I was in Melrose for the weekend and wanted to go somewhere with good quality food and that let…read moredogs in. Burt's hit the mark. It is lovely and friendly inside. I would the decor was contemporary Scottish and cosy. We sat in the bar area as that was where they allowed dogs. The first table we sat at was a bit in the middle and as Luna (the dog) likes to spread out, they asked if we would like to move to a corner table where she has more room, I really appreciated this thought. I had lamb with potatoes and a jus. The lamb was perfectly cooked and moist. There was a lot of lamb as well, great portion size. My other half had a fish pie which was jam packed with prawns, salmon and white fish. Really fab. It was during desert that they really hit the mark. I ordered a cheese board for us to share. First came the crackers. Something that really annoys me about a cheese board is that you get lots of cheese and then 3 crackers. What you meant to do with that? I usually end up having a ton of cheese and not many crackers! This was not an issue at Burts. They brought a basket of crackers...yes, a basket. I have uploaded a picture to show this delight. The cheese was all local and ymmuy as well. They also serve real ale. My partner complained that one of the ales was off. Without questions, they changed it for something else. This place is maybe a bit more pricey compared to other restaurants in Melrose but I think it is well worth it.

Very posh upscale place. Nice decor and table decor was very classy…read more Service here was the best in the area in my opinion. The town is full of historical buildings, but this place is centrally located and had servers that truly wanted to help and serve. I was here for lunch, which was delicious, well priced (as a prix fixe lunch menu existed), and served promptly. Special requests were handled promptly. I would highly recommend this restaurant. Really a great find with wonderful dishes all over the menu and great decor. But it's the truly top notch five star excellent service that I remember the most. Wonderful all around.

Ah the kings Arms a fine establishment, outside seating was comfortable and enjoyable. The wait…read morestaff was pleasant and kind, and the food was very good. I had a the fish and chips, the fish was nicely fried and was a generous portion. Fries that came with the meal, and Cole slaw was equally as good great crunch on tang on them.

I've visited twice on my way to ascend the Eildon Hills and tour Melrose Abbey, unfortunately it…read morerained too much to climb on my first visit last week. The service is very personal, great coffees, full Scottish bar with about a dozen taps. They have a few TVs for watching g football or golf and a several nice dining areas. They play jazz over the intercom during the day so it's very relaxing. The food! It's astonishingly good. I had a very good burger with trimmings on my first visit (sometimes beef burgers are not what Americans are used too in the UK). Today I had a wild mushroom bruschetta and a salad with smoked haddock omelette. Yum. Stop by if you're in the area.

We stayed here for five days while attending a wedding at the nearby Barony Castle, and I can't…read morepraise The Horseshoe Inn enough! The rooms at the inn were small but cozy, with comfortable beds and everything you need included. The free breakfasts at the attached pub were generous and delicious, as were all the meals. The fish and chips were heaven! The chicken and leek pie was amazing, with a flaky crust and creamy, tasty interior. The staff were friendly and helpful but not at all intrusive. And to top it off, the bus from central Edinburgh stops right outside the inn door. The setting is bucolic, the food beyond delicious, the rooms cozy - I really hope I have another chance some day to stay here!

