Become a Mac and Wild child

Scottish restaurants are few and far between in London, and Scottish food can be difficult to get right in the first place (we’re talking haggis and venison, not deep-fried Mars bars).

Mac and Wild is a home from home for Scots and an amazing meaty treat for the rest of the world. With three sites (Fitzrovia, Devonshire Square in London and the Falls of Shin in Scotland), the company is small but makes up for this with its big personality. Mac and Wild started as a street food sensation seven years ago and has built up quite a following. The restaurants are always busy and incredibly welcoming, with staff hailing from all over the world.

The Devonshire Square site is not easy to miss, on account of the life-sized stag hanging about the front door. The door handles are also large rifles, which gives a taste of what’s inside. Long wooden rustic tables and chairs line the restaurant, giving the feel of actually being in a hunting lodge and not five minutes away from the Central line.

At one end of the room is a butcher’s fridge, displaying the delicious steaks that are available, and on one wall is a diagram of a cow, with all the different cuts of meat marked out. This is truly a meat lover’s paradise but surprisingly serves an incredible vegan burger made of veggie haggis, beetroot ketchup, vegan cheesy fondue and soyannaise, accompanied by a ripped parsley and dill salad.

The mac and cheese is also unmatched. There are two options – truffle or haggis — and we would strongly suggest ordering both and sharing. The menu is perfectly balanced between small innovative plates and expertly cooked and presented steaks. The cuts are priced per 100g and there are three options – the Beef Chateaubriand, the Tomahawk and the Macduff’s rib-eye.

The Land and Loch (Scotland’s answer to surf and turf) is a 400g grilled Beef Chateaubriand and a whole butter poached Cromarty lobster with a choice of two sides. This is sheer decadence and one of our absolute favourites.

The “wee plates” are great for sharing as starters or as a kind of Scottish tapas. The Haggis Pops with Red Jon sauce are delicious, and the Vegan Tattie Tots — potato bon-bons, white bean paste and green chutney — are fluffy and light. The Venison Scotch Egg is a melt in the mouth treat of venison, black pudding and haggis served with mustard, and the Balvenie Smoked Scottish Salmon on sourdough with whipped butter and lemon is simple and perfect.

As if Mac and Wild wasn’t good enough already, it also does bottomless brunch. The Eggs Ruaridh – poached eggs with black pudding and hollandaise on toasted muffins, or the Grilled Monkfish Tail with peas, bean and radish fricassee and citrus butter sauce are the perfect match for a Bloody Scotsman, which replaces vodka with whisky or a Buckie Royale — a treat of Buckfast and prosecco (if you know, you know). If you’re feeling confident (and famished) try Big Jim’s breakfast, a challenge to eat Mac and Wild’s biggest and dirtiest breakfast.

Robbie Burns said “my heart is in the highlands”, but our hearts and stomachs are incredibly grateful that Mac and Wild has brought the highlands to us, so get down there ASAP to see what we’re talking about.