Latest from Scotsman
Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Business
- Scotsman
'Cosy' wine bar and restaurant in beautiful town named best in Scotland by national guide
A small restaurant and wine bar in one of Scotland's most popular river-side towns is the best in the country, according to the Good Food Guide. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... An independent wine bar and restaurant has been named the best in Scotland by a national guide. The Good Food Guide, in partnership with Square, has announced its 100 Best Local Restaurants for 2025. Topping the list, as overall winner, is Lucky Lychee in Winchester, a standout Malaysian restaurant run by husband-and-wife duo James Harris and Nicole Yeoh, while Dunkeld wine bar Redwood is named Best Local Restaurant in Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Redwood Wines is a cosy bottle shop, wine bar and restaurant located on Bridge Street in Dunkeld close to the famous Aran Bakery. Serving seasonal small plates ideal for lunch or a light dinner, they're also known for their epic £20 roast beef sandwich . The wine list and what's on the shelves is impressive, and it has been designed to make wine accessible. Talking to The Scotsman ahead of opening, co-owner Roseanna Preston-Jones said: 'The mission is to make wine accessible and fun by discovering smaller boutique vintners as well as exploring more classical vignerons. Whether hosting intimate tastings or larger gatherings, the approach is simple; making people comfortable talking about wine. We want to relieve the pressure and snobbery of the wine world and make it fun, easy, educational, and accessible'. Roseanna and Morgwn Preston-Jones said of their business being named as best in Scotland by the Good Food Guide: 'We are truly honoured to be recognised by The Good Food Guide. 'We pour our heart and soul into every aspect of Redwood and sharing that passion for food and wine fills us with great joy. We love Dunkeld, our loyal customers and visitors alike.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Redwood Wines in Dunkeld has been named the best local restaurant in Scotland by the Good Food Guide | TSPL The Good Food Guide's inspector said: 'It's exactly the kind of place you long to see in your neighbourhood', praising the 'joyous' cooking and quiet brilliance of Redwood's offering. 'We can't believe Dunkeld has such a fantastic little place like this,' agreed one of the reader nominations, adding: 'The wine selection is stunning and the overall ambience and experience world class.' Now in its 15th year, the Best Local Restaurant awards spotlight brilliant, independently run venues that define affordable and accessible dining across Britain. From Argyll to Anglesey, Newcastle to the Cornish coast, nearly 60,000 public nominations poured in from diners eager to champion their favourite spots. The Guide's anonymous inspectors criss-crossed the country to put these nominations to the test, revealing how Britain really eats in 2025. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In a recent survey, 61% of diners said that eating out has become too expensive for them in 2025. The Good Food Guide's editor, Chloë Hamilton, said: 'Great value for money is a big focus of this year's list. We're celebrating wine bars serving sensational small plates, neighbourhood bistros breathing new life into faded towns, and cherished family-run gems where you can enjoy a great meal for under £20.' This year's Best Local Restaurants campaign is in partnership with business technology platform Square. Commenting on Square's partnership, Samantha Hussain-Letch, executive director at Square, said: 'At Square, supporting the food and beverage industry is our top global priority, so we're proud to partner with The Good Food Guide to celebrate this exceptional list of restaurants. We're seeing incredible innovation and renewed optimism across the hospitality sector, and at Square, we're committed to being the best digital partner possible – so restaurateurs can focus on what they do best: delivering outstanding customer experiences. The restaurants recognised by The Good Food Guide exemplify creativity and excellence, and we're excited to see how they continue to shape the future of the industry.' Affordability in mind While the rising cost of dining out has hit the wallets of customers all over Britain, a major feature of this year's list is affordability, with £15 lunch menus proving particularly popular. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lucky Lychee (overall winner), Fino in Cromer (Central & East of England winner), Stretford Canteen (Manchester), Piccalilli (Nottingham), Juliet (Stroud) and Post in Newnham on Severn (Gloucestershire) will all feed customers well for less than £20 per head, usually with a drink included. Other notable value-for-money venues include Swine Bistro in Leeds (two courses for £20), an £11.50 lunch at Pomelo in Edinburgh and a two-course lunch for £18 at New Wave Brasserie in Lechlade (Gloucestershire). We still love Italian food - and wine bars offer flexibility The approachable format of wine bars and bottle shops offer much needed flexibility to local diners across Britain. A glass of something good and a menu of tempting snacks and small plates might lead to a full-blown meal, or serve as a midweek stop-in. Redwood Wines, Fino and Counter Culture – all regional winners – follow this mould, alongside the excellent wine-led St Eia in St Ives, Mara in Aberdeen and John Dory Wine in Sandgate. Elsewhere, the charm of old-school Italian trattorias has won the hearts of communities around the country. From the lived-in warmth of London winner, Ida, to the chequered tablecloths at North West winner, Lupo, and the low-lit buzz of Brutto, a laid-back conviviality and produce-first approach has proved a recipe for success. 