Caroline's coffe shop in Scottish Borders

We had earmarked this place for breakfast one morning and rushed to get down before they stopped serving brekkie at 11:30. We arrived just after but they managed to accommodate us. As I ordered a full Scottish for my husband, I was absolutely delighted to see a gluten-free breakfast listed on the menu. Even the sausage was GF! Other coeliacs might understand that a GF snag is often a bonus when looking for a full fried breakfast. The breakfast arrived with orange juice and a pot of tea as well. Mine was absolutely brilliant. The added addition of haggis (which was not listed on the menu) was a treat since it’s rare to find gluten-free haggis anywhere. Tea was piping hot, the service was impeccable and overall we really enjoyed our visit. Lots of locals with the dogs popping in while we were there and it was nice to see lots frequenting the café. We thought it might be difficult to find somewhere open on a Monday, and indeed some other places were shut, but we were delighted to find Caroline’s was open. Very clean toilets as well.

Probably the best breakfast we have ever eaten! Quality ingredients, haggis was gorgeous, as were every other ingredient on the plate. Not a sign of grease on the plate. Good cappuccino and expresso. Friendly efficient service

Our breakfasts were perfect, and fantastic value for money. The lady running the cafe was delightful, very welcoming. Everything was clean and the service was excellent. A lot of the customers seemed to be locals, so they know a good thing when they see it. You visit places like this and wonder just why so many others can’t get it right.

Travelled over from Holland for a visit, popped in for the best fullbreakfast so far. Proper full on, loved it, and staff were super.

Popped in for coffee and lunch. What a treat, food was delicious, home made soup and panini with a specially made salad. Friendly and welcoming staff. Look forward to visiting again.

Simply brilliant. Very nice cooked breakfast with all the trimmings and have no idea how they do it for the price. well worth dropping in if you are passing

Really is a dog friendly place. Food is delicious and the staff are so friendly. Well worth a visit we had the lobster salad which would not have been out of place in a 5 star restaurant along with double the price tag. Definitely visit again

We recently moved to the area and decided to try Caroline's on the strength of the reviews. And it is very good. We got an exceedingly friendly welcome. The dog was welcome too. We prefer sitting outside when it's mild (especially with Covid) and they have a few outdoor tables But it was dog friendly indoors too. Good Covid precautions. Great selection of cafe staples from breakfasts to sandwiches, baked potatoes, etc. Breakfast was well cooked and substantial and we really enjoyed it. Prices are reasonable. So good, we've been back. And plan to take a visiting friend in the next week.

Stopped in here for lunch with a friend. Was a little disappointed re covid restrictions, as there was no info/signage on whether tables had been sanitised and were free to sit at. We also weren't prompted to track and trace. The menu here is nice. It's good to see standard cafe grub, as well as more unusual/interesting things on the menu. Unfortunately, they had run out of baked potatoes, which is what we wanted to order. We settled for paninis, which were good. They came served with a nice salad, coleslaw, and crisps. The prices were slightly on the expensive side, but not ridiculously so. The main letdown here was that we were unable to pay by card. I'm guessing this is an inconvenience to a lot of customers, as, realistically, not many people carry cash on them any more. Plus, in covid times, we're all being encouraged to pay by card whenever possible. There was signage advising cash only, but not very obviously, as we managed to missed it. Thankfully staff for happy for us to run along to a cash point in order to get money for the bill. A nice little place. I'll most likely be back, but will remember to have some cash on me.

Went here for Breakfast well worth it good food and plenty off it and very good price and staff very welcoming

Visit to Kelso farmers market, stopped at Caroline’s for a breakfast roll and coffees, great food, excellent service and very COVID safe, following all the guidelines with track&trace smart phone or written options in place, evidently strong awareness of customer care. Very reasonable prices, good food, friendly service and a bowl of fresh water and a treat for our dog. Happy days !

Caroline’s Cafe in Kelso should not be missed if you are hungry and looking for a bite to eat. Their homemade soup just like ‘Mum’ used to make is the perfect comfort food coupled with their cheese scone smothered in yummy Brie and chutney, it is definitely a firm favourite with my husband and I. It is a proper coffee shop with none of the fancy prices, this place serves up good honest food, coffee and cakes that will make you wish you had an elasticated waist band on as they always have a fantastic choice. Just as I think I have found a favourite off their specials board they surprise me with something new and even tastier. 10 out of 10 for choice, yumminess and great service from all their staff, nothing is ever too much trouble.

