The Besom Inn Restaurant in Scottish Borders

We were heading south of the border and stopped off in Coldstream for some lunch during their local Civic Week in August 2024. I lived in the town for several years a long time ago and it was interesting to have a look around prior to popping into The Besom for something to eat. This is a pub which had a good reputation for food back in the day and recent reports seemed to suggest that this had been maintained. The surroundings are “homely” looking with a nod to the Coldstream Guards, there were a reasonable amount of people to provide a little atmosphere and we were given a friendly welcome. The menu has a standard selection to choose from however we were only looking for a snack so both ordered Bacon & Brie Paninis (£5.40 each). These were served in good time and were accompanied with a salad garnish, coleslaw and some crisps. We found the bacon filling a bit on the fatty side but once trimmed by ourselves the paninis were otherwise good. By the time we had added a ½ pint of beer (£2.50) and an Edinburgh G & T (£5.40) our bill came to £18.70 which we considered very good value for money. Toilets were typically bar-like and functional.

A friendly welcome. Not much seating and some tables were reserved. Lots of Coldstream Guards memorabilia. A very good menu selection at fair prices. Its in need of a make over with a deep clean a first priority. The food was very good. A visitor book has recorded all guards visitors.

Visited The Besom whilst staying at a local holiday park. Very friendly service. We both had the steak pie which I can honestly say was the best steak pie I’ve ever had. It took up half the plate and was full of large chunks of the most tender meat which just melted in the mouth. This was in a lovely thick gravy and the chips were to die for. Crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Would highly recommend this pub.

I had some.of the best food and service at The Besom. Owner/Bartender was polite and relaxed, like she knew us and had invited us into her home. We both had the Hunters Chicken Sandwich. Chicken and bacon were both perfectly cooked, arrived quickly, loaded with perfectly cooked chips and onion rings. (Most places can never make an onion ring that isn't greasy, but these were gorgeous!) Even the locals were up for a little chat, which was so nice. 10/10 would recommend. If you want delicious food that is reasonably priced, in a gorgeous traditional pub, this is the place!

Very dog friendly and lunch was OK we rersverd a table has it got very busy While we were in coldstream we visited the museum and it was very interesting

Absolutely gorgeous wee spot with lots of Coldstream Gaurds memorabilia, very small team and beautiful food at The Beesom , if your a party of more than 6 you must pre-book and order, menus can easily be found online though, I'mnot most technical and managed no problem.

Great little traditional pub on Coldstream main street. Easy parking. Small beer garden and some tables out front. Good range of options, both light lunch like toasties, paying etc and larger meals like burgers and scampi. We had fish and chips which was excellent and great value at only £11.99. Service was friendly and efficient. Toilets clean and refurbished by the looks of it. Very dog friendly. Will be sure to be back if we pass through again. Highly recommended!

Walked in and smelt like was in a chip pan, waited at the bar, waited a bit more, moved around making a bit of noise and waited a bit more… then gave up and left!!! Potentially would have been more stars if we actually got served!!

During a recent stay at Coldstream Holiday Park we visited the Besom Inn a couple of time, including once for lunch. The food was absolutely superb and very reasonably priced. Prices at the bar are excellent too and we have absolutely no complaints about the friendliness of the service we received on our trip. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anybody, and looking forward to a return visit later on in the year.

Visiting the area for a few days, this became our "Local" for the break. Very dog friendly, the staff were quick to provide water and treats for our boy which were very well received. We popped in a few times for drinks and once for dinner which was lovely. Great service, good food and very friendly and welcoming. Got a few tips from the staff on places to go with our dog too. we will definitely return.

Stopped at Coldstream after a 2hr drive down from Scotland to feed a family of 7 before finishing our journey. Walked in to a bar with only 6 other occupants and inquired about a table for 7 only to be told they could only serve a maximum of 6 because there was only one member of staff on and only one chef. After deciding it was inappropriate not to feed one of our kids, we asked if we could sit as a table of 4 and 3 to which the waitress agreed but on the understanding we would be served separately. Which she followed through to the letter. Took the order from 4, gave instructions to kitchen, set table for 4, told numerous other customers there would be at least a 30min wait, brought the meal for 4 and then took the order from our table of 3. When everyone finally got thier food it was good. Plentiful plates and tasty, just a really odd set up. Suggested they should make there restriction clear on their website.

