The Seafood Ristorante, on a glass-fronted box at the head of the West Sands, is the showcase restaurant — modern Scottish seafood with Italian inflections and a panoramic view over the bay. Reservations needed days ahead in summer. The Adamson on South Street is a smart bistro that does a reliable lunch and a steady dinner; The Newport at Wormit, just over the Tay bridge twenty minutes away, has held a Michelin star for chef Jamie Scott.
For Scottish staples done well at modest prices, the Doll's House on Church Square and the Vine Leaf on South Castle Street are both long-running St Andrews favourites. For a quick lunch, Cromars on Union Street is the better of the town's fish-and-chip shops — pollock or haddock fried to order. Janetta's on South Street has been making ice cream since 1908 and is essential after a walk on the West Sands.