The Restaurant Guide for Wine Lovers
Lido Troon
Lido is an all-day Mediterranean and wood-fired restaurant in Troon with a broad, sunny, chilli-flecked menu. Its wine sits inside a big all-day drinks list as a compact, taste-banded range, easy to navigate and with much of it poured by the glass in three sizes, strongest in its sparkling and honest in its pricing, if held back by unstated vintages and sweet wines filed out of sight. It will most reward the relaxed diner who wants to match a well-priced glass to a plate by style and is happy to let a glass of fizz do the work against the heat.
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Scotts Bar and Restaurant
Troon, South Ayrshire
Modern Scottish and seafood
Scotts is a large marina-side seafood and grill restaurant on the South Ayrshire coast, with a spirit-led drinks list and a smaller, carefully kept wine offer behind it. The wine programme earns its standing on a generous by-the-glass range across three sizes, a fine-bottle-by-125ml Curated Collection and printed pairings against several dishes, held back by safe, brand-led buying and steep mark-ups on the trophy names. It will most reward the diner who drinks by the glass and follows the menu's own suggestions rather than hunting the top of the list for a bottle to seek out.
Read the assessmentThe Fox and Willow
Ayr, South Ayrshire
Gastropub
The Fox and Willow is a lively Ayr gastropub with a wide, crowd-pleasing kitchen and a cocktail-led bar. Its wine list is short, brand-led and generous by the glass, but it does not reach for the spice and variety of the food, and it offers nothing sweet for a strong dessert menu. It will suit a relaxed group who want a familiar glass with good cooking rather than a drinker chasing a considered cellar.
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