St Andrews - what else besides golf???

[zripp3]

My brother and I are headed out in about 3 weeks for his 40th birthday trip. Current golf lineup is:

Sunday - arrive, Crail afternoon

Monday - New mid-morning

Tuesday - Old afternoon

Wednesday - Kingsbarns mid-morning

Thursday - Carnoustie mid-morning

 

We're certainl excited about the golf but also figure we'll have plenty of down time before/after the rounds. Any and all recommendations for places to see or eat/drink are welcome as this will be our first time in the area.

[Chanceman]

St Andrew’s is the oldest university town in Scotland and an amazing place just to walk around. The university, the castle, the cathedral are all worth seeing. Plenty of retail and other stuff too. And Dundee on your way to Carnoustie has a V&A museum which is awesome. That’s apart from all the golf of course.

[Hawkeye77]

All of the above, R&A Golf Museum, a few other little museums, Jigger, Dunvegan, regular pubs with good folks, fish and chips at Anstruther - take it all in. If you don’t love Crail you are dead to me. 
 

Take the opportunity Sunday to walk about all over The Old Course as well - it will get you inspired. 

[hammergolf]

There are a few small distilleries just outside of town, the castle, cathedral and cemetery, but honestly just walking the streets of town are great as well.

[AltC]

Sacrilege- Golf, Pub, Bed- repeat!!! Just joking - great place St Andrews - the Castle is worth a wander as is the Cathedral yard and tower - great old book shops and wee cafes - some of the University quads are fantastic there is a huge old real oak tree in the quad off south street which you could sit under for hours contemplating why you three putted the fifth!!! Hehe enjoy!

Edited March 28, 2023 by AltC

[AltC]

For dining after Carnoustie head back into Dundee and try to get in the Aga Khan Turkish restaurant on the Perth road - then walk 100 yards West and get a pint or two  of 70 shilling ale (Spesh) in the Tay bridge bar (suggest the lounge or snug it can get a bit boisterous in the public bar if you know what I mean)- then walk another 100 yards West and enter “the speedwell tavern” or as known more colloquially “Mrs Mennies” procede to try the top shelf of single malts. Then try to get hame in one piece!! 

[AltC]

What dates? I will be there in around 3 weeks also and could serve as interpreter and local guide to fine Ales

[McMunch]

Breakfast- Bibi's Cafe

Fish and Chips- Tailend (caddie tip)

Indian- Jahangir

Pubs- You have to hit the Dunvegan and the Jigger as previously mentioned but every Pub we went too was great. Also make sure you go to 18 on top floor of Rusaks. Dinner and drinks and great view of the links plus you can watch people play 18 from above. 

 

Its best to make reservations everywhere you want to go. and Hawkeye77 is 100% right about Crail. Probably my favorite.

[zripp3]

These are all great ideas, thanks for taking the time to respond. We’re definitely going to explore the town and hit as many pubs as possible. We have transfers to/from the other towns so I hope we have time to check those out as well. 
 

Landing in Edinburgh on Saturday, 4/15, and was hoping to catch the Hibernian match but they wouldn’t sell me tickets as a first-timer. We’ll explore that town and get acclimated to the time change on Saturday. Headed to St Andrews to start the week on Sunday and leaving Friday. 

[AltC]

Zripp3 - I will be in the vicinity (Dundee) around then - if you are playing the New Monday 17th - how about we hook up for a round (do you have a reserved time or it’s a rock up?) Afterwards we can take a wander around “the old grey toon” and hit a few pubs? Can’t do later in the week - off to the Emerald Isle. PM me if that sounds good to you, not trying to intrude on your trip by the way!

[scott_Donald]

On 3/28/2023 at 10:52 PM, zripp3 said:

These are all great ideas, thanks for taking the time to respond. We’re definitely going to explore the town and hit as many pubs as possible. We have transfers to/from the other towns so I hope we have time to check those out as well. 
 

Landing in Edinburgh on Saturday, 4/15, and was hoping to catch the Hibernian match but they wouldn’t sell me tickets as a first-timer. We’ll explore that town and get acclimated to the time change on Saturday. Headed to St Andrews to start the week on Sunday and leaving Friday. 

I think I will be in St Andrews April 21, guess that’s the day you leave. Other option is early 18, we have guests checking in at 2pm so might sneak in before.