WE SEEMED TO hit every traffic light from Newhaven to Sir Harry Lauder Road as we journeyed south…read moretowards The Horseshoe. I cannot stand others' lateness, particularly when it comes to eating arrangements, so I was slightly embarrassed to call ahead and advise of our unfortunate delay. This unassuming restaurant with rooms is situated 17 miles from Edinburgh city centre, just outside of Peebles (Eddleston to be exact). I knew very little about it, bar the odd comment that "it has a good reputation" and held two AA Rosettes. After a torrid hour-and-a-half trek I was in need of a glass of wine, never mind a three-course lunch. Let's hope that those earlier comments were accurate. A chat with the Maître d' ed to a glass of a rather special Albarino (2014) "Contrapulto" from Rias Baixas, Spain being ordered. It had a stunning colour and texture to it with fruity notes and a hint of lemon. Its richness meant that it was the perfect sipping wine and I reckoned it would pair very well with the seafood dishes I was about to tackle. My starter was an eye-pleasing bowl of smoked pancetta, clams, coco beans and chorizo. It had a wonderful aroma to it. I delved in to find a slight bite to the beans and a rather opulent sauce-come-soup in the bottom that had a welcome smack of salt and smoke from the pancetta. The clams were grit-free, thankfully, and melted in the mouth along with little morsels of squid that graced the plate with a hint of the sea. There was no chorizo as billed, but I didn't miss it; the pancetta flavour was more than enough. Sarah elected to try the pressed pork terrine with sour cherries, cashew nuts, chutney and chicory. Serving temperature can often be an issue with terrines but this one had been allowed to come to room temperature before leaving the kitchen. It was moist and properly set with crunch from the nuts speckled throughout. The apple chutney sliced through the fattiness while the chicory brought contrasting bitter notes, as well as texture. An earthy sweetness was chaperoned in by some courgette ribbons but the best thing about it was the cherries. They weren't overly sour but really harmonised with the other tones of flavour. I fancied the roast but for reviewing purposes had to go for the hake with a crispy fish cake, broccoli and mussels since Sarah won the toss. I say that like it was a chore - it wasn't at all. The fish was beautifully cooked, crisp skin and all. The tasty flakes of hake marvelled in the puddle of juices at the bottom of the bowl where it gleefully played around with some tender shallot rings cooked well enough to still bring bite to the dish. The lemon flavour from the fish cake was what really brought this dish to life; its prominence was admirable and even complemented the expertly executed broccoli stems. Sweet mussels were a little bonus on what was a very accomplished piece of cookery. It would have to be a spectacular roast to top that main course and it was as equally superb. The sirloin of borders beef yielded with little resistance. The Litmus test for a great roast is in the spuds for me, but this attempt was spot on - crisp exteriors and fluffy interiors all round. A crunchy homemade Yorkshire pudding hit the brief but it was the medley of autumnal vegetables that made this dish memorable. The assertive, slight bitterness of the chard was met with sweet carrots and roasted beetroot, but those delectable onion petals were the real star for me. The only quibble here was that Sarah felt the beetroot could have been slightly softer. All good things must come to an end and my lunch concluded with an old-school vanilla rice pudding with poached apricots and apricot sorbet. The key here was that the rice pudding wasn't too sweet and the rice still had a presence. It was creamy but with waves of vanilla tantalising the palette. I got a flavour of cola bottles from somewhere that I really liked and the cold sorbet weighed in with a contrast in temperatures. Cherry savarin with cherry sorbet, vanilla and fig was another pretty dish. The savarin was moist and the different textures on the plate were a deligt to eat. Fig was the dominating flavour rather than the expected cherry but the combinations of the smooth sorbet and the cake, coupled with the vanilla cream, were divine. This was one of the most enjoyable meals I've had this year. The consummate professionalism of the service, outstanding cooking and exemplary wine offerings coalesced to create a fine dining experience that not only ticked all the boxes but came at an extremely reasonable price to boot.

What a find! Wonderful food, drinks and service. As a vegan I don't expect a lot from any menu but…read moreI have found repeatedly, especially in Scotland, that there are always great choices. I had a lovely sausage in garlic, cranberry and tarragon gravy and fresh vegetables. My husband had the fish special and raved. If you are in the area, I highly recommend this lovely little pub.

To this day their Steak & Ale Pie is the best I've ever had, wish it wasn't across an ocean or I'd…read morebe a regular for that alone! Delicious and tender beef, savory gravy and a light and flaky top all made this a meal I still dream about, definitely try it if you have the chance!

Great ambience with historic brick features Bar service was…read moregreat - old fashioned highly recommended Charcuterie is a good choice

After seeing the high reviews on Yelp, I decided to make a reservation for this restaurant. We…read moretrekked up the steps of Advocate's Close to get there. When we arrived at noon (opening time), the restaurant wasn't too busy. There is an impressive bar downstairs with many whiskies. We were led upstairs to the dining area. There is outdoor dining too that would be nice if the weather was warmer. Cool vibe, but it is kind of dark inside the stone walls. The menu is Scottish-focused with seasonal ingredients. We didn't want to overeat, so we decided to share a starter and a main. We got the Scottish venison fritters, which were ok. We enjoyed the pappardelle pasta (roast pumpkin and pecorino sauce, wild mushrooms, spinach, bacon and poppy seed crumb, crispy sage). It was flavorful and didn't feel too heavy. Staff were friendly and it was an enjoyable lunch.

