Emma The place (or should that be plaice!?) for fish in Perthshire
Famous for berry picking and the berries which grow around the town, Blairgowrie, in Perthshire, is aptly known as ‘The Berry Toon’. If you are a walker, then you may known it as the start / end point of The Cateran Trail and if you were to be doing that, or any other long walks in the area then you need sustenance…
Little’s restaurant predominantly serves fish (The owner, Willie Little also has a fish shop in Crieff called ‘Fish in Crieff’) but if you’re not big into seafood please don’t be put you off, as there are a variety of non-fish dishes such as venison burger, steak and pizza on the menu.
Little’s opened in Blairgowrie in 2011 and moved across the river Ericht to a renovated former church in 2018. Technically it’s now in Rattray, the name for the settlement on the eastern side of the fast flowing river but is just minutes from the heart of Blairgowrie so an easy-to-reach restaurant and bar, but just that little bit out-of-the-way to make it special.
For those arriving by car, there is ample free parking on-site, and if you are exploring further there is a car park in Blairgowrie. If you are arriving by public transport, buses from Dundee and Perth stop at the bus station at Wellmeadow, less than 5 minutes walk away. Click here for up-to-date travel information.
Inside the space is airy with the impressive vaulted wooden ceiling and beautiful stained glass windows.
Menu at Little’s
Drinks menu
There is also a wine list and we enjoyed a glass of Parodist, Hungarian Pinot Grigio that is only £4.95 a glass.
An impressive specials board
What we ate
Smoked haddock tart with poached egg and grain mustard sauce
Chunks of smoked fish encased in a firm crust, with a piquant sauce on the side. The poached egg was slightly undercooked though.
Baked crab with Welsh rarebit crust
A thick layer of crabmeat topped with a Welsh rarebit sauce. Delicious, however…I think this would have been astounding atop a slice (or two) of sourdough. The brown meat of the crab worked well with the rarebit sauce. If you aren’t a huge crab fan, don’t worry as it didn’t have a lot of the white meat which meant it didn’t have a too much of that crab-like mouthfeel.
Scallops, black pudding, apple pizza
This isn’t a pizza topping you see or hear of offen so had to be picked and I was very impressed with the number of scallops on this pizza – six full size scallops! Salty and sweet with a perfectly soft bite. The base was more like a flatbread, which handled the toppings well. The dough didn’t want to pick a fight with these scallops, it wanted to show them off.
Monkfish wrapped in Parma ham, rosti potato, cauliflower puree and grilled asparagus
Three firm, meaty chunks of monkfish cooked in Parma ham. The rosti was crisp on the outside with a smooth interior. The asparagus was well-cooked too, while the puréed cauliflower provided a welcome earthy flavour. It looked and taste great.
Mark was mesmerised by the dark chocolate and rum torte with chocolate sand and ice cream. I, however, was stuffed, so sneaked a piece off the plate. It was dense and sweet and hit all the right notes, coming with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that pleasantly, had little ginger pieces in it.
As well as the restaurant there is a bar to the side, and you can also eat here for a more relaxed dining experience. Plus, that fire looks like it would be welcome on a chilly day.
Overall verdict
A superb meal and a place we would happily return to, and work through the menu. The restaurant has history, service was prompt and friendly, the food was filling and to a high standard. Wine prices were also very good. If you are looking for somewhere for a meal in Perthshire, or a change of scenery from central Scotland, then we would happily recommend a visit to Little’s. Note that we were invited to a complimentary lunch.
Location
Little’s, 1 Riverside Road, Blairgowrie, PH10 7GA
Opening hours
Tuesday – Saturday
Breakfast 10.30am-12noon
Lunch 12-2.30pm
Dinner 5-8.30pm (last order)
The bar is open for drinks 11am – 11pm
Closed Sunday and Monday.
Book a table
Call 01250 875358 to reserve a table.