I stopped in on my own, but with my dog, for a breakfast while passing through Kelso last week. The lady who met me and showed me to a table was very friendly and helpful, and the full plated breakfast was tasty - 2 bacon, egg, beans, tomato, haggis and black pudding. The black pudding was especially nice. It came with 2 rounds of toast, coffee and orange juice. All for £7.95 which was very good value. A previous reviewer mentioned insufficient COVID precautions, and I understand the concerns - though never felt particularly at risk. It was not too busy when I went, and there are 2 outside tables if needed as well. But they did not ask for contact details which was a bit of a lapse. That apart though, this cafe is recommended, and I would definitely go back again.

No tables left empty, no ventilation and the door was not open. We felt very vulnerable sitting so close to others on our first venture out for a meal. Yes there was hand gel on the table and the staff wore masks but my understanding was that ventilation was paramount. The food was good but spoiled by the poor Covid precautions. I asked for the door to be open but instead a small electric fan in one of the windows was stated. Did not enjoy the experience at all.

My husband and i were here for lunch, great food and great helpings, very polite staff, and a very warm welcome Shirley and michael

This cafe is a must visit for anyone passing through Kelso. We visited one Saturday morning and from the movement we walked in we felt the warmth and friendliness of the cafe. Everyone we spoke to was welcoming, the breakfast was freshly made and so delicious. We ended up having a full conversation with customers and owners of the cafe who made a conscious effort to strike up a conversation. They are COVID conscious yet still ensure you have an enjoyable visit. Definitely do not pass this cafe without going in.

Dropped in for a Covid friendly coffee n scones. 3 types of scones and a variety of meals available at a reasonable price. The place was popular. Staff friendly. Enjoyable experience.

A must visit. Scottish Breakfast of the first order. Lovely attentive staff and great value. Easily merits the 5 stars!

A lovely welcome by Caroline and Brian in their traditional coffee shop and very friendly , with homemade cakes and fantastic shortbread with homemade sandwiches

Visiting Kelso whilst on holiday, we thought the cafe might be closing at 4.30 on a Thursday, but were made to feel welcome when we checked. Tea and scones enjoyed by the adults and milkshakes and chocolate crispy cakes demolished by the kids. Caroline herself said hello and treated the kids to a lollipop when they left. A nice touch. The sort of place every town needs.

Best burger in the Borders! Very nice atmosphere and super friendly service! Well worth a visit when in the neighborhood of Kelso.

I wanted a lite lunch and was recommended this place, and I certainly wasn’t let down. A nice choice of snacks and wonderful coffee, it was just fantastic!

We visited Kelso in March, having been before as we have relatives in the area..and looked for a coffee shop for a light bite. It was pretty busy - sat!! - but we decided on Carolines coffee shop and on a dreary wet day walked into a little haven of cosiness.. We received a warm welcome and sat at the window table.. the owner explained the specials and was very friendly..but not in your face, just pleasant.. The lentil and sweet potato soup and roll was delicious and I have never had a treacle scone before , but will certainly try to make them now!! What I loved the most was the fact that it felt like their house and I was a welcome visitor, it was cosy, warm, scrupulously clean with lovely reasonably priced food.. I really could have sat there all afternoon and watched the owners share a cuppa with a local - and the elderly man that came and planted a couple of winter pansies in the window box outside, then came in for his lunch!! and the family that came in and it was the little girls birthday, ,so we all sung Happy Birthday!!!Thankyou , what a lovely lunch and what a lovely friendly place to eat a tasty lunch!!

We went to this cafe with our dog for coffees and a bacon roll. Both were really good. The coffee was lovely and hot just as it should be so it lasts, and the bacon rolls were cooked to perfection and again piping hot. Combine this with lovely staff, cleanliness and being dog friendly what’s not to like?? An absolutely lovely, friendly and great food n beverages place to go in beautiful Kelso.

Friendly little cafe offering decent coffee and home bakes as well as light snacks and sandwiches. It's very popular with the locals and can be very busy at times. Nice clean customer toilets.

This is a small local cafe run by the owners and a few regular staff that have been there for years. The food is fairly basic but very good, the staff are very friendly and appear to accommodate everyone's wishes is possible. It's not expensive and the meals are made daily, no frozen reheated items.it is always clean and tidy whilst not being the biggest in the town, but there appear to be regulars which is always a good sign.If you are ok with good fod, nice staff and hassle free without being plush, this is worth a try

Popped in for a coffee and treat after a cold day out and about with a friend staff always speak as soon as we walk in and always so helpful and kind always like going in to carolines cafe

Picnic and flask were long empty after a 400 mile trip from Dorset but Caroline's Coffee Shop came to the rescue. Friendly staff, great scones and a super afternoon tea stopover.