What a little jewel I found!…read more The Mill Inn is located in Coulter 5 min down the road from Biggar and 45 min from Edinburgh. It is easy to find as it is pretty much the only restaurant/bar in that area. It also has its own beer garden and in the summer this must be a plus. I believe that this building was once an old Mill and you might think so from the name it got today :-) Inside the floor is covered with typical Scottish designed red carpet, dark furnishing, wooden benches and beams. There is no doubt the restaurant downstairs has its charms. On the other side of the room, away from the dining tables there is a small bar with lots of different whiskey choices. Upstairs you will find additional seating and a small whisky bar with lots of different whiskey's on offer and for sale. The most expensive one costs £1500 Highland Park and last week they sold a £3000 special edition of some sort. No worries, you can also buy affordable whiskey from well known brands. Our voucher deal offered a starter and main course for a very good price. We ordered Shrimp salad and baked brie as a starter. The brie was soft and filling (you get two pieces), served with cranberry sauce. There was no brie spared. As a main we ordered Chicken Fajitas and it came with 3 sauces (salsa, sour cream, guacamole). Not only this, the chicken was served still on a hot plate, sizzling in delicious spices hot and mild, garnished with peppers and onions and a delicious sauce of some sort, which made the taste even more delicious. We also decided on coffee and with it they served a small piece of fudge, which was such a nice gesture. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. It is a very busy place and best you book a table before turning up unannounced. I will be back ! Whoop

One of the worst dinner services I've had in a LONG time…read more The food was barely mediocre. My lemon sole, a special of the day, was utterly tasteless, and didn't have the slightest hint of lemon. Not even a lemon wedge. And it was raw in the middle. Yuck! The worst part of our experience was the absolutely horrendous service, which was so incredibly slow that it was obnoxious. Waitresses buzzed past our table in their hurry to other tables, while we sat for an eternity. The only explanation I can think of is that my husband is Black, and we've encountered this issue before at restaurants. In any case, the service was downright inexcusable. I wouldn't ever go back.

Such a friendly and beautifully set restaurant. The food is picturesque and top notch. Everything…read morewe had, from the large portions of bread paired with roasted red pepper humus to the flaky and flavorful cod, was exceptional. The wait staff is helpful as well as friendly. They prepared a table for us even amidst a packed house. Know that this is not just a restaurant, it's a date night restaurant. We brought the kids, which was perfectly okay, but the setting and price is more date night worthy. This place is terrific! Enjoy!

Howie's was our first dinner stop on our first day in Scotland. I wanted a nice restaurant that had…read morea vegetarian version of haggis (so I could dive right in...), and we had made a reservation weeks in advance of our trip. All good! This Howie's location is on Victoria Street (one of the most photographed streets in the world and the visual influence for Harry Potter's Diagon Alley...it's a few minutes' walk from the center of the Royal Mile, so the location is fantastic. Our reservation was on the early side, and the host made a point of telling us a couple of times that they'd need the table back after a certain period of time. We don't really dwell for hours in restaurants, so that note is not something we really needed, and after seeing it in the reservation confirmation, as well as being told twice by the host, there was a little bit of a feeling that the entire purpose of us being at Howie's was to get out as soon as possible so they can have the table back. Besides that tone-setter, the service and food were fantastic. Our server took a lot of time going through the options with us...she gave me a good perspective on the vegetarian haggis I was getting to help me contextualize its flavor and texture with the real thing, and was very nice! The asparagus and pea risotto I had was also beautiful and had good flavor. As a vegetarian, I appreciated that the menu had everything labeled with dietary restrictions. (which seems to be more of a standard in the U.K. than in the U.S., but this was our first dinner stop in the country, so it's worth noting.) Howie's gave us a good introduction to Scottish cuisine. Its location couldn't have been better, and our server was aces. I hope we gave the table back in time to not cause a panic. ;)

Delicious gem. Friendly service. Gorgeous ambiance. Carefully curated. Five stars.read more

This is quite possibly the most beautiful dining experience I have ever had. A diverse menu with a…read morerotating selection of specials from the land and sea. Attentive and charming service, but the best part is the namesake of the restaurant, the waterside view! I enjoyed the mushroom, pea, asparagus risotto, and my companions savored the pork loin, sea bass, mackerel, and prawns. A magical place!

What an amazing experience. Great historic establishment…read more I got my first taste of Haggis and it was grand. You have to go here !

Well, we had dinner on one of our last nights in Edinburgh, and it did not disappoint! Get your…read morereservations! The upstairs dining room (bar side) is absolutely charming and welcoming, and the staff could not have been better, or friendlier. The food? Come ON! Really grand! We started with the chips and dip (fries with Sriracha Mayo) - they were crisp and the mayo was just spicy enough. My husband had a sizeable portion of fish and chips, which was perfectly cooked, and had a light batter. I had the most delicious burger, with bacon and cheddar; mash on the side. All the food was hot; well seasoned; and quickly served. The Doric has their own GF beer on draft, which is quite good, and a selection of regular beer for those of you who don't need GF. Great selection of scotch, as well. Make your reservation ahead of time, and don't miss the oldest pub in Edinburgh!