Cloudhouse Cafe and Gallery in Scottish Borders

Found this place in 2023 and have been many times, it is great on all fronts...food, service, atmosphere,price and quality....best bacon rolls! Highly recommend.

Staff are friendly and have a great sense of humour with the regulars. The menu offers breakfast for vegans as well as meat eaters, so this is a plus for any vegetarian/vegan visitors. I had the CloudHouse breakfast, which includes egg, sausage, black pudding, haggis, potato bread, beans, tomato, and mushrooms. This was washed down with hazelnut latte. The cafe offers table service. For those wishing to have lunch, the menu includes soup, sandwiches, panini, toasties, baguettes and wraps. The coffee is made from freshly ground beans and delicious. Highly recommended for locals as well as visitors to the area.

Delicious scone and coffee in this lovely coffee shop and gallery. We were even able to sit out in the sunshine - a definite bonus.

Just moved to Stow and though we should try the local cafe round the corner - fabulous breakfast and great coffee! Friendly staff.

Wonderful, friendly cafe - lovely staff and fantastic food. Would go every day if I lived in Stow!!! Really good veggie breakfast 😊

Disappointed to find that we couldn't get any snacks or coffee today . We arrived about 2 20pm but told coffee machine off and they were about to close. It was a lovely afternoon seems a shame that custom was lost. A7 is a busy road so I'm sure others would stop for coffee en route

After a long wet and muddy walk I dropped in here for coffee and soup with my equally muddy dog. We were both warmly welcomed . My pet hate is slow service, especially when I’m on my own….it was exceptionally fast and efficient…I was eating inside 5 minutes snd my coffee had already arrived…and there were plenty of customers. Prices also more than fair. Can’t recall the last time I ate all the soup I could for £4.50!!! I’ll definitely return. Thank you for your efficiency, generosity and open hearted approach.

I have been here several times - always a delight good , freshly made food - good selection of cakes ( home made ) easy to find up the side street - plenty of parking

A lovely environment, beautifully done and the food is simply delicious. Good coffee too. Not a bad word to say about it. Wish we loved closer though.

Revisited the Cloudhouse with a group of 13 Scone tasters and the new management seems to have picked up where the last one left things. Friendly staff and good service with tasty Scones for us in the upstairs area. We will be back!

A delightful, bright place to enjoy a relaxing coffee. Attention has been given to every detail of furniture and decor, the coffee was excellent and owner welcoming. Food delicious and reasonably priced. Lovely to visit the Cloudhouse after its recent transformation under new ownership.

Visiting friends in Fountainhall and called in at Cloudhouse. Very impressed with the atmosphere, service and friendliness. Definitely worth a revisit.

Visited this cosy cafe on the first day of its reopening with friends. The coffee, food, cakes and atmosphere was lovely and the service was friendly and efficient. Definitely revisit when in Scotland again ❤️

Top quality food, and good crack with the older gentleman / host possibly the owner. This will now be regular place to head 40 miles to for breakfast.

We arrived cold and wet after a long ride to be greeted at the door by the owner and welcomed in to sit by the fire. Good tray bakes and coffee. I enjoyed looking at the art for sale as well. A lovely cafe that will definitely be visited again.

Good place to visit. Nice takeaway coffee on our first visit to Stow. Nice cafe with good decor. Pleasant staff.

I came across this lovely cafe due to a diversion on the A68, how lucky I was! The welcome was warm and friendy. The food was varied and delicious. The owner and staff were friendly and nice and chatty. The paintings on display and general decor were also really good. I live 250 miles from Stow but I have been looking up things to do in and around Stow since I got home just because this cafe was made me feel so welcome. Hope this place and others like it survive in these times. Good luck to the owners and staff and well done for keeping going.

Again I find myself writing another review for this hidden little gem simply because I feel it deserves the recognition as it never fails to impress me. The Cloudhouse Cafe in Stow is a fantastic place to stop for either hot coffee and cake, lunch or supper and is a must! My family and I stopped in for lunch today to be greeted by Richard, front of house, whose humour and attention to detail was outstanding. When our food arrived we were more than impressed with the quality and presentation of what was served to us. The Cloudhouse is excellent value for money, offering great quality food and 5 star service. We will without doubt return to the Cloudhouse and would recommend it to anyone.🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Great stop on the Hawick to Edinburgh cycle way. Fresh soup, generous portions friendly host. Very good.

