The Allanton Inn

We had a lovely Sunday lunch in a great atmosphere. The waitress was so friendly, and the food was excellent, made with locally sourced, traditional Scottish ingredients. The kids enjoyed their fish and chips, and the Sunday roast beef was divine. You’ll want to book a table ahead for Sunday lunch.

Parking was easy, and the service was fairly quick without being intrusive. We really liked the food. There wasn’t a huge choice for non-carnivores, but that wasn’t a problem for us. Getting started felt a bit odd, though. I’d called to ask at short notice about a table for me, my husband and our small dog, and apologized for the late request. The website says dogs are allowed in the beer garden, and the woman who took the call confirmed it, but seemed a little annoyed when I said that was fine. My husband took the dog around a side alley to the garden. Between the phone call, website and big sign on the door, it was clear she shouldn’t go inside. I waited at the bar to ask about our table and apologize for arriving about ten minutes early. Before asking for the booking name, the man asked in a horrified tone where my dog was. I said she was outside with my husband, on a lead and behaving well, but he still seemed annoyed. I understand that some people don’t like dogs in pubs, and each proprietor can decide their own rules. It just felt strange to follow the rules and still get the impression our dog wasn’t welcome.

The inn is well placed for visiting the sights in the Borders and Northumberland around the Tweed. I stayed one night with my elderly father and we had dinner, bed and breakfast. The welcome was friendly, the room cosy and the food high quality. Everything was wonderful, and Dad especially enjoyed chatting with the staff and eating the tasty food.

The menu made the local, seasonal produce a real focus. We started with pinwheel oat haggis balls and bubble and squeak cake with local eggs. For mains we had mussels in coconut curry sauce and local pheasant breast, then shared a freshly made marmalade sponge with local orange sorbet. The hand-cut homemade fries alongside the mussels deserve a mention too. That attention to detail made a difference. Katrina and William made us feel extremely welcome. The country hotel is well established and beautifully appointed, with a well-stocked bar offering plenty of choice and a lovely beer garden, where they serve pizzas in warmer seasons. Its location and reputation mean the accommodation is apparently very well appointed and busy for much of the year. It’s perfectly placed, and well worth a visit for a drink, a bite to eat or a stay if you’re in the area. Highly recommended.