 

here is my restaurant notes from my phone -

 

Found a couple new restaurants that get good reviews. 

• Rufflets out of town but looks gorgeous. 
• The grange, closed this week annoyingly but looks good. 
• North point cafe for light stuff, end of north street and dog friendly. 
• The vic; studenty but food looks great and well priced. 
• Seafood ristorante - amazing fish restaurant but expensive
• Rogue steak place. Very good.
• Maisha Indian is my fave after trying all three. 
• Vine leaf; website says it’s closed with covid but gets amazing reviews. 
• Haar; guy who won master chef, taster menu too fancy for me not too expensive though for what it is. Dad loved it. 
• Rusacks hotel very like the Marcliffe had a great meal. 
• Cafe in the square seems a great cake place. 
• The rav; looks awesome. 
• Restaurant at the Russel seems nice but again a hotel restaurant. 
• Fairmont has a lovely restaurant with amazing views and then an Italian. Hit or miss. 
• Old course hotel famous restaurant; road hole, seems fishy and meaty but would not be cheap. 
• Playfairs; local looks lovely and fancy

Edited March 31, 2023 by scott_Donald

[philsRHman]

On 3/28/2023 at 1:59 PM, McMunch said:

Breakfast- Bibi's Cafe

Fish and Chips- Tailend (caddie tip)

Indian- Jahangir

Pubs- You have to hit the Dunvegan and the Jigger as previously mentioned but every Pub we went too was great. Also make sure you go to 18 on top floor of Rusaks. Dinner and drinks and great view of the links plus you can watch people play 18 from above. 

 

It’s best to make reservations everywhere you want to go. and Hawkeye77 is 100% right about Crail. Probably my favorite.

Loved Jahangir, ate there multiple times. My preference for fish and chips was Cromars, a few blocks up (it rated right with world class Anstruther in my book, although a ride out for fish and chips and 9 holes at Anster would be a very pleasant few hours).
 

Munch for a cheap, hearty breakfast sandwich to go. Bacon roll. Black pudding and egg. Various breakfast meats worth trying. 
 

Honestly just wandering the streets before and after dinner was a joy. Fantastic energy. When I was there, the cemetery was closed for unsafe conditions, it’s the one thing I really wished I did, but one reason to go back. I laid very low on the pubs, but did have a couple pints. Dunvegan just to say I did. Jigger has an awesome vibe. But the bartender at the Jigger suggested The Keys Bar as a more local option and the crowd and locals were so welcoming, especially being there myself. 
 

One place I would have spent more if timing worked out was a wonderful bookstore called Topping. Some really special golf books. I probably could have blown hours in there, but also probably would have spent a fortune. 

[hammergolf]

On 3/31/2023 at 3:16 PM, scott_Donald said:

I think I will be in St Andrews April 21, guess that’s the day you leave. Other option is early 18, we have guests checking in at 2pm so might sneak in before.

 

here is my restaurant notes from my phone -

 

Found a couple new restaurants that get good reviews. 

• Rufflets out of town but looks gorgeous. 
• The grange, closed this week annoyingly but looks good. 
• North point cafe for light stuff, end of north street and dog friendly. 
• The vic; studenty but food looks great and well priced. 
• Seafood ristorante - amazing fish restaurant but expensive
• Rogue steak place. Very good.
• Maisha Indian is my fave after trying all three. 
• Vine leaf; website says it’s closed with covid but gets amazing reviews. 
• Haar; guy who won master chef, taster menu too fancy for me not too expensive though for what it is. Dad loved it. 
• Rusacks hotel very like the Marcliffe had a great meal. 
• Cafe in the square seems a great cake place. 
• The rav; looks awesome. 
• Restaurant at the Russel seems nice but again a hotel restaurant. 
• Fairmont has a lovely restaurant with amazing views and then an Italian. Hit or miss. 
• Old course hotel famous restaurant; road hole, seems fishy and meaty but would not be cheap. 
• Playfairs; local looks lovely and fancy

Where’s the best fish & chips? I’ve been to TailEnd, and it was good, but I’ve been told it’s not the best.

