I ended my visit to the Scottish village of Dunning with a delicious Sunday lunch at the Kirkstyle Inn.
There’s something very special about a good Sunday lunch. Whether you’re meeting up with friends and family, or just nursing a sore head from Saturday night, it’s a great way to round off a weekend.
Recently, I travelled to the village of Dunning in Scotland, where I’d been invited to stay at the Kirkstyle Inn. I stayed in the gorgeous Kirkstyle Rooms and enjoyed a delicious dinner and hearty breakfast at the Inn.
So when they asked if I’d like to stay on for Sunday lunch as well, I eagerly accepted that invitation.
Read on to discover why Sunday lunch was the perfect way to end my stay at the Kirkstyle Inn.
How to get to the Kirkstyle Inn, Dunning
You’ll find Dunning around 10 miles south-west of the city of Perth in Scotland.
It’s very easy to get to by car, with the journey taking a little over an hour from either Glasgow or Edinburgh.
The mobile signal in the area around Dunning can be a little patchy. So I’d recommend downloading the directions to your phone or GPS before you set off.
Once you get to Dunning, you’ll soon spot the Kirkstyle Inn in the centre of the village. There’s limited parking outside the pub, but if those spaces are taken you can park a few minutes’ walk away at the local tennis courts.
About the Kirkstyle Inn
When you step inside the Kirkstyle Inn, you’re sure to fall in love with this little country pub which dates back to the 18th century.
Highlanders burned the village of Dunning to the ground in 1716, and the pub that you see today was rebuilt after that event.
It’s the kind of cosy village pub that forms the heart of the local community, and has the low ceilings, cosy open fire and exposed stone walls that are typical of a traditional country inn.
And the Kirkstyle Inn also has its own boutique accommodation, the Kirkstyle Rooms, which you’ll find in a separate building across the courtyard.
I was invited to stay in one of the four elegant rooms. I loved the decor, the incredibly comfortable bed and the gorgeous slipper bath.
Click here to read my full review of a stay in the Kirkstyle Rooms
The Kirkstyle Inn’s restaurant is decorated with plenty of quirky vintage prints and curios on the exposed stone walls.
In the evening the tables are lit by individual table lights, which gives the room a warm and intimate atmosphere. The room feels convivial, but the tables aren’t too close together.
Upstairs, you’ll find another smaller dining room and you can also eat by the open fire in the snug, but tables can’t be reserved in there.
I enjoyed a delicious dinner in the Inn’s restaurant during my visit, and you can read my full review dinner at the Kirkstyle inn here.
So when I was asked if I would like to stay for Sunday lunch the next day, I accepted the invitation eagerly!
Sunday Lunch at the Kirkstyle Inn
If you’re booked in for Sunday lunch at the Kirkstyle Inn, you can choose from their full menu. This includes a range of lighter options, hearty pub classics and some very special dishes like the hand-dived scallops that I enjoyed for my starter when we had dinner at the Kirkstyle Inn.
You can also choose from the Kirkstyle favourites, which include things like proper fish and chips or bangers and mash. And they also have a traditional Sunday roast of the day, which was roast beef on the day that we visited.
We decided to skip starters on this occasion, because the portion sizes are very generous and we wanted to make sure we had room for dessert!
I decided to try the Sunday roast, and it was one of the best roast beef dinners that I’ve had.
The meat was full of flavour and cooked beautifully. Scottish beef has a reputation for excellence, and this lived up to that reputation.
The roast potatoes alongside were perfect, with their crunchy exterior and fluffy inside. There were also some roast carrots, crisp broccoli, and a puddle of beetroot puree which was a surprising but delicious addition.
The yorkshire puddings were not home-made, which was a bit disappointing as that’s always one of my favourite parts of a roast dinner. But the excellent gravy made up for that, and altogether it was an excellent Sunday roast.
I was very happy with my choice, but have to admit to a pang of envy when I saw my guest’s main course…
Doesn’t it look amazing?
This is the Kirkstyle pie, and I can confirm that it tastes every bit as good as it looks. Underneath that golden dome, the pie dish was packed full of large chunks of tender beef in a rich meaty gravy. The meat was so tender that you could practically have cut it with a spoon, and the flavour was amazing.
Yes, I did try a piece of it for myself, and yes, I did feel a little bit jealous!
We were both feeling quite full after these fabulous main courses, but after skipping dessert the night before, we really wanted to try the puds for ourselves.
My choice was a fantastically gooey chocolate brownie. It was served warm, with a scoop of Arran vanilla icecream on top, and a rich, hot butterscotch sauce. Altogether it was an incredibly tempting dessert, one of those dishes where you feel ever so slightly sad when you only have one mouthful left.
Meanwhile, my guest had opted for the home-made doughnuts. These came very highly recommended by the Inn’s manager, and she was spot on with her recommendation!
The bowl contained three home-made doughnuts: one filled with jam, one with cream, and the last one with chocolate sauce. They all sat alongside a scoop of Arran milk ice cream, which was every bit as creamy as you’d hope for!
And as I wasn’t driving that day, I decided to try out the Kirkstyle Inn’s very own gin – Little Earl. It was served with a slice of orange and Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic water and was a delicious way to end my meal.
Unfortunately that marked the end of our stay at the Kirkstyle Inn, and it was soon time to get back on the road. Personally, I’d have been happy to go back and snuggle up in front of the fire for a few more hours at least!
Sunday Lunch at the Kirkstyle Inn: Our verdict
Our Sunday lunch was a delicious meal that proved to be the perfect end to our stay at the Kirkstyle Inn. The quality of food throughout our visit had been excellent, and this meal was no different.
The roast beef was cooked perfectly, and this was one of the best Sunday roasts that I’ve ever had. And it’s no surprise that the Kirkstyle pie is a firm fixture on the Kirkstyle favourites menu – it was absolutely delicious!
The Kirkstyle Inn is the perfect place to enjoy a traditional Sunday lunch at its best!
The Details…
The Kirkstyle Inn and Rooms
Kirkstyle Square, Dunning, Perth PH2 0RR
01764 684248
www.thekirkstyleinn.co.uk