The Rustic Grill Turriff

The Rustic Grill is a restaurant in Turriff, Aberdeenshire. I had heard many good things about this place but never had the pleasure of trying it until my family asked where I would like to go for my 40th birthday! The Rustic Grill it was!

I wish there were a restaurant like this in my home town of Buckie; it serves up all the things I like! Hot dogs, burgers, steaks and dirty fries are the mainstays of "the grill", but there are many other options too.

With my parents and brothers in tow, we made our way to Turriff to sample the delights of The Rustic Grill to see if the food matched the excellent reviews.

The Menu

Despite being a "burger joint" at its core, there is a wide variety of options at the Rustic Grill.

Starters

The most variety is within their starters or "small plates" options, everything from halloumi fries, creamy whisky and bacon steamed muscles and Mexican pineapple pork tacos. There are 15 different options here, and all sound amazing.

The favourites option includes many tried and tested dishes, such as scampi and chips, mac and cheese, and battered chicken fillets. Salads are also on offer.

Mains

Burgers and hotdogs take up more than a quarter of the menu, everything from traditional steak burgers to haggis burgers, chilli burgers, Korean chicken and chilli dogs.

The other most extensive section is for the grill and smoker! Rump steaks, gammon steaks and the mighty "Rustic mixed grill" made my mouth water.

Sides

So many tempting sides are available, like your usual onion rings and fries, but you can order many extras such as:

• Corn on the cob

• Creamy mash

• Garlic bread

• Sauteed vegetables

• BBQ pulled pork

Dirty fries caught my eye; I loved them at Coyotes in Inverness.

 

Our Order

We opted for a simple appetiser of olives with crusty bread and balsamic dips. Olives aren't my cup of tea, but the bread and dips were lovely.

For our mains, we all ordered the same thing! The rustic cheeseburger stack! Described as:

2 x 4oz steak burgers, Monterey jack cheese, rustic relish, tomato slices, lettuce and onion rings in a burger bun.

My mother ordered pecan and cranberry-crusted goat's cheese with honey and crisp crackers.

We also ordered the pulled pork dirty fries, "rustic" style.

The waitress was polite and efficient, and we didn't have to wait long for our order to arrive.

The food at The Rustic Grill

Our plates arrived, and they looked the part. A side dish holds the dirty fries alongside the burger stack.

 

The burger was excellent, and I regard myself as a bit of a burger connoisseur! I could really taste the flame-grilled burger and all of the other high-quality ingredients used in the stack. The onion rings had that lovely light crispy batter that I love.

The star of the show was the pulled pork dirty fries! This was the best-pulled pork I've ever had, so soft and tasted strongly of tomatoes; it was beautiful. Whatever you order for your main at The Rustic Grill, I highly recommend the side of "rustic" pulled pork fries.

Rustic fries are more like chunky chips but look more scooped; I guess this is their trademark chip style. They were great and complemented the pulled pork well; it wouldn't have been the same with a thin skinny-style chip.

We were too full to order dessert, but they do an amazing-looking knickerbocker glory!

 

Are there vegan options at The Rustic Grill?

None of our party was vegetarian or vegan, but despite the restaurant being a meat lover's dream, there are many options available:

• Beetroot Hummus with seasoned tortilla chips.

• Buffalo cauliflower with blue cheese dips.

• Halloumi fries with maple syrup, pomegranate glaze, spring onions and sour cream.

Where is the best place to park for The Rustic Grill?

If you cannot get parked directly outside the restaurant on the street, there is a car park a short distance away on Victoria Terrace. The car park directly across from The Rustic Grill is marked as a private car park, so probably not a good idea to park here.

The COOP supermarket car park next door to the restaurant only allows parking for 30 minutes for customers only.

Does the Rustic Grill deliver?

I don't live in Turriff or the surrounding area, so I'm not sure what the takeaway options are, but I noticed a blue delivery van parked outside. If the takeaway food is as good as the sit-in food, it must be very popular!

Do I need to book for The Rustic Grill?

Yes, the place is so busy and often booked up weeks in advance. Definitely phone and check availability before arriving.

How to get to The Rustic Grill Turriff

The Rustic Grill can be found on Balmellie Street in central Turriff, directly next to the COOP supermarket.

From Banff: Head south along the A947 and arrive at Turriff. Continue along Duff Street to the roundabout, then turn left along High Street to Balmellie Street. The restaurant is on the right, about a quarter of the way along the road.

From Huntly: Travel a short distance along the A96, then turn left onto the A97. Turn right along Bognie Arms along the B9001. Turn left at Forgue on the B9024. Turn left onto Queens Road, then turn right at the roundabout to High Street, then Balmellie Street.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed my 40th birthday meal at The Rustic Grill with my family; the food and service were both excellent. Order those rustic fries with pulled pork; you won't be disappointed!