10% of this year's Best Local Restaurants are Italian. The Scottish restaurants that made the Good Food Guide's 2025 Best Local Restaurant list Redwood Wines, Dunkeld (Scotland winner) Tide & Thyme, Tighnabruaich The Dory Bistro, Pittenweem The Gordon Arms, Selkirk Fin & Grape, Edinburgh Mara, Aberdeen Barry Fish, Edinburgh Leftfield, Edinburgh The Palmerston, Edinburgh Gloriosa, Glasgow The Free Company, Balerno The Whitehouse, Lochaline Pomelo, Edinburgh
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Claudio Braga is Hearts' labrador who just wants to please supporters after Hamilton win
Derek McInnes watched his striker steal the show in the Premier Sports Cup Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Portuguese striker Claudio Braga was labelled 'Hearts' labrador' after a delightful cameo role in the 4-0 Premier Sports Cup win over Hamilton Academical. Braga entered the field as a 65th-minute substitute and set up James Wilson to put the visitors 3-0 ahead before scoring the fourth goal himself. He celebrated both goals extensively in front of the travelling support, who were captivated by the forward's repertoire of flicks, tricks and intelligent movement. The Hearts head coach Derek McInnes explained that Braga is like a dog who just wants to please everyone. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I think he was very harsh on himself after Saturday,' explained McInnes, referencing Saturday's 4-1 win over Dunfermline in which Braga played in a wide-left midfield role. 'He was very down Sunday, Monday, and I spoke to him tonight. Not about not playing, but just about his general performance on Saturday. I think he'd probably built it up in his head about how he wanted that first game to go, and in his eyes, it didn't play out exactly how he wanted it. 'He is a crowd-pleaser; he's like a wee Labrador, isn't he, running about? And he just loves that affection from his team-mates, he loves the affection from the supporters, and he'll work hard to get it. The one thing you can guarantee about him is he's going to work hard in a Hearts shirt. We want more than just the effort; we also need the quality and the goals, and it was good that he managed to play his part in getting himself a goal and then obviously assisting wee James. 'I thought he was a bright spark when he came on. When you've got tired defenders, and it's the same for our boys, you've got to be ready for those changes. Most managers will change strikers at some point in the game and defenders have got to be ready for it. And I thought Braga was bright as a button when he came on, really sharp with his work, and good to see him scoring as I said. 'We've got strikers there and they've all got different qualities. And we all want them to be goal threats because ultimately that's the first port of call for strikers, but the job of a striker isn't just to put the ball in the net. The job of the striker is to allow us to build plays and get up the pitch. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I think Braga, you see he does a lot of his best work still off that left-hand side, he likes that left channel. But he had the freedom to go and play. He did on Saturday as well, and he runs the right channel as well with his assist. He's a strong boy, he's robust enough and I think he's quite willing to take that challenge on in Scottish football.' Stuart Findlay opened the scoring on his Hearts debut and Elton Kabangu added a second before half-time as the Premiership side made light of League One opponents to put themselves in the driving seat in Premier Sports Cup Group E. 'Any time you score four goals away from home, you've got to be happy,' said McInnes. 'You see a lot of Premiership teams struggle at this stage of the season. We asked our players to be first class with our approach to it and I thought we were. We scored from a set-play and should have scored two or three more from them. 'We had three strikers scoring, which is always pleasing. I thought we also looked really solid. Keeping clean sheets is just as pleasing as some of the goals. We're not long away from our first Premiership game and it's important we use these games properly. We're getting more confidence and fitness and all in all it was a good night's work.' Hearts' Norwegian full-back Christian Borchgrevink was taken off near the end with an injury and replaced by Oisin McEntee, but McInnes confirmed it was nothing untoward. 'Nothing wrong with him. Nieuwenhof, nothing wrong with him,' said the head coach. 'He was looking over and he managed to play another 10 minutes. Just a wee bit of cramp and sometimes you just need to get through that. That was the danger of putting the four subs on, leaves you with just the one. And it wasn't the sub I was going to put on. But Oisin gives you that benefit of doing a couple of roles.' More to follow....