Stopped when out cycling this morning and delighted to find a cosy stove lit in the cafe - didn't realise how cold I was after coming down the hill in the wind!Had a delicious lunch - very good Greek flan with a nice array of salads, good coffee and some Tiffin cake to take away.Pleasant and friendly service and good chat with other customers. Tables outside for less windy days - we sat in the window where we could see our bikes. A great destination for a delicious lunch.

We called here on our journey from Edinburgh to the Lake District. This cafe is just off the main road and near the Post Office. We had a full Scottish Breakfast, Veggie Breakfast and Scrambled eggs on toast. All the food was tasty and well presented. We didn't have room for a Scone but they looked deliceous! The service was really friendly and personable. A great place.

Had lunch in Cloudhouse Cafe - what a pleasure to find a warm welcome, comfortable surroundings, a better range of menu options than usual, good presentation & service - and some interesting artwork . . all in Stow! Sorry Stow, don't take it personally!

Great little cafe in Stow. Food was wonderful and not expensive. Great service. Parking was literally across the road from the cafe.

If you’re passing south on the A7 from Edinburgh to the Scottish Borders or vice versa or simply out for a wee drive you MUST stop at the Cloudhouse in Stow. The scones are absolutely delicious and the hot food is just fantastic. They are a dog friendly establishment and also offer a take away service. It’s well worth a visit and is a really lovely place to just sit and while away the hours.

Visited Cloudhouse Café & Gallery and along with the others in our party we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Freshly baked scones was the order of the day with a super selection of Cherry & Almond, White Chocolate and fruit, Cheese etc etc.Staff were most helpful and eager to please any request and all had super sense of humour too!No doubt about it we will be back!!

delicious freshly made food; tables well spaced out; great for kids and dogs; private corners; nice background music; very clean

Stopped here for breakfast after seeing the signs, excellent food and friendly service! Would highly recommend for breakfast or delicious cake

Wir sind zufällig auf dieses tolle Café gestoßen. Die beiden netten Damen waren sehr freundlich und lustig. Das Essen, Panini mit Bree und Cranberries, ist sehr zu empfehlen. Dazu gab es einen sehr leckeren Salat mit selbst gemachtem Dressing und Chips. Bei der reichhaltigen Kuchenauswahl war es schwer eine Entscheidung zu treffen, doch die ausgewählten Leckereien waren ebenfalls sehr zu lecker!

On our way to Denholm we stopped at the Cloudhouse Café for lunch.

Arrived this afternoon for lunch with family, greeted with a friendly welcome. We were served very fast and food come just as fast. Food and coffee was lovely.

Felt lucky to find this lovely cafe in a little village. I had the best vegan cheese and tomato toastie and my husband had a big bowl of cream of mushroom soup. Great Scottish folk music on Sunday afternoon made this a perfect visit.

Delighted to see another brilliant cafe with amazing food lovely staff that’s dog friendly. Brilliant. Would highly recommend 👍❤️

I nipped into this beautiful cafe for emergency toilet stop. Eeeek

Llamamos en nuestro camino de vuelta de Portobello a nuestro Hotel en Melrose. El letrero en la carretera principal alertas al café, el cual actúa también una galería. El personal era amable y el café estaba impecable y admiramos las obras en exhibición. Las bebidas estaban calientes y servido por un personal alegre en Niza vajilla. Fue agradable para relajarse en un entorno tranquilo, está en nuestra lista de las joyas ocultas de salones de té y cafeterías. En futuras visitas a la zona nos revivirá la Cloudhouse Cafe

Stopped in for coffee and cake. I'm on a diet so didn't indulge! My Mum enjoyed her cake and said it was delicious! The coffee was very good and the tiny, delicious meringue shell on the teaspoon was the nicest idea!

Really nice cakes and sandwiches. I recommend the panini which are so light. Teas served really nicely. Yodah the resident dog is also a bonus!

He dejado aquí un par de veces en excursiones en bici al sur de Edimburgo - la comida es buena y el personal es muy amable y acogedor. Buena para los ciclistas, ya que está cerca de un par de carreteras tranquilas, muy pintoresco. También es conveniente si se viaja en coche, ya que está en la principal Stow7 que va al sur de Edimburgo.

Pooped en para comer algo, mientras estábamos en la casa de caza - pueblo pensé una visita a la cafetería local sería una manera de ver lo que la gente gusta, y donde nos gustaría pasar nuestras mañanas potencialmente fin para el desayuno!

Cafetería muy agradable, amable, sabroso y local. El perro te hace sentir bienvenido extra (lo siento se me olvidó su nombre). Elegimos un desayuno con huevos de pato. El pan estaba realmente fresco y rústico. Podía haber sido un poco más elegante con algunos extra quizás parsil o así, pero probablemente podría haber pedido una que. Una pena que no había jugo de naranja fresco en la medida en que pudimos ver. No tiene cosas, buena comida inglesa. Moreoever, hay un montón de espacio para tiendas de arte y un libro final! Vale la pena una visita.

