Set within a beautifully restored historic building on South Street, The Adamson has become one of St Andrews’ most celebrated dining destinations.
We asked our writer, Rachel McAlley to sample the menu at The Adamson St Andrews whilst visiting Scotland, she jumped at the chance.
This family-run business is known for its contemporary Scottish cuisine, seasonal ingredients, and sophisticated yet welcoming atmosphere. It offers a modern take on classic hospitality in St Andrews. Alongside its sister properties, Hatch and the Physician, The Adamson forms part of a collection of independent venues that showcase the very best of St Andrews’ food and drink scene.
The Adamson St Andrews
We arrived at The Adamson on a wet evening in the heat of mid-summer, and couldn’t have asked for a better welcome.
Our umbrellas and jackets were whisked away, and we were shown to our table and offered drinks menus. There was such an excellent choice of cocktails, mocktails, wines and beers. We opted for a couple of house mocktails and a beer.
Whilst waiting for the drinks to arrive I took in the ambiance of the room and could see that plenty of tables were already taken with happy diners. There were couples having a romantic meal, large parties of holidaymakers clinking wine glasses, and families enjoying dinner. I knew we were in for a good evening.
As soon as we had our drinks we spent some time reading the menu, which had some exciting options. We could see into the kitchen where the chefs were busy cooking and making each dish look like a work of art. Additionally, everything we spotted coming out of the kitchen hatch looked fantastic.
Dinner at The Adamson
Between the three of us we ordered starters including the cod dish, crab plate, and the feta and corn salad. Each individual dish was beautifully presented, with pretty colours, and delicately placed ingredients. Firstly, the cod was served with lime, chilli, ponzu, and chicory. Secondly, the crab was served with lemon, basil, avocado, and caviar. Finally, the third starter of feta and corn included chick peas, harissa, and cherry tomatoes.
The salad was a vast bowl of never ending deliciousness, we all tucked into it, as it was definitely a sharing sized portion. Moreover, both the cod and the crab were filled with flavour, especially the hint of lime on the cod, which made my mouth water. However, my personal favourite of all the starters was the crab, as it was perfectly flakey, wonderfully seasoned, and had just the right amount of caviar.
By now the kitchen was in full swing, every table was taken in the restaurant, and the atmosphere was excellent. Drinks were flowing on the larger party tables and we could hear diners from across the globe having a great evening.
Main Dishes
After a short wait and a reorder of drinks our main courses arrived to much excitement. If the starters were anything to go by, we couldn’t wait to tuck into our mains!
The first to arrive was the ribeye steak, ordered medium rare for my fiancé, and the fillet steak ordered the same for my daughter. Then the king prawn linguini, with lemon, dill, pea, and courgette arrived. Furthermore, the side dishes included tenderstem broccoli with smoked almonds, hand cut chips, onion rings, and garlic butter for the steaks.
The steaks were cooked to perfection, and the sides complimented each, both were hearty and served beautifully once again. Equally, the linguini was packed with flavour, and they had included chilli, which I wasn’t expecting, however it was a nice addition. Furthermore, the standout dish was the fillet steak, which my daughter said was the best piece of beef that she has ever eaten.
More From The Adamson St Andrews
We had a nice chat with one of the waiting staff, who had worked for The Adamson St Andrews for almost a year, and he loved that the restaurant was busy all the time. He said that it was great to see so many people from all over enjoying their time in St Andrews. I agreed that it was lovely to see guests from each corner of the globe.
Dessert menus were offered but we were simply too full to order anything. I do however regret my decision to not have dessert because they looked so good. I noticed as I was leaving that a table had ordered the sticky toffee pudding, and it honestly made me want to cry. At that point I should have turned around and I want to stay and have dessert!
We left the building and took a little tour into The Physician. The sister property, and exciting bar located at the back of The Adamson. What a great evening we had at The Adamson, with outstanding food and lovely staff. Coupled with the fact that we had such a wonderful evening, we can’t wait to return. Even though it was raining outside nothing could dampen our evening!
With this in mind, visit The Adamson to book a table for you, your family and your friends.
Words by Rachel McAlley @LadyRach
