Restaurant in Gullane, United Kingdom
Michelin-backed pub dining, stay included.
Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmands (2024–2025) and a 4.5 Google rating across 745 reviews make The Bonnie Badger the strongest meal in Gullane at ££. Chef Dominic Jack runs a nature-to-plate kitchen in a coaching inn dating from 1836, with a bar serving pub classics, a seasonal dining room, and Big Green Egg garden cooking in summer. Easy to book and worth the trip from Edinburgh.
At ££ per head, The Bonnie Badger delivers one of the most complete pub-restaurant packages in Scotland. Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmands (2024 and 2025) confirm what a 4.5 Google rating across 745 reviews suggests: this is a venue that consistently earns its praise. If you are driving out to East Lothian for golf or a coastal walk and want a meal that goes well beyond pub food without crossing into formal fine dining territory, book here. If you need London-level tasting menus or white-glove service, look elsewhere — that is not what The Bonnie Badger is selling.
The building is a coaching inn dating from 1836, and the setting reads exactly as that implies: a substantial, grounded property on Gullane's main street with the kind of physical presence that takes decades to accumulate. The bar runs pub classics, the dining room operates under a nature to plate philosophy, and on the right day, the garden offers cooking on a Big Green Egg. Those are three distinct experiences within one address, which is a practical advantage when you are travelling in a group with mixed appetites or uncertain about how formal you want the evening to feel.
Tom and Michaela Kitchin are the names behind the venue, with chef Dominic Jack leading the kitchen. The Kitchin name carries weight in Scottish dining — Tom Kitchin's Edinburgh flagship has held a Michelin star since 2006 , and the nature to plate philosophy that drives that restaurant's sourcing approach is carried through here at a more accessible price point. That lineage matters when you are weighing up whether the Bib Gourmand reflects a kitchen with genuine standards or a one-year anomaly. Two consecutive Bib Gourmands suggest the former.
The nature to plate philosophy means the menu is closely tied to Scottish seasons, which makes timing your visit more consequential than it would be at a venue running a static menu. Summer and early autumn are the strongest windows: East Lothian's growing season is at its peak, game begins arriving in late summer, and the garden cooking on the Big Green Egg becomes a genuine option rather than a weather-dependent gamble. A visit in July or August gives you the full breadth of what the kitchen can do.
That said, winter has its own case. Scottish game is in full stride from autumn through early winter, and a coaching inn that has been standing since 1836 earns its warmth when the weather is poor. The bar experience in particular , pub classics, an open room, a proper drink , has more resonance on a cold East Lothian evening than it does in July. The honest answer is that this is a venue worth visiting across multiple seasons if you are within range, with summer prioritised if you can only go once and want the outdoor cooking element.
For day-of timing, weekday lunches are likely to be quieter than weekend evenings, which will draw the post-golf crowd from nearby Muirfield and Gullane Golf Club. If you want a more relaxed pace, Tuesday or Wednesday lunch is your window. If you want the full atmosphere of a busy country pub-restaurant doing what it does leading, Friday or Saturday evening is the call , just book ahead rather than assuming walk-in availability.
The Bonnie Badger also offers overnight rooms, with interiors showcasing Scottish designers. For anyone coming from Edinburgh (roughly 25 miles west) or travelling through East Lothian on a longer trip, staying over converts a good dinner into a full experience: breakfast the following morning, a walk to the beach, and no need to watch the clock. The rooms position this as a short-break destination rather than just a restaurant, which is worth factoring into your planning if the timing allows. For more options in the area, see our full Gullane hotels guide.
Gullane's dining options are limited relative to Edinburgh, which means The Bonnie Badger carries most of the weight for visitors wanting a serious meal in the village. La Potinière is the other notable address , a long-established traditional restaurant that offers a different register entirely. For a broader view of what is available locally, see our full Gullane restaurants guide.
If you are benchmarking against other destination pub-restaurants in Britain, Hand and Flowers in Marlow is the obvious comparison , two Michelin stars, similarly rooted in quality ingredients and a relaxed setting, but at a higher price point and considerably harder to book. The Bonnie Badger at ££ with easy availability is the more practical choice for most travellers, and the Bib Gourmand places it in the same conversation for sourcing and execution even if the formats differ.
For other destination-restaurant experiences at country inn settings across Britain, Gidleigh Park in Chagford and Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Great Milton operate in a similar overnight-and-dine format, though both sit at significantly higher price tiers. L'Enclume in Cartmel and Moor Hall in Aughton offer comparable north-of-England alternatives for anyone building a broader trip.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Bonnie Badger | Modern British | ££ | Tom and Michaela Kitchin have created their version of a pub in an old coaching inn dating from 1836. The bar serves pub classics, the dining room offers dishes with a 'nature to plate' philosophy and, in the garden, dishes are cooked on a Big Green Egg. Super comfy bedrooms showcase Scottish designers.; Michelin Bib Gourmand (2025); Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024) | Easy | — |
| CORE by Clare Smyth | Modern British | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | Contemporary European, French | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library | Modern French | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| The Ledbury | Modern European, Modern Cuisine | ££££ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | Modern British, Traditional British | ££££ | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Book at least 2–3 weeks ahead, more for weekend visits or if you want a room alongside dinner. As Gullane's only Michelin Bib Gourmand venue (recognised in both 2024 and 2025), demand outpaces the local supply of comparable options. If you're coming from Edinburgh for a day trip, a weekday lunch slot is your best chance at shorter notice.
Yes, more so than most ££ restaurants at this level. The bar operates as a pub serving classics, which gives solo visitors a natural perch without the formality of a dining room booking. The coaching inn format means you won't feel out of place eating alone at the bar.
Tasting menu details are not confirmed in available data for this venue. What is documented is a nature-to-plate dining room menu and a separate bar menu serving pub classics, plus garden cooking on a Big Green Egg. At ££ pricing, The Bonnie Badger sits well below tasting-menu-heavy comparators, so the value case rests on its Bib Gourmand recognition rather than a set-course format.
Specific dietary policy is not documented in available data. A kitchen operating under a nature-to-plate philosophy, as The Bonnie Badger does, tends to work with seasonal Scottish ingredients rather than fixed menus, which typically gives the kitchen more flexibility. check the venue's official channels via Main St, Gullane EH31 2AB before booking if restrictions are a deciding factor.
Gullane has limited dining options at this level, which means The Bonnie Badger has no direct local competitor. For a comparable Modern British experience in the region, Edinburgh (roughly 25 miles west) provides the nearest concentration of alternatives, including other Kitchin Group venues. If you want Michelin recognition at a similar price point without travelling to Edinburgh, The Bonnie Badger is the only current option in the immediate area.
At ££, yes. Two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmands (2024 and 2025) confirm the kitchen is delivering quality above its price point. The Bib Gourmand designation specifically recognises good cooking at a moderate price, so the award is the clearest signal available that The Bonnie Badger overdelivers relative to cost.
Yes, particularly if you book a room. The 1836 coaching inn setting, dining room with a nature-to-plate menu, and bedrooms showcasing Scottish designers make it a coherent overnight occasion rather than just a dinner stop. For a milestone celebration, the overnight format works better than a standalone dinner reservation, and the Michelin recognition gives the evening a credible anchor.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