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hearts reaction: McInnes hails his labrador, what was 'first class' and transfer update
McInnes pleased as Jambos continue strong start with convincing win over Hamilton Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hearts head coach Derek McInnes hailed his team's 'first-class' approach as they defeated Hamilton Accies 4-0 at Broadwood to maintain their strong start to their Premier Sports Cup Group E campaign. Following on from last weekend's 4-1 win over Dunfermline Athletic, Hearts were far too strong for their League One counterparts, with Stuart Findlay, Elton Kabangu, James Wilson and Claudio Braga finding the net in a one-sided encounter. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hearts could secure qualification for the last 16 if they defeat Stirling Albion at Forthbank on Saturday ahead of their final match at home to Dumbarton next Wednesday and McInnes was delighted with his players' quality and professionalism. Derek McInnes revelled in Hearts' 4-0 win over Hamilton Accies. | SNS Group "Any time you score four goals away from home, you've got to be happy,' said McInnes. "You see a lot of Premiership teams struggle at this stage of the season. We asked our players to be first class with our approach to it and I thought it was. "We scored from a set play and should have scored two or three more from them. We had three strikers scoring, which is always pleasing. I thought we also looked really solid. Keeping clean sheets is just as pleasing as some of the goals. "We're not long away from our first Premiership game and it's important we use these games properly. We're getting more confidence and fitness and all in all it was a good night's work." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Braga impresses for Hearts Portuguese forward Braga caught the eye with his second-half cameo and he celebrated his goal passionately in front of the travelling support - with McInnes revealing that the summer signing from Aalesunds was 'very harsh on himself' after his debut against Dunfermline. 'He was very down Sunday, Monday, and I spoke to him tonight,' continued McInnes. 'Not about not playing, but just about his general performance on Saturday. I think he'd probably built it up in his head about how he wanted that first game to go, and in his eyes, it didn't play out exactly how he wanted it. 'He is a crowd-pleaser; he's like a wee labrador, isn't he, running about. And he just loves that affection from his teammates, he loves the affection from the supporters, and he'll work hard to get it. Claudio Braga scored for Hearts. | SNS Group 'The one thing you can guarantee about him is he's going to work hard in a Hearts shirt. We want more than just the effort; we also need the quality and the goals, and it was good that he managed to play his part in getting himself a goal and then obviously assisting wee James. I thought he was a bright spark when he came on. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'When you've got tired defenders, and it's the same for our boys, you've got to be ready for those changes. Most managers will change strikers at some point in the game and defenders have got to be ready for it. And I thought Braga was bright as a button when he came on, really sharp with his work, and good to see him scoring as I said.'
