rocket, or you might plump for Scrabster cod, with vanilla, braised little gems and potato purée. Heading-up desserts, perhaps a lemon tart served with raspberry sorbet, or chocolate truffle cake with Pedro Ximenez and raisin ice cream.

From lights in centre of Kingussie, uphill along Ardbroilach Rd for 300 mtrs
Nearest station: Kingussie

Find your way with AA atlases, books and maps
Plan a route to this location »  The Cross at Kingussie, Kingussie