Great wee place, staff always friendly and the food is good too. On a plus side you can take your dog in.

Íbamos en coche desde Edimburgo a Liverpool para volar a Dublín y tomó la ruta panorámica, ya que tenía mucho tiempo. Nos detuvimos en un trayecto precioso después de guardarnos de Edimburgo y no sólo no tenemos un excelente café y tartas caseras, pero después de nuestro segundo café pasé media hora admirando las obras de arte.

Después de visitar mi hermana en Hawick, "nos pidió "visitar Cloudhouse Cafe y tengo que decir que no nos decepcionó.

My hubby and I were out for a ride on our motorbikes and stopped off here for a cuppa. We opened the door and were immediately greeted with a very cheery pleasant lass who turned out to be the owner. We had coffee/hot chocolate and a scone... There was a variety of homemade cakes and very appetising food on offer on the menu board... Was wishing i was staying for dinner.... The cafe was clean very homely and had a lovely atmosphere. It made for a very comfortable break. Thanks for making us welcome!!

Excellent homemade vegetable soup with whole veg in it. Along with fresh smoked salmon and avocado sandwich charming service. Lovely art on the walls £16 with light drinks.

Great cafe and the staff / owner was very welcoming . A lovely range of food and home made cakes . The space doubles up as a wee art gallery and has some lovely individualistic greeting cards for sale . Great disabled toilet but could do with a grab rail at the front door to help those you are a wee bit physically challenged .

We stopped here to refuel when out for a long Sunday cycle. The staff made us feel very welcome and tempted us with a selection of home bakes and cakes washed down with herbal teas. In the end we chose a couple of paninis from the somewhat limited menu. These were cooked to order and took about 20 minutes to come but were worth the wait.We'll make a point of calling in again.

Delicious food, really friendly service, comfortable, bright interior. Cyclist and dog friendly - what's not to like!

We are a group of 6 walkers from Wiltshire on holiday in Galashiels. Today we took the delightful Borders railway to Stow and noticed this coffee house. At that moment the sign on the door changed from shut to open so we gladly entered. We were not disappointed. Some photographers were attending for a meeting, and we were seated by the warm fire and served coffee, tea and a collection of delicious cakes and pastries. Thank you for a really enjoyable start to another walk in this fabulous area. Our leader was so taken by the delights of your cafe that he asked me to write this review!It really was a special occasion.David Trease and NE Wiltshire Ramblers group.

We were in Stow to see the return journey of The Flying Scotsman, having seen its arrival earlier in the day in Tweedbank. With a couple of hours until its arrival, we took a wee stroll around this charming and beautiful village and saw a "We are Open" sign, directing us to Cloudhouse Cafe. We were greeted with smiles and welcomes, and a very sleepy but friendly boxer dog named Yoda - bf and I are big dog fans and he is a big Star Wars fan so we both enjoyed meeting Yoda!We were spoilt for choice - home baking, scones, quiche and panini to name just some of the delights on offer. We decided on a panini and salad each and weren't disappointed - piping hot and very tasty. The staff were so friendly and chatty, and very accommodating - nothing was too much trouble. I could have sat there all day, it was so relaxing.Next time we are down in the area we will definitely be visiting the Cloudhouse Cafe again! Enjoy your visit and make sure you give Yoda a pat!

7 of us on bikes passing by stopped to for a break and refreshment. Staff could not be more accommodating - made room for us upstairs and served fresh tea leaf tea in pots, great coffee and plenty of delicious cakes and snack. Could not fault it. Shall call in again.

Dropped in for coffee and scone. The latte coffee and scone were brilliant the company was bouncing as the café was busy. I think it's under new management well done ladies. I'm sure we will call again sometime in the future.

We went on the new Borders Railway and got off at Stow. Lovely place to amble around and we then stopped for afternoon tea at the Cloudhouse Cafe. Really good coffee and speciality teas, lovely interesting homemade cakes including sticky fruit buns, tiffin, brownies and we hear that on other days they do savoury bacon and onion muffins - yum! The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming (and accommodating of our 5 year old's tastes) and we could happily have sat there all afternoon. Definitely going back there.

Just simply a lovely place. Great atmosphere. Loved the wood burning stove, that definitely MADE it for me. There was a fun text to read about coffee in the restroom, it made me smile. The egg roll was yummy and the staff were kind. I recommend. It was a pleasant way to begin a day of walking in the Borders. Good luck to the owner.

