Howies wins best Scottish independent business of the year award
Edinburgh restaurant, Howies, has been named Best for Scottish – Independent Business of the Year at the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards 2026.
Founded in 1990 by David Howie Scott, the family-run business celebrated its 36th
anniversary this year. What began with a simple philosophy of serving honest, Scottish food and making quality produce accessible has grown into three Edinburgh restaurants and a flourishing outside catering business, Events by Howies.
Today, under the leadership of Louis Scott and Suzanne O’Connor, Howies remains a close-knit, family-run business, supported by a loyal team who continue to uphold the values established 36 years ago.
Howies serves approximately 250,000 customers annually across Howies Victoria Street, Howies Waterloo Place and Scotts Kitchen, with Scottish sourcing remaining at the heart of its menus. Also, around 90 per cent of its suppliers are located within 50 miles of its restaurants, the restaurant reported.
Howies' chefs work closely with suppliers to develop seasonal menus, with Scottish seafood, locally sourced meat and seasonal produce playing a central role.
The daily catch, supplied by Welch Fishmongers, is the bestselling dish at both Howies Victoria Street and Waterloo Place, while the venison casserole has remained a favourite since the restaurant first opened in 1990.
Commenting on the accolade, Louis said: ''For 36 years, Howies has been committed to celebrating Scotland’s natural larder and making great Scottish food and warm hospitality accessible to as many people as possible.
“To have that recognised by Scotland Food & Drink means a huge amount to us.
This award belongs to the brilliant people across our restaurants and events team, and to
the Scottish farmers, growers and producers whose ingredients make what we do
possible.''
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