Found this great cafe, on a trip out in the Scottish Borders one Saturday. It’s set in the nicest of villages and it’s probably one of the best menus from a cafe that I’ve had to choice from. A great place to visit and certainly with some of the friendly staff you could find.

We stopped off here as a cycle group. They were very welcoming. Good menu range from paninis, nachos, baked potatoes, mixed salad bowls, beef burgers and soups. Homemade soups were enjoyable as were the sandwiches.

My husband and I visited this very friendly cafe on Monday.The lady who served us could not have been more friendly and interested in where we were from ect.We had amazing minestrone soup and sandwiches with a really good amount of filling in them. We were also asked if we would like a glass of water.I can’t believe that someone could be so petty as to bring up the missing of an apostrophe in the name of the cafe!!!!!!! Obviously this person just likes to write bad reviews? Keep up the good work.Brilliant little cafe with fabulous food

Excellent service, pleasant helpful staff, prompt setvice. Great value for money. Can thoroughly recomend.

Ci siamo fermati in questo cafe per colazione. Buoni i cappuccini ma ottime anche le più tradizionali uova strapazzate e bacon. Titolare molto gentile e disponibile.

We choose this place because of the good reviews bit can’t understand how it got them. We went for breakfast. I had the full breakfast and my wife had scrambled eggs with haggis. We waited an age for someone to take the order and when the food arrived it was poor. The scrambled eggs look like they were made from powdered egg. The sausages and the bread used for toast were obviously very cheap. The food arrived at different times not together so the whole experience was disappointing.

Just off National Cycle Route 1, this cafe with pavement tables is an ideal rest stop. The fruit scones are enormous!

If you are in Kelso, you should visit. A great place for coffee/tea and lunch. Good service, i will be back when i am in Kelso next time

We visited Kelso for a bike rally and found this lovely cafe. Nice and clean location with a lovely breakfast menu.

A great cafe, privately owned and not the usual big town chain.

Was at Carolina's coffee shop for my birthday breakfast, food was cooked to perfection, coffee/tea lovely and owners where very friendly and accommodating, would highly recommend to anyone, we live in Galashiels and would be more than happy to travel to Kelso for it, will definitely be back for more.

We popped in here for lunch whilst I was visiting my father. Such a warm welcome and great menu choice.

Me and my husband wanted a really good,tasty,hot,value for money breakfast and that is what we got.Toast,coffee and orange juice all included in the price. The haggis and black pudding were superb! In addition to this it became clear that this coffee shop had something that not a lot of places have.Community spirit. Regulars who come back time and time again. The owners seemed genuinely interested in people. We felt very welcomed. If I lived in Kelso this would definately be my regular! Lovely.

A little coffe with very nice people.food us simply and good.savoury lenti soul.we need gluten Free food and they are been very carefull . ...........

We have been here a few times. Time to write a review. Very friendly welcome. Spotlessly clean and lovely food. A definite favorite!

Me and my partner were recently in the area and just popped in to this cafe. The staff were lovely and welcoming. We had drinks and scones, they were superb, would definitely visit again if in the area.

First class service, food and followed by straight out of the oven scones. Couldn’t have been more welcoming. All lovely

Such a lovely, warm and welcoming cafe. Delicious food, coffee and the best hot chocolate. Great value for money, served by lovely hosts.

Popped in here and had delicious lentil soup and divine hot chocolate. Great prices and the staff and the locals are so friendly. Went back today and the soups were minestrone and broccoli and cheese. Gorgeous and you get a roll and real butter. Other meals looked lovely.

the owners are very polite and fr'iendly,and the rest of the staff work really hard. the food is excellent. i meet my friends in carolines for coffee. youwillleave carolines with a smile on your face

We popped in for breakfast after staying nearby overnight. We were warmly welcomed and looked after well. Caroline's is lovely and clean, with neat tables. We had a hearty breakfast cooked fresh for us. Great service, good food. Would recommend anyone to pop into Caroline's!

Decided to come here for breakfast before travelling back down south at the end of our holidays. Lovely service and lovely food - wish we'd popped in during our holidays as well!

What a thoroughly delightful place. The owners were so so polite and friendly, couldn’t do enough for us. Breakfast was great value and an absolute treat. Thank you so much! Couldn’t recommend highly enough!

For a cyclist on National Cycle Route 1 (or anyone else who enjoys good cafe food and service) an outside table on a warm summer's day here is hard to equal. Excellent panini with trimmings and attentive, helpful service.

i had a filled roll my wife had a toastie well presented and nice food and a lovely pot of tea for 2

Loved the coffee and cakes. Friendly service! Great location in Kelso. Loved the friendly women.......