Great stop off on main route through to Edinburgh; delicious food, lovely atmosphere, charming staff and quirky and original décor.

Weather awful, the café was cold.Soup was ok, bread a bit stale, panini was better.We had gone a bit out of our way to visit, due to its reviews, so were a bit disappointed. The gallery itself was interesting, probably worth a return later in the year.

good value, great food and lovely simple surroundings. Home cooked with fresh ingredients and lovely baking

Had a lovely coffee and toastie here. Great selection of cakes, family friendly and say hello to the resident cafe dog!

All things being equal, Stow is a place you might pass by on the car or train, but you'd be missing out on a lovely little cafe, right next to the town hall, in an airy and bright setting, this gem of a cafe serves wonderful coffee, tea and cakes - amongst other things. We have been there twice and have not been disappointed - their caramel crunch cappuccino is well worth a try, and their normal lattes also come highly recommended. If you're lucky, you might also find the very friendly boxer dog Yoda present!

Stopped for a light lunch, staff were so friendly, food was brilliant! Will go again anytime in the area.

It was around 9-9:30am. I was heading south on the A7, along with two other (motor)bikers, looking for somewhere to take a break. We first saw a sign for a Teahouse, but that was all closed up - gone out of business I suspect. So we carried on into the town, as one of our number had spotted another sign for a 'Cafe and Gallery'. Sounded a bit unusual, but got to be worth a try. When we found it, they hadn't opened yet - but we could see through the windows that they were just turning the chairs over. Following a signing-type, silent conversation through the glass, it quickly became evident that the owners/staff were going to open early, just for us. Well, you can't say fairer than that. The Cloudhouse is a nice, bright, clean place, with evidence of alot of time, effort and love having been expended. The 'gallery' bit means all the pictures and paintings are for sale. Two teas (any flavour you like) and one coffee later, we were beginning to feel human again. Who can resist a bacon roll - not us and not these ones - delicious. However, one of our number is veggie. No problem, up pops an avocado and something-or-other roll instead, which our veggie friend found so delicious he wanted the recipe! Whilst we were there, locals started coming in for takeaways. That's when we spotted the cakes! Sad to say, we had to saddle up and move on - but, as Arnie would say, we'll be back!

Went in for breakfast.....it was great! Delicious and filling. The sausages, black pudding and haggis were succulent and tasty. The whole meal was just delicious. The latte came in very large cups, was hot and very, very nice. I also bought a jar of their strawberry jam as it looked delicious but i haven't had a chance to sample it yet. I'm in no doubt it'll taste as good as it looks. Finally, I bought a bottle of "Old Engine Oil"...a black ale. Again, I've yet to sample it, but with a name like that, I just had to have one. The staff are very friendly, polite and accommodating. I was made to feel very welcome and like I was a valued customer. It's a lovely cafe which I simply couldn't fault and I'd recommend it to everyone.

Looking for a place to eat whilst travelling through the borders, stopped in Stow, the cloud hour cafe had a good menu. Had Lincolnshire sausage panini and a pot of tea, delicious, cooked to order. We took out vegan pecan pie and it was delicious too, Substitutions made to keep the vegan title did not affect taste, would eat here again on way up and down the country :)

Came across this place travelling South and what a find! The local churchyard is a great place to investigate between cakes!

Travelling to North Berwick for a couple of days and usually stop off at Galashiels for a break. However, our usual coffee stop was now a car wash! Found this cafe almost by accident, and what a find. Exceptional Americano, and delicious freshly baked cheese scones. Lovely surroundings, nice art work.So good we stopped off on return journey. (Just as good).

Stopped in for coffee and decided to have breakfast, it took a while to come and when it did it was cold, the bacon, mushroom ,egg were all cold , even the beans ! the only hot thing on the plate was a sausage. Am not normally fussy and will eat anything but it was like the food was straight from the fridge .

On occasion while travelling to or from the Scottish Borders, there is a need to stop for food and refreshment. Encountering the village of Stow, on the A7 between Galashiels and Edinburgh, one cannot fail to note the presence of the St. Mary of Wedale Church and a delightful old main street in the village. And nestling in the heart of Stow is the Cloudhouse Cafe and Restaurant. This turns out to be a wonderful stop-over, because not only are you provided with superb food and refreshment (home baking is a forte here!) from a very comprehensive choice of dishes, but you will note the walls are adorned with artists works for sale which are constantly changing. This makes for a very restful surround to having your meal/snack/ drink or whatever you choose. You can have a full lunch or a select afternoon tea (choices of teas available here). You are made to feel welcome and the staff will attend to your every need. A thoroughly recommenable place to be inspired by the visual arts and by culinary delights.

