The Seafood Ristorante occupies a glass-sided pavilion on the East Sands beach, with the harbour behind it and views east along the coast. The position is spectacular — floor-to-ceiling windows look directly over the beach, and the light on a clear evening is particularly good. This is the most ambitious restaurant in St Andrews, with a menu that concentrates on fresh Scottish seafood: langoustines from the Fife coast, hand-dived scallops, local lobster, and a strong list of fish from the day boats.
The cooking is Italian-influenced without being rigidly so — pasta and risotto dishes sit alongside grilled fish, and the sauces are more nuanced than at a standard seafood bistro. Main courses run from around £25 to £45. The wine list is extensive and skews Italian and French. Book well ahead in summer; a Friday or Saturday table without a reservation is essentially impossible from June to September.
It is not cheap, but for a celebration dinner — or the meal at the end of a long wait for an Old Course tee time — it is the obvious choice in St Andrews.