Top ten Christmas menus in the Borders

1. The Allanton Inn - Allanton

The Allanton Inn is renowned for miles around for its fabulous food, warm inviting atmosphere and cracking open log fire. If their usual menu is anything to go by then you are in for a treat with the festive fayre. On offer are the traditional favourites alongside seabass with tiger prawns, chorizo & spiced bean cassoulet and the most delicious sounding desert; a salted chocolate delice with crème caramel and apple fritters. Christmas food is all about indulgence and that desert encapsulates it perfectly!

>£25 three course festive dinner, phone 01890 818260

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2. The Cobbles - Kelso

Tucked away on Bowmont Street just off the market square in Kelso is The Cobbles, an award winning restaurant and gastro-pub serving delicious food and locally brewed beers. Their Christmas menu begins on December 1st running till Christmas eve and there are some very interesting and adventurous dishes on offer such as fennel cured Scottish salmon with shallot & cucumber marmalade, wasabi sorbet and micro fennel cress.

>£22.95 three course festive dinner, phone 01573 223548

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3. Herges on the Loch - Tweedbank

What could be more relaxing than looking out at panoramic loch side views while sampling some of the delicious food on offer in Tweedbank? As well as traditional Christmas fayre there are delicious alternatives like slow roast pork loin with a red onion rosti and individual vegetable lasagne with a roasted squash and pine nut salad. Party nights begin on December 4.

>£19.95 three course festive dinner, 01896 759909

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4. The Roxburgh Hotel and Golf Course - Kelso

Dining at the Roxburgh Hotel really is a treat so Christmas is the perfect time to pay them a visit. With two AA rosettes at their Chez Roux restaurant, the food should be the cream of the crop, a highlight being breast of Borders pheasant and mini pie, with dauphinoise potato and broccoli, light pheasant jus with tarragon oil. They don’t start serving their festive menu until December 18, however they will be serving a special menu on Christmas eve, Christmas day and boxing day.

>£31.50 three course festive dinner, phone 01573 450331

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5. Oblo - Eyemouth

Situated right on the east coast of Scotland, Oblo is an Eyemouth institution; a town known as the home of award winning Giacopazzis ice-cream. Available from December 4 until Christmas eve, Oblo’s offerings look mouth watering. A pan seared pigeon breast with a wild mushroom and juniper berry jus in puff pastry sounds delicious as a stater and would be nicely followed by braised feather blade of beef with wholegrain mustard mash, buttered cumin carrots and parsnip crisps.

>£24.95 three course festive dinner, phone 018907 52527

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6. The Horseshoe Restaurant with Rooms - Peebles

The Horseshoe are pulling out the stops and laying on a special Christmas day lunch including canapes, a three course meal, coffee and petits fours. As is expected from the establishment with two AA rosettes, the menu looks divine. A delicious starter of beetroot cured salmon ballotine with a leek and potato terrine is perfect for Christmas day in the Borders, followed by traditional roast turkey, chestnut stuffing, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, braised red cabbage, sprouts and gravy.

>£70 Christmas Day lunch, 01721 730225

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7. The Hoebridge - Gattonside

The Hoebridge, found just outside of Melrose has a very clean and crisp sounding menu. They offer traditional Christmas ingredients with a modern twist including starters like smoked goose and tangerine salad, Teviot smoked salmon rillettes with pickled cucumber and house-made toasted caraway seed sourdough and wild mushroom crostini with crispy prosciutto and quail’s egg.

>£29 three course festive dinner with coffee and mince pies

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8. Night Safe Bistro - Hawick

This well established eatery on Hawick’s high street have a specially prepared festive lunch and dinner menu serving delicious Scottish ingredients like succulent East Lothian turkey and a sirloin of slow roasted Buccleugh beef. Their Christmas menu is running from November 27 until December 23.

> £26.50 three course festive dinner, phone 01450 377045

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9. The Caddy Man - Jedburgh

Dining doesn’t get much more festive than that on offer at The Caddy Man. Not only do the starters and mains sound appealing with Goosnargh duck breast on the menu served with sloe gin and elderberries the deserts sounds irresistible. They strike a perfect balance between traditional and modern with Christmas pudding served with brandy butter ice-cream, Armagnac sauce and candied cranberries and a baked white chocolate cheesecake served with spice roasted plums, yum!

Lunches are served from December 3 until Christmas eve and evening meals served every Friday and Saturday throughout December.

>£28.95 three course festive dinner, phone 01835 850787

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10. Buon Gusto Ristorante - Selkirk

Sticking to what they know best, Buon Gusto have a festive menu filled with traditional Italian dishes. They are kicking their menu off early and started serving it in November, so there is loads of time to work your way through the dishes like sautéed asparagus wrapped in smoked salmon with a yolk based sauce or orange caramelised rich pork sausages served with lentils.

>£6.95 (starter) £14.50 (main) £4.95 (desert), phone 01750 778174