The Sheep Heid Inn

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £9 (lunch)
   £13 (evening meal)
• House wine: £8.85 per bottle

• Hitlisted
• High point: A unique establishment
• Low point: Puddings don't match the mains for choice or style
• Food served: Mon-Sat noon-8pm; Sun 12.30-7.30pm
• Bar open: Mon-Thu 11am-11pm; Fri/Sat 11am-midnight; Sun 12.30-11pm
• Private dining: Up to 50 covers
• Open since: 1360!
• Also offers: Childrens portions, Childrens high chairs, Wheelchair access

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops.

This review is from the 2007 edition.

Located on the edge of picturesque Duddingston loch, the Sheep Heid's list of credentials is impressive - Scotland's oldest pub, housing the country's oldest skittle alley, with all sorts of infamous characters dropping in over the centuries. The interior is a labour of love for the manager, who has spent the past few years amassing all manner of memorabilia relating to the pub and its history. You may well find yourself distracted by the selection of tankards hanging from wooden beams, or the ornaments and photos crammed into every available inch of space. Choose melt-in-the-mouth home-made salmon and dill potato cakes, or black pudding topped with goat's cheese - a tasty combination complemented by a tangy chutney. For 'something Scottish', venison sausages and mash are bathed in a delicious rich onion gravy. The fresh steak and ale pie is perfectly balanced with flaky pastry and tender meat cooked in the pub's own Sheep Heid ale. A popular spot for tourists and locals alike, the grand dining room is open at the weekend to accommodate the crowds that arrive for the popular Sunday roast - so best book ahead or you'll be in for a long wait.