Lovely little pub in Coldstream High Street. Traditional menu. The food is fabulous and almost everything has a gluten free option. The staff are really friendly and helpful and went out of their way to help the gluten intolerant diner. The calm and welcoming atmosphere is perfect for someone with social anxiety. They are more than just dog friendly, there is a big jar of dog treats on the bar and our boy got a lot of fuss. They are also dog-aware when seating diners, so do let them know if you are bringing one. We were so glad we booked as several groups were turned away. Don't miss it!!

Lovely Pub with a warm welcome - dogs are welcome to - lovely fire burning so warm and cosy on a winters day would highly recommend 🐾 🐾 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Very friendly people who obviously love dogs! The steak pie was the best I've ever had and the chips were lovely too. I would highly recommend it and will definitely be back!

Worst Sunday dinner we have ever had very very poor uncooked and very little don't recommend it meat was uncooked gravy was like dish water no taste

The pub and staff were very pleasant food was very good we went on a Friday night .band was playing in other bar.the guards room was worth a visit.

Lovely pub in Coldstream with plenty of character. Plenty of memorabilia about the Coldstream guards on the walls. Quick lunch and it was served quick and was plentiful.

Absolutely fantastic. The best steak pie and chips I've had! Very welcoming and friendly service 😊

Waiting staff was excellent even though she was only 1 serving, nothing was too much trouble , food was excellent and also plentiful

Waitress asked me how was the meal? I replied it was “ok” the look she gave me was shocking!!! I told her that the gravy was like water and I thought she was going to explode. There were 2 locals next to me and I thought they were going to have a go at me as well. Left the pub and didn’t dare tell them the beef was too chewy 🥴 never going back to this pub

Lovely pub ! The young lady behind the bar was friendly and helpfull ..The food was amazing would recommend to anyone ... well worth the money WILL BE BACK

Lovely food homemade very tasty fish and burger top quality lovely atmosphere sat indoors and out on both visits

We arrived on spec at 6.40 and had a nervous wait to see if we could still get food and a table. It’s only small inside but has nice atmosphere. We had to take one of the two tables in a separate room that wasn’t so nice but again we were grateful. The kitchen & bar/wait was obviously busy but the barman was friendly and attentive. Our sirloin steak meals were nothing special. The chat with a local couple at the neighbouring table was a definite bonus for the night. Recommend here for drinks.

My wife and I stayed in Coldstream for a few days and visited the Besom a couple of times. The pub is full of character and has a really warm feeling. The staff were very very friendly both times and made us (and our dog) feel really welcome. We look forward to returning there soon.

Booked a table for 12:30 easily. Went in, place was empty. Had to leave table by fireplace as entrance door faced it and bitter air came in with any customer. Had a Sunday roast. I had chicken, my husband pork. The most lacklustre tasteless meal I've ever had. No flavour. The gravy was so watery that it soaked the Yorkshire pudding and made it doughy. The vegetables were hard. My husband liked the pork but ate nothing else. Need a decent chef to cook tasty food! So disappointed ! The lady who served us didnt smile once. Could use a friendlier demeanor. Used to be a good pub. Shame about now

Booked there a week in advance. Spoke to a lady who asked for all details including no. Of people booking. The lady confirmed the reservation and we were looking forward to the excellent Sunday roast we took on a number of occasions there. However, on turning up, we were turned away as the same lady said they were fully booked. She also tried to put the blame on me saying she had said they had no space (then why did she confirm her booking?). Sounds very much like she was trying to cover up for overbooking. I would have maybe understood if she made a mistake and admitted this accordingly, but trying to put the blame on me wasn't very nice. I won't be back. Pity.

Fancied a change from a cafe/ coffee shop so tried this pub for a light lunch Lovely lady behind the bar came to our table to take our order. Hubby was pleased to see a mango beer on draught so had to try a pint, I had a lovely pot of tea. We had bacon amd brie paninis served piping hot with crisps and coleslaw . They were delicious and really good value. Toilets were super clean would definitely return.