[AltC]

Hammer - it’s all in the eye of the beholder on the fish supper front - if you have been up since sparrow fart - played 18 in the wind and low temperatures - with a few icy showers - had a mediocre at best coffee to start the day and just a bottle of water in the last 6 hours after a night in the pub the day before - any chipper will adequately slake your hunger! Otherwise for the real stuff - the Tower in Lockerbie is the best I ever had (biased my mums from Lockerbie ) but Scott Donald claims Gourdon chipper is the best and he is a rival chipper owner himself - will report back on findings! In St Andrews “Tail End” takes some beating!! Hehe enjoy! The Cromar chippy used to be very good - more traditional -but haven’t been for a while!

Edited April 2, 2023 by AltC

[hammergolf]

5 hours ago, AltC said:

Hammer - it’s all in the eye of the beholder on the fish supper front - if you have been up since sparrow fart - played 18 in the wind and low temperatures - with a few icy showers - had a mediocre at best coffee to start the day and just a bottle of water in the last 6 hours after a night in the pub the day before - any chipper will adequately slake your hunger! Otherwise for the real stuff - the Tower in Lockerbie is the best I ever had (biased my mums from Lockerbie ) but Scott Donald claims Gourdon chipper is the best and he is a rival chipper owner himself - will report back on findings! In St Andrews “Tail End” takes some beating!! Hehe enjoy! The Cromar chippy used to be very good - more traditional -but haven’t been for a while!

I was impressed with Tail End but I’m willing to try elsewhere.

[philsRHman]

For me, the fish itself at Cromars had the most flavor and the chips were perfectly crispy. The people at the counter were awesome as well. 
 

Tail End just a different vibe, bigger, busier, more like a sit down restaurant than a chipper. Can’t exactly remember but think the batter was thicker and less crisp. I probably ate F&C a dozen times in my 3 weeks in Scotland, and was always a great, consistently good meal. So any variations between best and below best is quibbling. 

[scott_Donald]

6 hours ago, AltC said:

Hammer - it’s all in the eye of the beholder on the fish supper front - if you have been up since sparrow fart - played 18 in the wind and low temperatures - with a few icy showers - had a mediocre at best coffee to start the day and just a bottle of water in the last 6 hours after a night in the pub the day before - any chipper will adequately slake your hunger! Otherwise for the real stuff - the Tower in Lockerbie is the best I ever had (biased my mums from Lockerbie ) but Scott Donald claims Gourdon chipper is the best and he is a rival chipper owner himself - will report back on findings! In St Andrews “Tail End” takes some beating!! Hehe enjoy! The Cromar chippy used to be very good - more traditional -but haven’t been for a while!

 

Gourdon all the way! I was tempted to head there today. Friday I had some Grilled chicken on the BBQ and just got chipper chips to eat with it.

 

13 hours ago, hammergolf said:

Where’s the best fish & chips? I’ve been to TailEnd, and it was good, but I’ve been told it’s not the best.

 

Cromars for me. In all honesty in St Andrews I would go to Blackhorn every time for a burger; love the place and will head there when next down.

 

Might be trying the ballot with a member friend over the next couple of weeks but not too fussed if I get in, still not in golf mode!

 

11 minutes ago, philsRHman said:

For me, the fish itself at Cromars had the most flavor and the chips were perfectly crispy. The people at the counter were awesome as well. 
 

Tail End just a different vibe, bigger, busier, more like a sit down restaurant than a chipper. Can’t exactly remember but think the batter was thicker and less crisp. I probably ate F&C a dozen times in my 3 weeks in Scotland, and was always a great, consistently good meal. So any variations between best and below best is quibbling. 

 

There is a massive difference, I know a lot of chippers I would never go to, like taco places in Houston. 

[Hawkeye77]

18 hours ago, hammergolf said:

Where’s the best fish & chips? I’ve been to TailEnd, and it was good, but I’ve been told it’s not the best.

 Anstruther!

[ousuxndallas]

Fish and chips is like getting chicken tenders - they are all about the same.

 

As for non-golf things - we enjoyed driving to the southern coast of Fife.  Really nice sea towns there, can enjoy some views and eat/drink.  The rural driving south of St. Andrews is awesome to get there.  Little B&Bs, quaint towns, etc.

[golfday]

I did one of these walking tours of St Andrews during downtime. It was worth the while if you've got some time and are interested in history. You could also walk to all the sites on your own but the guide will have some interesting tidbits of information to share. 

https://www.walkingtoursin.com/standrews

[El Gringo]

https://standrewsgolfhistorytours.com/

 

David Joy is top notch. Check him out.

Edited May 25, 2023 by El Gringo