Discovered this by chance on our way to Hawick and needed to a stop for a cup of coffee. Very clean and well organised with several blackboards listing everything from light bites to main meals. Space through the back for children to play keeping them away from the front shop. Gallery display with a variety of paintings for sale makes it an interesting place to stop.Lady who served us was friendly and the coffee and cakes were well worth the money.

What a lovely place. The lady serving engaged with us immediately on entry even though she was busy with another serving. Our first visit was just to look at the art work in the gallery but we were so impressed with the welcome and the cakes we returned later in the day for coffee and cake. The Blueberry cake was gorgeous but sadly as i cannot tolerate dairy products I had to scrape off the cream cheese icing and my husband ate it. The building has been very tastefully converted and the art work adds another dimension.

We were staying in Stow for a week and our last day decided to go to this cafe for our breakfast, we weren't disappointed, very friendly welcome, quality well cooked food, even catered to my faddy tastes. Good value for money, Would definitely recommend

Verrassend gezellig eetcafeetje met heel veel te zien aan de muur. Lekker eten, leuke bediening. Gezellige stop in klein dorpje.

Called in this afternoon for a quick cuppa. Cheery, smiley welcome, good coffee and peppermint slice all at a reasonable price. Sign on door said it would be closed at 4.00pm and though I arrived at 3.50pm they seemed delighted to serve me (and others who followed in after me). There were blackboards displaying an interesting menu at reasonable prices but I didn't sample this time. The style is funky and sort of shabby chic. Now I have discovered this place, I shall return when I am next in the area (oops, that sounded like a threat).

My lovely chum Joss lives near here and suggested we meet up for a chat today. I had never heard of Cloudhouse before and was more than pleased to find a place in a quiet area such as this.The Cloudhouse is clean, bright, welcoming and spacious. The staff were helpful, friendly and efficient. They were on the ball when it came to serving and I just wish it had been a little colder as it was too hot for coffee. And I've heard the coffee is great! We settled for a slice of the Red Velvet cake which really was to die for!I wish we could've stayed for lunch as the menu was really varied. They also do a good array of vegetarian options which my wife would approve of. They even do the odd curry night in the evening, which must be good news for a wee village.If you're on the A7, don't wait until Edinburgh or Galashiels... Stop in at the Cloudhouse.

I have been to the Cloudhouse a number of times over the years and have found it to be consistently good with decent food & friendly service without being expensive.

This is a fantastic little cafe and gallery in Stow. The staff are very welcoming and friendly. The food, cakes and scones etc. are delicious as is the coffee and wine. The fact that there is always an art or photographic exhibition on to look at is a bonus. It has a book swap area on the mezzanine level. The cafe also opens on Friday evenings for theme nights which is great. I would recommend a visit for a leisurely meal or coffee.

It's a few months now since the Cloudhouse changed ownership and I'm pleased to say that things have improved. The staff are friendly and welcoming, the menu choice is good and we enjoyed our coffee and scones very much. (I still think the coffee tastes a little bitter but that's only my personal opinion and everyone is different). The meals being delivered to neighbouring tables looked and smelled delicious and the homemade soups were imaginative. Hope things go from strength to strength for the new owners as Stow can really benefit from businesses like this. Note the cafe is closing for a few weeks in March for a bit of a makeover and look forward to seeing what has been done when we return - which we shall.

The Cloudhouse, previously run by the Gordons, was one of the best cafes in the Borders. Their coffee and homemade cakes were exceptional as was the welcoming atmosphere. Slightly disappointed to visit today and find they have sold up and the cafe is under new management. The new owners are only 3 days into trading so it may be too soon to tell however first impressions are the coffee was not as good (no flavour) nor were the scones. The cafe was busy but the constant noise from the children playing upstairs in the balcony area (think they belonged to the new owners) was not conducive to a quiet coffee. May need to find an alternative for our coffee breaks in the Borders!

Great family run cafe. Very relaxed and friendly. Exceptional scones, cakes, tray bakes and tablet. Big portions and excellent value for money. Best coffee I have had in the borders so far!!

Seriously, the Cloudhouse do the best scones in the world, and I've eaten a lot of scones! This is a great wee place just off the crossroads in Stow and worth a turn off the A7. All the cakes are homebaked, and they are really, really good. Family run business that is welcoming and the prices are fab. Take home some tablet, it's probably the best tablet in the world too!