The Real Food Cafe

The Real Food Cafe is a roadside cafe and chippy on the A82 in Tyndrum, a low single-storey building with its own car park, painted with a big colourful mural so you won't drive past it. It's independent and family-run, opened in 2005 in what had been a derelict Little Chef, and it has grown into one of the busiest food stops on the road north, helped by sitting roughly halfway along the West Highland Way. Fish and chips are the thing to order. They've won a string of national fish and chip awards for them, the fish is MSC-certified and everything goes into rapeseed oil.

No table bookings. The one exception is an accessible table for visitors with a disability, which they'll hold if you get in touch. It's busy through the summer and at weekend teatimes, so expect a queue, though tables turn over fast. If you're in a hurry, order online and collect. There's outdoor seating for a dry day, an accessible toilet, free Wi-Fi, bike racks, and an EV charger in the car park that works with a bank card. Walkers can ask for a packed lunch for the next stage if they give a day's notice. It's licensed, with Scottish craft beer, wine and cider, and you can take a bottle away. It is pricier than a standard chippy.

The big draw for a lot of people is the gluten-free side. The cafe is accredited by Coeliac UK and runs a separate gluten-free menu, so coeliacs can get proper fish and chips here. Ask for that menu when you order. Bring the dog as well: they're welcome inside, and there's a dog wash outside the door for muddy ones.