Eateries Worthy of a Mention

Prepare to embark on a journey where delectable dishes meet award-winning excellence. From charming pubs to modern bistros, each venue boasts a culinary experience that promises to delight even the most discerning palates. So, whether you’re a seasoned foodie or simply seeking an unforgettable dining experience during your holiday, the South of Scotland invites you to savor the best of its culinary landscape. Our list includes those finalists in our own tourism Oscars, the South of Scotland Thistle Awards, and the current entries in the latest edition of the UK & Ireland Michelin Guide!

Gather

Where: Gatehouse of Fleet

Set on the hillside near Gatehouse of Fleet, Gather is a glass fronted bistro offering diners stunning views out to the Solway Coast. Expect local ingredients, combined with international influences and flavours, to create a contemporary dining experience. The menus change with the seasons and local producers are used wherever possible. The bistro, open daily, features a main dining room as well as a large outdoor dining space serving a reduced menu. In addition to an inside private dining room there is also the glass dome, Graze, available for private hire. Imagine yourself tucked in here gazing at the stars with your loved ones. Gather was named a finalist in the Best Eating Experience category at the South of Scotland Thistle Awards.

Out There Artisan

Where: Harestanes Visitor Centre, Jedburgh

Out-there Artisan is a café and eco shop situated at Harestanes Visitor Centre near Jedburgh. It delivers an alternative to your normal cafe with an innovative home-from-home dining experience. Their full vegan and vegetarian menu specialises in catering for all allergies and dietary requirements. Expect a warm welcome whether it is from the log burner in winter or the smiles of the staff. Sunny days can be enjoyed outside at the seating area. Dogs are welcome inside downstairs. The cafe is open all year round and its location makes it just perfect for a stop for walkers along St Cuthbert’s Way! The cafe was also named a finalist in the Best Eating Experience category in the South of Scotland Thistle award.

Allanton Inn

Where: Allanton, Scottish Borders

Everyone wants to walk in, feel at home and know there is great food to be had at a country pub. This is exactly what you will get when you arrive at the Allanton Inn. In the heart of rural Berwickshire, the Allanton Inn welcomes guests into their family-run country hotel. Expect freshly prepared, homecooked food, a well-stocked bar and a unique beer garden with a variety of seating to enjoy the views of open countryside. The inn prides itself on its local knowledge and relationships with local suppliers, ensuring that the dining public will receive high-quality, seasonal produce with low food miles. For all of these reasons it was chosen as the Best Eating Experience at the South of Scotland Thistle Awards 2023.

1610

Where: The Globe Inn, Dumfries

The Globe Inn‘s 1610 restaurant offers casual fine dining with menus packed full of seasonal, local produce. And while the pub’s history as the favourite haunt of the nation’s poet Rabbie Burns has long been a reason to visit, the chefs in the kitchen are putting food front and centre. Michelin’s inspector calls the dishes “creative, modern, and full of colour and flavour”, and recognises the vintage-style restaurant with its Tam o’ Shanter mural makes for an atmospheric setting.

The Hoebridge

Where: Gattonside, Scottish Borders

The Hoebridge is a family-run restaurant that has won multiple accolades, including its entry in the Michelin guide. Local boy Kyle Tidd returned from New York City to take on this former pub in 2015. Decorated with simple elegant charm, the restaurant’s menu features the best of Scottish produce with on-site production where possible. Michelin praises “the carefully prepared local ingredients in flavour-packed, internationally influenced dishes”. Open Thursday through Saturday for evening meals and Sunday afternoons.

Provender

Where: Melrose, Scottish Borders

Scottish, British and French cuisine mingle comfortably at Provender in Melrose. Michelin’s Bib Gourmand Guide focuses on restaurants offering “simple yet skillful” cooking for under £30. The Michelin guide inspectors like this friendly, family-run restaurant with the chef’s time in London with renowned chef Pierre Koffman showing in “well-executed, classically based dishes which deliver plenty of flavour and represent great value for money.” In festive season there is a Christmas Menu offering more than your average turkey and a seasonal tasting menu replacing the restaurant’s usual à la carte. If you’ve missed out on an evening meal, there is always brunch, on offer Wednesday – Sunday.