Carnoustie Golf Hotel

The simple combination of great quality seafood and commanding bay views is a sure-fire winner at this smart restaurant housed in a striking glass cube. Perched over St Andrews Bay, locally landed seafood is very much at the heart of the menu, which has a subtle Italian slant. The kitchen team know not to mess around with super ingredients like day boat halibut, allowing the natural flavours to come to the fore. The friendly service is of a similarly high standard.

A key feature of the Edinburgh dining scene for many years, Ondine has now made the move coastwards to the glorious St Andrews. Located inside the beautifully restored Seaton House hotel, its new location is befitting of the seafood-focused menu, with views over West Sands beach and close proximity to the East Neuk’s renowned fishing villages. Top produce from the area could include crab or lobster, with the dishes taking a classic approach to showing them off – look out for the likes of fish & shellfish soup and sole meunière.

There's a modern, Nordic edge to this appealing seafood-centric restaurant on the edge of St Andrews. The cooking both reflects the owner’s global travels and proudly pushes Scottish produce to the fore (look out for the ubiquitous Arbroath smokies). A range of menus includes a fixed-price lunch and an evening tasting option, showing off a wider range of dishes. Either way, the signature smoked lobster is available for a supplement, and "Nana's banoffee" provides a sweet-toothed finish. If you can't get a table, the same team run the Dune cocktail bar and 'seafood shack' up the road.

This long-standing, passionately run restaurant never stands still, always investing and evolving over time. It’s still very much a family concern, with Garry Watson alone in the kitchen and his mother Maria handling the service with aplomb. There’s a modern feel to both the décor and the cooking, with the latter proving colourful and technically accomplished. Dishes really shine in their use of the Scottish larder, like local lamb with seasonal girolles. An interesting wine list and five bedrooms complete the picture.