New Clarets Restaurant to Launch in Spring

Clarets, a new restaurant, is set to open in St Andrews this spring, serving as the latest venture from the Rocca Group. The restaurant will take residence on the first floor of the R&A World Golf Museum once the transformation of the former Niblick Restaurant & Bar — which opened on 20 April, 2022 — is complete. 

The new venue marks a collaboration between the Rocca Group and the R&A World Golf Museum, transforming the former Niblick space into an all-day dining destination. The redesign by CSY Architects will reimagine the space while retaining the majority of the existing team, “preserving invaluable local knowledge, established guest relationships and the warm hospitality the venue is known for.”(St Andrews Now, 2026, https://www.standrewsnow.co.uk/celebrating-st-andrews/)

Clarets will offer a single‑level dining room with seating for around 50 guests, complemented by panoramic views across the Old Course, West Sands, and the R&A Clubhouse. The venue will also be available for private hire, accommodating up to 100 standing guests, making it suitable for celebrations, corporate events, and special dinners featuring guest speakers from the golfing world. 

The restaurant is the newest addition to the Rocca Group’s growing portfolio. The group already operates several well-known venues, including The Seafood Ristorante on the St Andrews coast, the Broughton gastropub in Edinburgh’s New Town, and Café Calton on Edinburgh’s Calton Hill. 

At launch, Clarets will initially offer breakfast and lunch service. The menu will feature refined versions of classic favourites such as avocado on sourdough, a full Scottish breakfast, eggs Benedict, and a signature haggis toastie. Dinner service will follow after opening, with an “approachable yet elevated” evening menu designed to complement the restaurant’s scenic location. Weekly Sunday roasts are also planned as part of the offering. 

Stefano Pieraccini, Managing Director of the Rocca Group, said the concept aims to reflect the character and beauty of the town.

“Clarets is about more than just food and drink — it’s about celebrating St Andrews,” he said. “We wanted to create a space that reflects the character, heritage, and natural beauty of this town, where the views across the Old Course and West Sands are matched by the warmth of the welcome, the atmosphere in the room, and the quality on the plate.”

Angela Howe, Director of the R&A World Golf Museum, welcomed the partnership and the addition to the town’s restaurant scene: “Clarets promises to be an exciting addition to the St Andrews restaurant scene and will build on the success of the Niblick. We are delighted to be partnering with Stefano to bring this new proposition to life [...] we look forward to welcoming existing and new guests to Clarets and the R&A World Golf Museum in the coming weeks.” 

More information about the launch and restaurant can be found at: https://www.claretsstandrews.com/.

Photo by Christopher Kelly-Brown