We managed to have a Sunday lunch even though we rang that morning. A very traditional pub with locals propping up the bar. The Sunday roast was tasty and filling. Gluten free Yorkshire puddings were a treat. My husband had the beef which was thickly cut and delicious and I had the chicken, again plentiful and succulent. 3 out of the 4 desserts were GF which was a nice surprise. Dogs welcomed and sat under our table with a treat. Two course meal and 2 drinks each came to £38! very good value and would recommend if you want a good hearty lunch to walk off along the river Tweed which is close by.

Dog friendly pub who were more than happy to let us eat in with our dog. The landlady even had a couple of treats to give her which was a nice touch. Food was home cooked and good value for money. Very accommodating in every way. The haggis bites for starters were amazing and steak pie came with a puff pastry top that had plenty of meat underneath. We all cleared our plates! Children had their own menu, but our son wanted fish and chips (they had fish bites on the children's menu-he wanted a small fish) but the the landlady was happy to do him a small fish which was great! Would definitely eat here again if we were in the area!

Decided to go in after seeing it on passing and what a good choice that was. Lovely and friendly staff and a lovely place to eat. Good menu and the food was utterly delicious it really was. We ate every morsel. Would definitely visit again when in the area.

Visiting Coldstream for a couple of day's and called into this pub for drinks. Very pleasant staff that were quick and efficient.

I had the Roast Beef and my Wife had chicken.Both meals were excellent and good value. We will definitely be going again.

Visited for Sunday lunch. Excellent start to finish. The food was amazing and they had a large selection of drinks. Very friendly staff also.

Popped into Besom for a lunch time treat for my eldest who had just returned from the commenwealth games . Had been a few years since I'd been but was impressed with the layout of the premises -much improved. Service ,food,&drink were all great -highly...

My partner and I visited this pub whilst on holiday, and were so pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome we were given. The staff went above and beyond to cater to our every need, even giving us advice about their ‘civic week’ and recommending when...

My husband and I visit the Besom regularly because of the friendly, welcoming vibe. Carol & Michael go above & beyond to make everyone feel comfortable. This week has been especially busy with it being civic week but they still made time to say hello...

Very good service and lovely food, which is a good price. I would highly recommend the Besom for a family meal.

Went to pub today 5th august service was appalling waited 10 minutes while 3 of staff talking between them selves Attitude awful then to be told had to have plastic glasses as "civic week" could not expand what thos was We were not sitting outside...

After having bought several rounds of drink, my family emerged from the quiz which had been held in another part of the Besom as winners! As victors and to mark the passing of a very prominent family member who was a big part of the...

Although a pleasant place to have a drink we tried to eat there on a Monday night (table for 2) and were told no despite it being 30mins before last orders for food and a number of tables appeared available. Maybe the kitchen staff had...

We came in to this pub there was 4 adults and 4 kids, there was only 1 other person in the bar having a drink to be met by the chef who was extremely rude to us. We asked if we could order some food...

We were staying at a friends house just outside Coldstream whilst attending the highland show. We stopped here on our first night. We hadn’t booked anything as we didn’t know what time we would be back. They accommodated us without any issues and we were...

We had a nice meal in this pub. We were looking for places that served normal food for children and found this pub on the high street. The staff were friendly and food was delicious. A number of tables were available to sit outside. The...

Very friendly, warm welcome. Great reasonably priced pub grub menu. When food arrived, portions were generous, freshly cooked and tasty. Wouldn’t hesitate to return. Being dog friendly is an added bonus.

We had dinner and drinks one evening while on holiday. Friendly staff, reasonably priced food and it was tasty too, typical pub grub. Only downside was they only served food for a few hours each evening and stopped serving at 7.30 which is quite early...

Having looked at and baulked at the price of meals in similar places just south of the Border we stopped at the Besom Inn in Coldstream. Great menu and good value bar meals. Main courses were in the £10-£14 bracket. Two real ales on sale....

After a weekend break in Scotland, we stopped here for a walk and a bite to eat. We read reviews it was dog friendly (although our dog is a little moody). Lovely cosy pub with warm atmosphere and we got parked over the road with...

We walked into the town from Coldstream holiday park for a late Sunday lunch and weren’t disappointed, the beef in particular was beautiful. Great that the kids could choose alternatives from the Sunday lunch and my boys really enjoyed their bolognaise and pizza. The staff...

