These are the eight best restaurants in the north-east, according to the Michelin Guide 2020

Eight north-east restaurants have been featured in the latest edition of the Michelin Guide.

The 2020 guide was published yesterday as restaurants across the country eagerly waited to find out if they were featured.

This year’s edition has highlighted eight restaurants, awarding each The Plate Michelin – first launched in 2016 and described by the guide as a way of recognising restaurants that “simply serve good food”.

The eight restaurants were also given a fork and spoon rating which relates to the comfort and quality of the eatery, with one meaning “Quite comfortable” and five corresponding to “luxury in the traditional style”.

Aberdeen

IX at The Chester Hotel

Pass through The Chester Hotel’s moody cocktail bar and up to this chic split-level restaurant, where you can watch the chefs at work in the open kitchen. Creative cooking champions Scottish produce, with Aberdeenshire steaks from the Josper grill the highlight.

Moonfish Cafe

A high ceiling and mirrored walls give this former toy shop in the Merchant Quarter an airy feel. Concise menus change every 6 weeks; at dinner, choose 2-4 courses from a set priced menu. Descriptions are terse, presentation is colourful and flavours are well-defined.

Silver Darling

Attractively set at the port entrance, on the top floor of the castellated former customs house. Floor to ceiling windows make the most of the superb view. Neatly presented dishes showcase excellent quality seafood.

Aberdeenshire

Cock and Bull, Balmedie

Quirky pub with a profusion of knick-knacks; dine in the cosy open-fired lounge, the formal dining room or the airy conservatory. Menus offer a mix of well-presented pub classics and more modern restaurant-style dishes. Spacious, contemporary bedrooms are located in the next door bungalow.

Tolbooth, Stonehaven

Stonehaven’s oldest building, located on the harbourside: formerly a store, a sheriff’s courthouse and a prison. Classic dishes have modern touches; the emphasis being on local seafood, with langoustine and crab the highlights.

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Rothesay Rooms, Ballater

The Prince of Wales’ restaurant sits beside the Highgrove shop and has the look of a Baronial dining room, with its green walls, tartan fabrics and antique furnishings. Seasonal dishes are classically executed and full of flavour.

Kildrummy Inn, Kildrummy

Cosy up beside the fire and sample some local whiskies before enjoying dinner in the intimate dining room or bright conservatory. Dishes are original and creative and the sourcing of ingredients is given top priority. Bedrooms have country views and are popular with fishermen, as the inn has a private beat.

Clunie Dining Room at the Fife Arms

Murano chandeliers hang from the ceiling and a cubistoid mural adorns the walls, while a huge stag stands at the centre of this quirky hotel restaurant. Original modern dishes take Scottish ingredients and add some subtle Nordic influences – the wood fire is used to great effect.

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Congratulations to all the #MICHELINSTAR20 chefs
For the full list: https://t.co/bpYevMzGHA#MICHELINguideGBI

— The MICHELIN Guide (@MichelinGuideUK) October 7, 2019