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hearts flex their muscle, Siu celebrations, late goals spare blushes - Premier Sports Cup round-up
Jambos put one foot in knock-out phase with emphatic win Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hearts flexed their muscles and made a big leap towards the last 16 of the Premier Sports Cup with a comfortable Group E 4-0 win over Hamilton Accies at Broadwood Stadium. In Derek McInnes' second game in charge, Hearts were far too strong for their League One opposition despite the head coach making seven changes to the starting XI that defeated Dunfermline Athletic 4-1 last weekend. Star striker Lawrence Shankland dropped down to the bench but the Jambos did not need him. They were superior in every area of the pitch. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Centre-half Stuart Findlay made his Hearts debut and opened the scoring. There was also a maiden appearance for Norwegian right-back Christian Borchgrevink and he set up one of the goals. Another new signing Claudio Braga came off the bench and impressed. Hearts' Claudio Braga (R) celebrates scoring to make it 4-0 with teammate Cammy Devlin. | SNS Group Hearts now sit on six points in their pool and are three clear of their nearest challengers. They head to Forthbank Stadium on Saturday to take on Stirling Albion, where a win could secure qualification to the knock-out phase with a game to spare. They conclude their group fixtures next Wednesday at home to Dumbarton. Optimism has swelled at Hearts over the summer, with the appointment of McInnes, the arrival of Brighton owner Tony Bloom as shareholder and a swathe of new players. McInnes not only made major changes to his team, but he also tried out at a back three. Frankie Kent wore the captain's armband and was a dominant presence, with Alan Forrest at left wing-back. James Wilson and Elton Kabangu led the line. Just like against the Pars on Saturday, Hearts opened the scoring early. On five minutes, Blair Spittal swung over an inswinging corner kick and Findlay headed home from close range. It was as straightforward a goal as one could score on their debut. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hearts in total control Hearts could have put the game to bed within the first 40 minutes but were profligate in front of goal. Kabangu spurned two good chances, the first of which was smartly saved by Jamie Smith, while with the second he delayed shooting too long and the opportunity was lost. Smith also saved from long-range Calem Nieuwenhof and Spittal strikes, while Kent strode forward unchecked. Urged to shoot, he belted the ball high over Smith's bar and against the leisure centre wall stationed behind it. Accies tried to compete but could not match Hearts' power and physicality. Beni Baningime pulled the strings in midfield, ably assisted by Nieuwenhof and Spittal. The hosts looked to have held out for a one-goal deficit at the break, but Kabangu would not be denied. A lovely passing move ended with Borchgrevink being slipped down the right flank and his low cross was tapped in by the Belgian. Two wins out of two for Hearts boss Derek McInnes. | SNS Group A sleepy second half was awoken by an excellent goal on 69 minutes to put any lingering doubt of the result to bed. Braga tore down the right flank and his low cross was finished from close range by James Wilson for his second goal in as many games. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Braga himself got on the scoresheet on 83 minutes, getting on the end of a Harry Milne cutback and netting via a sizeable deflection. He celebrated with a Cristiano Ronaldo 'Siu' celebration in front of the adoring travelling Hearts support, who were impressed by his lively cameo. The other match in Group E finished 1-0 to Dumbarton at home to Stirling Albion. St Mirren are off the mark Hearts were not the only Premiership side in action on a busy Tuesday night in the Premier Sports Cup. St Mirren recovered from losing on penalties at the weekend against Arbroath to defeat Forfar Athletic 2-1 at Station Park in Group D. Jayden Richardson and Mikael Mandron got the goals. Elsewhere in the group, Ayr were 6-1 victors over Annan Athletic. Motherwell's needed a stoppage-time winner from Lucas Fadinger to take down Peterhead 2-1 at Fir Park in Group G, although they are a point behind Morton after their 3-0 win over Stenhousemuir. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Queen's Park thrashed Brechin City 5-0 in Group A to move level with inactive Falkirk, while Cove Rangers also got off the mark with a 1-0 win over Spartans. St Mirren won at Forfar. | SNS Group Partick Thistle sit top of Group B after they were 2-0 winners over Stranraer at Firhill. Queen of the South got off the mark with a 4-0 triumph over Edinburgh City, with Reece Lyon netting a hat-trick. Alloa Athletic and Airdrieonians are joint top of Group C after home wins over Montrose (2-1) and Bonnyrigg Rose (3-0) respectively while in Group F, East Kilbride sprung a surprise by winning 4-2 at Raith Rovers. Elsewhere in that pool, Inverness beat Elgin 2-0.
