Largs restaurants: Scotts ready for summer with vegan and gluten menus

With a rising number of Scots switching to a vegan or low gluten diet, it is vital that eateries are catering for all kinds of tastes. 

The News was invited along to Scotts at Largs Yacht Haven, to try out some of its new summer items as well as its vegan and low gluten offerings.

The waterfront spot is owned by hospitality giant Buzzworks, which runs 16 venues across Ayrshire and the rest of Scotland. 

The premises underwent a significant transformation last year, with modernised decor and a new centrepiece outdoor terrace with retractable roof and sides. 

As soon as you walk in to the restuarant you are met with friendly staff and a fish tank that is home to species specially brought up from England. 

We were shown to our table by Finn, who was always on hand throughout the night to make sure we were well attended. 

We were amazed at the number of options on the vegan and low gluten menus, and the special additions to the summer menu including west coast langoustines and linguine portofino. 

For starters, we opted for the new gin cured salmon from the summer menu, alongside the wild mushroom orzotto from the vegan offering. 

The salmon was heavenly, with the taste of the infused gin really coming through the fish more than expected. 

The meal was melt in the mouth, and the seaweed creme freshe accompanying the salmon was the unexpected star of the show.

The mushroom orzotto, which is similar to risotto but with pearl barley, was absolutely delicious and very juicy. 

The meal was light and felt nice and healthy for a starter with plenty more to come later in the dinner. 

For the main, we sampled the beyond meat burger from the vegan menu, alongside the low gluten penne arrabbiata.

The burger tasted just like the real thing, and it was almost impossible to tell that the patty wasn't made from real meat. 

The delicious burger sauce, roll and dressing all added to the overall meal, which was a joy to eat. 

The arrabbiata was cooked perfectly in a lovely sauce, and had just the right level of spice without being overpowering. 

The meal was also light and would be a perfect summer dish to eat inside or outside in the sunshine. 

Finally, we went for the vegan loves sundae with vegan vanilla ice cream, white chocolate chunks and marshmallows. 

As big ice cream fans we expected to taste the differnce but the sundae was still delicious, very creamy, and a perfect way to round off the meal. 

Not all restaurants may cater for dietery needs including vegan and low gluten, but Scotts at Largs Yacht Haven certainly has plenty to offer for all tastes. We will be back!