At the entrance to the village of Braemar you will find The Gathering Place, a small family run bistro. Owners Sandie and Iain take pride in delivering exciting dishes, sourcing the main ingredients locally. The Gathering Place's kitchen team makes all its dishes on the premises using only fresh produce.

Sample the best local produce and malt whisky from the nearby Lochnagar distillery at this restaurant in Ballater which is beautifully decorated with oak furniture. Take a table with Dee Valley views, and savour fresh seafood and game at the Oaks restaurant at the Hilton Craigendarroch hotel.

The food is sophisticated and has been awarded three rosettes by the AA every year since 1997. Beef, lamb, venison and game are sourced locally, while fish and shellfish are delivered from Aberdeen and the west coast. In 1997, Darroch Learg was the first eatery in Scotland to receive the AA's 'Wine List of the Year'.

The Clock House offers fine Highland cuisine using fresh local produce in a relaxing atmosphere. This village restaurant in the centre of Tomintoul has both a set menu or a list of chef's specials. Situated in the pretty village square it has a delightful ambience and displays work by local artists.

The Glass House in Grantown-on-Spey near Aviemore delivers award-winning fine dining using fresh local seasonal ingredients. Owners Steve and Karen Robertson opened this thirty-seat restaurant in their home in the Scottish Highlands in May 2005 and it has quickly become one of the most popular in the area.

The kitchen and restaurant at Muckrach Lodge is the domain of co-owner Rebecca Ferrand, who has a real understanding of fine dining. Bereft of a professional food service background, she relies on her instincts and a lifetime of eating out in restaurants of varying quality to deliver what she would want to see on a menu. The surroundings are both comfortable and stylish.

All the meals at the Craggan Mill are freshly prepared by one of Scotland's most enthusiastic culinary teams. They deliver a delightful range of dishes to satisfy all palates, including innovative risottos, seafood and fish dishes, local beef steaks and some truly tantilising desserts. Your table is reserved for the entire evening so you can relax and enjoy the experience.

The Mountview Restaurant has two AA Rosettes. It has a loyal local following and is a superb showcase for locally-sourced, world-renowned ingredients. Menus are excellent and uncomplicated, and special dietary needs are catered for. An excellent wine list from top producers around the world gives plenty of choice.

Anderson's is a restaurant which the whole family can enjoy. With a wide range of well thought out dishes on their regularly updated menus, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you're celebrating, relaxing after a hard day's walk in the hills, or taking a break from cooking at home, it is Anderson's wish that you feel welcome and is an absolute must if you're in the area.

Open daily for breakfast and dinner, Aspects is the Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort's signature restaurant. Delicious menus comprising the best Scottish produce and fine wines are offset by the elegant warm décor, crisp table linen and views over the terrace and Aviemore resort. It's perfect for a romantic meal or civilised breakfast.

Dine with a difference as you travel through stunning Highland scenery on a steam train. Delight in the spectacular evening light on the mountains from the relaxing splendour of a bygone age onboard the Strathspey Clansman (only open June, July and August).

At La Taverna you can be sure of a warm and friendly Italian welcome, a relaxed atmosphere and a truly continental eating-out experience. Whether you choose to relax over an informal pizza, or celebrate with a romantic candlelit meal, your enjoyment will be enhanced by the authentic cuisine. Dine after 9.00pm to avoid younger children.

The Ord Ban was formerly the senior classroom of the old school house. With its pitched ceiling, pine floors and wood burning stove, it's a friendly and relaxed café by day and intimate dining room by night. The menu is varied and interesting, with the emphasis on fresh locally sourced produce.

The Rowan Tree has a superb menu and offers the very best Scottish dining in the area. It has an excellent range of enjoyable dishes, some based on traditional fare, others on new and exciting recipes.  This relaxed and casual venue serves from 5.30pm to 8.30pm each evening but is closed on Mondays.

The Cross at Kingussie was once a textile mill, but there's nothing tweedy about David and Katie Young's classy five-star restaurant. The Good Food Guide has rated The Cross as one of the six best places to eat in the Scottish Highlands and it's a true Cairngorms jewel. They also have rooms for overnight stays.

The Letter Box -  The newst  place to eat in Newtonmore. They serve imaginatively prepared but unpretentious food, drawing from the best local, seasonal ingredients in a relaxed but stylish setting.