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You might know Stirling for its battle history, Braveheart connections or the castle that stares down at you like it’s judging your lunch choices. But quietly, Stirling has been carving out a reputation as a serious contender on Scotland’s food and drink map.
No, we’re not trying to be the next Edinburgh or Glasgow. We’re not chasing headlines or hinging our hopes on a trendy café with oat milk lattes and goat yoga. Stirling isn’t flashy. Stirling simmers. And what’s slowly cooking in our kitchens, distilleries and cafés is beginning to turn heads—for all the right reasons.
Let’s start with the obvious: we are surrounded by some of Scotland’s best natural larders. The Trossachs provide not just dramatic backdrops for Sunday walks but local venison, salmon and berries that find their way onto menus across the region. Our farms aren’t just Instagrammable—they’re feeding award-winning producers and passionate chefs who believe food should be fresh, local and served without pretension.
It’s the kind of place where families queue at the Allanwater Café in Bridge of Allan for their legendary fish and chips, followed by a scoop (or three) of homemade ice cream. Or where locals swear by the steak pie at McQ’s in Bannockburn, and others kick off a weekend with a Stirling Gin in hand and plans for a great night ahead. Not because there’s a TikTok trend, but because they’re all that good.
Across the region, there are too many brilliant food and drink businesses to name—but some deserve a mention. You’ll find Campbells Shortbread baking time-honoured recipes in Callander, while producers like Foragers Foods, Upper Ballaird Farm Co-op, Connage Highland Dairy, Farrah’s Dairy, and Graham’s Family Dairy—a household name with local roots—are crafting exceptional produce with authenticity and care.
For drinks, there’s Deanston Distillery, Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing Brewery, Collymoon Craft Gin, and Harviestoun Brewery, each blending tradition with bold experimentation. And for farm-to-fork fans, Blair Drummond Smiddy Farm Shop, Butchery and Café and Blairmains Farm Shop offer up everything from sausages to sourdough—crafted, sourced, and served with unmistakable local pride.
And no celebration of Stirling’s food scene would be complete without a nod to The Real Food Café in Tyndrum—beloved by locals and visitors alike for its award-winning fish and chips and commitment to quality, sustainability, and community.
Add in Paris-worthy patisserie, handmade preserves, artisan chocolate, and yes, a dog-friendly distillery, and you’ve got a food and drink scene that’s truly worth shouting about.
Stirling’s Food and Drink Footprint
There’s more than flavour at stake. While we often celebrate the creativity on the plate, the scale of Stirling’s food and drink economy deserves a spotlight of its own. In 2024:
· 380 accommodation and food service businesses operated in Stirling—up from 355 in 2015 [+7%] [¹].
· These businesses employed 5,190 people, marking a growth of 9% since 2015 [¹].
· Their total turnover reached £234 million, up from £183 million in 2015—an increase of 28% [¹].
This local growth mirrors wider national trends. Across Scotland, accommodation and food services now support:
· 14,940 businesses,
· 205,040 jobs,
· and a turnover of £9.8 billion—a whopping 43% rise since 2015 [¹].
While Stirling may not compete with Scotland’s major cities in scale, it certainly holds its own in quality and ambition. Of the 14,940 businesses operating in accommodation and food services across Scotland, approximately 2.54% are based in Stirling [¹]. A small percentage, yes—but packed with passionate producers, award-winning chefs and fiercely loyal customers.
Meanwhile, Stirling’s manufacturing sector—of which a significant portion is food and drink production—has grown its turnover from £441 million in 2015 to £824 million in 2024 [+87%] [¹].
What’s more impressive is how the food and drink scene here weaves into the fabric of the local economy. As of 2024, accommodation and food service activities employ 5,190 people in Stirling—accounting for nearly 14% of all jobs in the area [¹].
A Key Player in Tourism
Food and drink isn’t just a sector—it’s a reason to visit. In 2023, 46% of tourists in Scotland engaged in at least one culinary activity. For international visitors, this rises to 62% [²]. Whether it’s sampling whisky in a distillery, dining at a rural bistro or enjoying street food with castle views—food and drink has become central to the Stirling visitor experience.
An Ecosystem That Works Together
Behind Stirling’s growing reputation for exceptional food and drink is a support ecosystem built on real collaboration—and at the heart of it is STEP.
STEP, alongside Business Gateway Stirling, provides free, hands-on support to food, drink and tourism businesses at every stage of their journey—from idea and start-up to scaling and exporting. With dedicated Food, Drink and Tourism and Rural Advisers, we offer sector-specific knowledge, access to workspace, networking opportunities, HR support and personalised guidance that’s deeply rooted in understanding the local landscape.
Surrounding that core support are several key partners. The Forth Valley Food and Drink Network, a paid membership organisation, brings together producers, retailers and hospitality businesses to connect, share and collaborate.
The Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce, another paid membership organisation, supports businesses right across the region with expert advice, advocacy and networking opportunities.
Meanwhile, Go Forth Stirling BID focuses specifically on the city centre, helping town-centre businesses thrive through place marketing, events and footfall-driving initiatives.
Educational partners also play a vital role. Forth Valley College is equipping the next generation of chefs, bakers and baristas with practical skills and confidence through industry-aligned training.
Alongside them, the University of Stirling is contributing research, innovation, and a steady stream of graduate talent that adds long-term value to the region’s business ecosystem.
What makes Stirling’s ecosystem stand out isn’t just the range of support—it’s how closely everyone works together. Whether funded, membership-based or free at the point of access, there’s a shared commitment to avoiding duplication and making support efficient, relevant and impactful.
Because supporting Stirling’s makers, growers, bakers and brewers isn’t just about boosting the local economy—it’s about backing the passion, creativity and graft that make this region such a rich place to live, work and taste.
So, is Stirling the food and drink capital of Scotland? We wouldn’t claim that. We’re far too polite. But if you know, you know. And if you don’t—bring a bottle, book a table and prepare to be deliciously proven wrong.
Sources
[¹] Businesses in Scotland 2024 – Tables: Stirling and National Totals
[²] VisitScotland – Food and Drink Visitor Trends 2023