Called in here for much needed cup of tea. Also had cakes - staff friendly, cakes delicious - very good tea break - thoroughly recommend

Two very friendly ladies served us delicious coffee and cakes which we consumed at an outside table in the sun. Very friendly cafe and service.

Had a very short stop in Kelso . It was chilly so popped into Caroline’s for some coffee and a bite to eat. It is a delightful and friendly place. Chatted with the locals.

Whilst out for a drive in the Borders we stopped in Kelso for a stretch of the legs. We popped in to Caroline’s for a coffee and where tempted to the Traditional Breakfast. It was brilliant and great value. I’m sure we will be back.

Had a lovely lunch here. Staff very friendly xx Prices were very reasonable too. Very busy little place xxx

We had been here before and it did not disappoint on a return visit. Very good and warming cottage pie on a typically driech Borders January day. Good tea. Friendly people behind the counter - and at the tables. Definitely worth a visit.

Still great service but food poor. Over cooked scrambled eggs, cheap tasteless sausages, budget bread etc Very disappointing

Great for lunch or cup of tea and cake. We went with our dog, while on holiday and the staff were so friendly to us and our dog, giving him water and a biscuit. I had a scone with jam and clotted cream and it was delicious, so much so we popped back the next day to take some home with us. The coffee shop is all you can ask for: good food at reasonable prices, with warm friendly staff and atmosphere. Would definitely recommend it if looking for somewhere to eat in Kelso.

Been visiting Kelso for years and just discovered Caroline's. Had home made soup & sandwiches which were delicious and my wife had cheese & beans baked potato with salad which was amazing. Topped off with two lovely lattes. Staff were so friendly and place was spotlessly clean. Definitely our first port of call for food whenever we return to Kelso.

Dropped into this little place and was surprised by the warm welcome. A really homely coffee shop with daily changes to the menu. From coffee and cake to main meals and all served with a smile.Will be going back.

The wife and I were staying at Selkirk and took a wee drive through to Kelso for the day and...

We go to Kelso 2-3 times a year & always go to Carolines for something to eat, today I had...

Coffee & scones served out doors & even the dog was offered a drink of water! scones were home baked...

I decided to pop in before my haircut and ordered the traditional breakfast, it was amazing for a really good...

Excellent coffee, cakes and Scottish delicacies. Service with a smile and a gossip or 'blether' as they say.

We came here for lunch ... food lovely ... we were treated so well... owners are so friendly.... we will definitely be back before we go home from our holiday...

Came here for some coffees, sat outside as we had dogs with us. Order was taken fairly quickly but drinks did take a little while. Friendly service though, and as we were not in a rush it wasn't an issue. Coffees were nice although a couple of extra saucers and napkins would've been appreciated! For the most part though, this seems like a nice little coffee shop for a quick break!

Although advertises as dog friendly, we just wanted to check. The staff were friendly and welcoming. The food wasn't that bad either...

They cook a good breakfast for the price.I liked the friendly service and attention to detail.Opens early so time to eat before catching the bus. Bus stop nearby.

Stopped off at for lunch whilst doing coast & castles bike ride, 200 miles Newcastle to Edinburgh, on monday 7th about 2pm ,had the best customer service, very polite and helpful, the vegetable soup was great and the tuna sandwich even better as they added free cheese , they also filled our water bottles for free, I don't normally write reviews but felt I needed to as the two young ladies made our visit into Kelso worth it , when we sat outside and let the heavy rain pass they came out to bid us farewell, definitely worth a visit for any occasion

Stopped in for a very late lunch. The soup was one of the best I've ever tasted. Service was excellent and the staff very friendly. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

Warm and welcoming. Food excellent, best bowl of Nachos I've ever had, cooked all the way through, my wife's baked potato was also excellent. Owners friendly and obviously care about their clients needs.

We were wandering around Kelso when we found Carolines Coffee Shop, what a find ,ho friendly the staff were, we had a pot of tea with plenty of extra hot water, we tried the excellent tray bakes the favourite was the white chocolate rocky road.

We were wandering around town looking for refreshments and happened upon Caroline's. Lucky find as we had coffee and scones etc and they were first class. The atmosphere was friendly and we didn't feel rushed or hurried in any way. We don't pass this way very often but next time we're in the area we'll drop in.

I love this cafe! It is consistently good, great staff and a friendly environment. Good for coffee stop and lunch, great jacket potatoes and the daily menu which changes each day. My dog being welcome is a bonus too!

