St Andrews views and star soufflés at The Road Hole Restaurant

After a major refurbishment that has reimagined The Old Course Hotel’s fourth floor, the legendary Road Hole Restaurant in St Andrews has reopened – and it’s not just the views that dazzle.

This three AA Rosette gem boasts a contemporary new look, a kitchen that’s front and centre, and a menu that turns local Scottish produce into high culinary art.

I went along on a warm spring evening with my young nephew, Marley, to see if the food and experience lived up to the promise.

A view over the old course gold course towards St Andrews and the sea. With a glass of champagne and a mocktail in the foreground. — The view from the Deck bar at The Old Course Hotel.

The Old Course Hotel is one of those places I’ll take any excuse to visit. Whether it’s afternoon tea, a trip to the Kohler Waters Spa, or simply soaking up the atmosphere of this iconic St Andrews landmark.

Champagne on the rooftop

So, I was excited to finally experience the rooftop Deck Bar with those sweeping views over the course and the sea. Where you know you’re in for some top-notch champers the moment you sit down.

We emerged onto The Deck, now open for the summer season and with the sun still warming the air after a scorcher of a day, we perched on bar stools sipping our drinks.

A blond woman in a pink dress smiles at the camera, next to a teenage boy with floppy brown hair who is also smiling. — We were delighted to get such gorgeous weather for our visit.

Marley enjoyed a vibrant mocktail called Scratch, which included a lime wedge, mint leaves, crushed ice and Peroni 0% and I had a lovely full-tasting champagne.

We watched golfers finishing their rounds on the Old Course while being mesmerised by the view across the West Sands – the very definition of a St Andrews golden hour.

What a view!

This was our introduction to the newly transformed fourth floor. The refurbishment celebrates Scottish coastal colours – think sea blues, golden sands and rich burgundies – and we felt that warmth throughout the space.

A dark brown table withset for dinner in front of a large window looking onto a golf course and the sea beyond it. — The view from our table in The Road Hole Restaurant.

When it was time for dinner, we were escorted past the opulent Road Hole Bar, a whisky lover’s dream with more than 300 varieties lining the shelves. And into the spacious Road Hole Restaurant – named after the famous golf course’s 17th hole.

How has the restaurant changed?

The most striking change? The open kitchen has been made even more visible and is now a live, copper-clad stage where the chefs cook just metres from diners.

It adds a theatrical buzz that complements the refined yet relaxed vibe of the room.

A copper bowl on stilts on a table containing 6 plump oysters with a bloody Mary dressing. — We had six Cumbrae oysters to share.

Our evening kicked off with oysters – six Cumbrae beauties with a custom Bloody Mary dressing that was kindly made gluten-free. Plump, chilled and already loosened from the shell, they were effortless to enjoy and absolutely delicious.

Delicious starters

Starters followed: I had grilled Wye Valley asparagus with fermented wild garlic emulsion.

It was elegantly simple and full of flavour, the emulsion reminiscent of a green-hued hollandaise. But I would’ve preferred to see a local asparagus on the menu.

A white plate with thin asparagus spears and a green sauce. — The asparagus starter.

Marley went for the St Andrews Bay lobster ravioli – a beautifully plated dish topped with a crunchy coral tuile. “It’s like nothing I’ve ever had before,” he said, enchanted by the creamy filling, perfect pasta, and the fresh crunch of green vegetables.

A while bowl with a lobster ravioli starter covered in a yellow crisp that looks like coral. — The lobster ravioli starter.

Before our mains, a surprise palate cleanser arrived – green apple sorbet with white chocolate crumble. It was a revelation. Marley declared it “the best sorbet ever,” and I wouldn’t disagree.

A scoop of white sorbet on a white dish with white chocolate crumbs. — The green apple sorbet palate cleanser.

He even said if they sold tubs of it he would happily buy some to take home.

Main courses were beautiful

For mains, I chose the butter-poached St Andrews Bay lobster tail, served with velvety potatoes and delicate watercress. Meaty, perfectly cooked, and bathed in a rich sauce, it was every bit the indulgence I hoped for.

A ponk lobster tail on a white plate with a pile of cubed buttery potatoes and a green sauce. — The lobster main course.

At £56, it was the priciest item on the menu, but the generous portion and quality helped it live up to the splurge.

Marley’s choice was a standout – the braised leek with sprouted wild rice, nori, sesame and tofu.

A white plate with leek a nori deisnged to look like a flower next to a pile of greens on top of brown wild rice. — The stunning braised leek main course.

Visually stunning, the dish resembled a floral sushi arrangement. The flavours were complex and earthy, with a piping of soft tofu lending a creamy balance to the sprouted wild rice.

The chef even came to our table to explain the technique behind the dish. We were both captivated.

Servers were professional but friendly

Throughout our meal, the service was impeccable: warm, enthusiastic and never overbearing.

Staff were eager to share the story behind the menu and the local ingredients that inspire it. It is clear that the restaurant’s fine dining ethos is as much about hospitality as it is about flavour.

A white ramekin containing pin tinged souffle with a scoop of green pistachio ice cream next to it. — The spectacular souffle.

We’d been advised to save room for dessert – a tip we were glad to take on board. Marley, lured by the promise of pistachio ice cream, went for the rhubarb and custard soufflé.

It arrived puffed to perfection, with our server ceremoniously cutting a cross in the top and nestling the ice cream inside, where it slowly melted into the fluffy centre.

And that soufflé…

A spoonful was like biting into sweet rhubarb-scented air. At £12, it was not only exquisite but excellent value for such culinary theatre.

My dessert, the Blacketyside strawberry and basil Vacherin, was a more complex creation. It had layers of champagne jelly, lime curd, strawberry sorbet and shards of basil meringue.

A dessert in a white bowl with a pink scoop of sorbet in the middle surrounded by green and pink sauces and covered in smashed pieces of white meringue with green and red bits on them. — The vacherin dessert.

Beautiful and bold, it was perhaps a touch too involved for my taste. I longed for something a little simpler – but every component was delicious, especially the tart, vibrant sorbet.

The meringue-smashing ritual at the start added a playful note.

The verdict

After dinner, we retreated to the Road Hole Bar, where we sank into plush armchairs and watched the sky darken over the links. As the last golfers disappeared into the St Andrews night, it was hard not to reflect on just how special this place is.

From the tactile luxury of the refurbished interiors to the confident, creative cooking on the plate, this is a restaurant that has found its rhythm – blending tradition with modern finesse.

A blond woman in a pink dress holds up and oyster she is about to eat while smiling at the camera in a nice restaurant. — Rachel enjoying the bloody Mary Cumbrae oysters.

Yes, prices lean toward the premium – this is, after all, one of Scotland’s most iconic hotels. But the experience justifies the price and many of the dishes weren’t prohibitively expensive or dissimilar to other high-end establishments.

I’m already thinking of an excuse to return – and next time, I’m not missing out on that soufflé.