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hearts report and player ratings v Hamilton: Debut goal, trialists, Claudio Braga impact in Premier Sports Cup
Victory over Hamilton Academical put Hearts in a strong position to win Premier Sports Cup Group E and reach the tournament's knockout phase. With two wins from two ties so far - and two still to come - the Edinburgh club are firm favourites to go through and will now be eyeing a seeding slot. The three group winners with the best records are seeded for the last 16 alongside Scotland's five European entrants. Premiership side Hearts will hope to earn that privilege following a comfortable 4-0 win over League One Accies. Stuart Findlay marked his debut for his new club with an early goal and Elton Kabangu doubled the advantage before half-time on the Broadwood Stadium astroturf. James Wilson added a third in the second half on what was a straightforward evening for those from Gorgie. Perhaps the most notable element of the match was substitute Claudio Braga's impact for the visitors. After setting up Wilson, the Portuguese forward scored the fourth amid a repertoire of flicks, tricks and direct attacks which captivated the travelling fans. Hamilton hosted Hearts at their temporary home in North Lanarkshire with two former Tynecastle players in their starting line-up - captain Scott Robinson and midfielder Connor Smith. Former Hibs striker Oli Shaw took the field in attack, while ex-Livingston, Motherwell and Ross County defender Ricky Lamie was one of two trialists playing for the home side. The other was former Rangers and Dundee United midfielder Charlie Telfer. Derek McInnes made seven changes to the Hearts team after Saturday's 4-1 victory over Dunfermline and switched from a 4-4-2 formation to a 3-5-2. Defender Stephen Kingsley missed out through illness, whilst goalkeeper Zander Clark, full-back Harry Milne and striker Lawrence Shankland were not risked from the start due to slight niggles. One of the changes saw Findlay make his Hearts debut on loan from Oxford United, and he made an immediate impact. From Blair Spittal's fifth-minute corner, the centre-back rose above Robinson at the back post to power a header beyond the Hamilton goalkeeper Jamie Smith. It was precisely the start the visitors wanted. The dominated most of the midfield exchanges, with Calem Nieuwenhof and Spittal both looking to break lines with forward passes when possible. Wilson broke Hamilton's defensive line after a clever backheel by Spittal on 36 minutes, but Kabangu stumbled in the act of shooting. The Belgian had another goal attempt blocked, as did Wilson, whilst Smith parried Spittal's effort as half-time approached. Hearts' hadn't fully capitalised on their first-half superiority and needed a more clinical edge. It arrived in stoppage-time before the interval. Christian Borchgrevink played a neat one-two with Alan Forrest and scampered towards the byline on the right to cross for Kabangu to tap home. Wilson enjoyed a similarly straightforward conversion on 69 minutes thanks to the panache of Hearts substitute Claudio Braga. The Portuguese gathered possession midway inside Hamilton's half and set off on a driving run through the opposition rearguard. His low cross found the Scottish teenager for a simple finish at the back post. Braga looked particularly delighted with his assist as he celebrated in front of the travelling support. Indeed, he was the undoubted star of the closing stages with a series of runs, tricks and flicks before etching his own name on the scoresheet. Fellow sub Harry Milne crossed from the left and Braga steadied himself inside the penalty area before his deflected shot evaded Smith en route to the net. Time for another good-natured celebration from a player who lacks nothing in character. He looked infinitely more comfortable as a central striker than in the wide-left role he filled against Dunfermline. Calem Nieuwenhof's midfield display was another major positive for McInnes, whose team now take on Stirling Albion and Dumbarton in their final two Group E games. Here are the Hearts player ratings from Broadwood: 1 . GK: Ryan Fulton 6/10 Took over from Zander Clark and wasn't tested greatly. Did what he needed to do with ease. | SNS Group Photo Sales 2 . RCB: Michael Steinwender 6/10 Composed on the right of the back three. Could have fed wing-back Borchgrevink quicker on a coule of occasions. | SNS Group Photo Sales 3 . CB: Frankie Kent 7/10 Marshalled the back three. His vocal influence could be heard from the back of the stand. | SNS Group Photo Sales 4 . LCB: Stuart Findlay 8/10 Scored a header minutes into his debut and was commanding all night in defence. | SNS Group Photo Sales