The coffee was mediocre and the baking I had was dry. The atmosphere after lunch was more 'greasy spoon' than comfy cafe, but the staff were pleasant enough.

This is a small and friendly cafe in Kelso. Not too many tables (some outside), with a decent and good value menu. I was here on a cloudy but warm Wednesday morning for breakfast. Opted for the "Full", which was filling and tasty. Comes with drink, toast and preserves. Good, quick service and friendly atmosphere.

What does a rain drenched cyclist need? Home cooked, hot and tasty food that warms the cockles! Just what carolines serves up. Baked potato with haggis and beans. Wow! A great black coffee. And look out for the sponge pud with custard. Perfect.

had breakfast here this morning ( scrambled egg on toast ) after a weekend in kelso lovely friendly staff great food will be back next visit to kelso x

Good food, nice staff, we sat outside with the dogs, the tables our out on the pavement. Had a jacket potato, lovely

We stopped for a late breakfast at Caroline's Coffee Shop. It is a small place, perhaps 8 tables, but they were able to accommodate our party of seven at two nearby tables. Several of us had omelets as we wanted to see how the Scots made them. They were pretty good (but not as good as mine). One of our number had the "Full English Breakfast." He enjoyed it very much. Service was excellent and the server was friendly and helpful.

Stopped for breakfast. Had full breakfast and it was cooked to perfection. Coffee, juice and toast included. Full to bursting now. Staff were lovely - actually it was the owner - lovely people.

It was about an hour to closing when my friend and I visited and we couldn't have been made more welcome! We had sandwiches and a pot of tea and were even offered more tea. It was delicious and very reasonably priced too! I even came away with a copy of the Daily Record. Will be back!!

Stopped here as I liked the look of the place from the outside and conveniently located in town centre. Really nice, friendly cafe, lots of home made options and certainly seems popular, it was full when we were there. Toastie was very nice, as was the coffee

Visited for lunch on Saturday, lovely food, quick service and friendly staff. Reasonably price and a good location for the town centre

Carolines is obviously a popular little cafe as there was only one free table when we entered and every time someone left their table was re-occupied immediately. I had soup and a roll and my wife had a toastie which came with salad and potato crisps. Both very enjoyable. Coffees were good too and all at reasonable cost.

We had a lovely lunch here on way back home to Manchester yesterday. We both had the burger and had them custom made to our requirements. I also managed the bread and butter pudding (almost) which was just out of the oven, delicious. Lots of homemade options and a really friendly couple running operations. The other patrons were a friendly bunch too. Will most definately stop here again. Thanks

This small family run tea room is well wort the time to visit. The staff are so friendly and nothing is too much trouble. A favorite haunt of the locals which speaks volumes.

I called here with my mum, we like to try different cafes and we had never been. The two ladies serving were so friendly, and welcomed us straight away giving us a few moments to look at the menu.The coffee was lovely and hot, and served quickly. The food was a little slow but the tastiness made up for the wait. I had a cheese savoury toastie and the cheese filling was gooey hot and melted, with a massive generous salad for such a smallprice. My mum had egg mayonnaise sandwich and soup, the soup was homemade and delicious, was also super hot. The sandwich was also delicious and very kind with the fillings. Yummy. I had a crispie cake afterwards, and it was tasty too. Will be back with mum again!

Very well run, comfortable cafe in the heart of Kelso. Homemade soup and burger with haggis were lovely.If I had to moan about anything it would be that the tables are squeezed together, but this is what all cafes do!

Fabulous cafe. Fantastic scones. The couple running it were so friendly and welcoming.Only minor criticism is that we like real jam with scones rather than the wee sachets/pods.Highly recommend though.

Not sure why the positive reviews here, i must have missed something. This is a basic no frills cafe used by many local elderly people, and there is nothing wrong with that, it was warm and staff were friendly. My requiements were a good cup of coffee though, and you can only get one here if you like it very very weak with loads of milk.

It was after 11am but they still served us bacon rolls with our coffee. Friendly staff. Toilets. Would definitely visit again.

Visited this café on Friday with my grandad for a lunch whilst visiting Kelso. Lovely selection of food and drink and although busy the service was fast and friendly. Loved my cheese and onion jacket potato with a good selection of salad. My grandad enjoyed his food as well. Very reasonably priced. Would visit again.

This isn't just somewhere to shelter from the rain! Run by friendly, helpful staff it offers a nice range of snacks, sandwiches and, very importantly, cakes.We had some toasties & a couple of the nacho dishes. All very nice!The cake is epic as is the hot chocolate.

Had breakfast here which was huge, so you need a big appetite. Smaller options are available.Decent quality ingredients.Well worth going to.