On a bitterly cold night, The Besom provided a warm welcome and hearty food. It's a small bar and restaurant offering a short menu of top class local offerings. My other half opted for the haggis fritters and I had spicy chicken wings, both nicely...

We were very surprised and happy to get a last minute Valentine’s Day booking. The pub was very quirky and cosy and had a lovely open fire and quaint bar. The place had a historic feel to it. We ordered drinks and sat at our...

Lovely staff and the people that run it are fabulous! Visited as a family group, one being vegan and Michael and carol the landlord and lady were amazingly helpful! Michael makes most of the food on the menue food which is yummy! He was really...

Excellant food. Generous portions. Proper steak pie. My husband said it was best he's tasted!! Cajun chicken was great too. Didnt have to wait too long either.

We called here twice and enjoyed some really good food. We had Garlic mushrooms for starters and also the Brie dippers. We also had macaroni cheese and the chicken and mushroom pie. On the second visit we had chicken curry and the chicken pie. All...

Whilst exploring Northumberland and the Scottish Borders we drove through Coldstream around dinner time . I called the Besom and asked if they could provide a table for 4 with 4 dogs. The young lady on the phone was very accommodating and slotted us in...

We ate here last month had Sunday dinner the food was well cooked and well presented and the waitress really nice. The pub is really friendly..highly recommended to tourists and nice sitting outside watching Coldstream life go by.

We were warmly welcomed, the service was efficient, and our burger was very tasty. The pricing was reasonable. It's a shame I had no room for the good sounding puddings.

Lovely home cooked food at reasonable prices and lots of choice on the menu. I would thoroughly recommend

Had a lovely lunch of scampi and chips one day along with a muffin and latte. I do not wear a mask and I was not hassled for it. The next few days, I decided to have a latte at lunch since you can sit...

We called in here for a late lunch with our 2 dogs and received a very warm welcome, dogs were made a huge fuss of. Had a good chat with the owner about the difficulties of Covid restrictions ( currently not allowed to serve alcohol)...

Went for lunch yesterday. Booked a table with a friend and my little dog. Food was very good and chips the best. Friendly staff and good service. Will be back soon.

The Besom has recently undergone a refurbishment having changed hands in November 2019. We have spent a couple of evenings in there since their reopening. Lovely people and the food is good too. I particularly enjoyed the steak pie.

We stayed across the road on 11 July 20 and were recommended the Besom for food and drink.Found the wine reasonably priced. The pub food was great. We had toasties and chips cheese & gravy/curry.We'd been travelling all day and ended up there on a whim. The service was great, even more so adhering to all the covid restrictions. Thank you

Nice friendly staff Food was decent and fairly priced Interior decor could do with a Bit of a boost.

This was our second visit this year for food and they did us proud again. Lovely food good price. Stake in the pie melts in your mouth. Nice home made burgers. Great to see this place coming alive under New Ownership. We will be back and recomend.

We were in Edinburgh rang and booked for 3 and a dog - being listed as dog friendly. When we got there we were told the dog could not go into the eating area as it was a carvery but was allowed into the bar area but they were not serving in the bar. After a bit of discussion the manager said we could go through to the carvery and take our food into the bar and were helpful doing this but we had to walk outside around the back of the building to do this and carry our food back! The pub wasn't very busy but customers were getting turned away as fully booked?The food was reasonable they had no apple pie mentioned in previous reviews but the crumble was nice.To be fair it became apparent the management had only taken over the pub 2 days before our visit. So things are bound to improve.

We went for my parent’s 60th wedding anniversary and were one of the first to get food as I believe the kitchens have just been refurbished. The service was excellent and the food ok. The plates could have been at least warm not cold and the beef was a little tough, but the ham was lovely. Desserts were very generous.

Nice to see the pub open again. Shame they aren't severing food, that was the only reason we use to go in before.

Interesting dynamic here. The previous tenants, who had been in the pub for at least 18 years probably lost drive and vacated. After many months of being closed, Punch Taverns appointed a new management team who had/still do run another pub further north in Scotland. On re-opening the Besom does not do food at all for allegedly technical reasons in the kitchen. In the run up to Christmas and with a management team who might want to hit the ground running with some small it dynamic initiatives to cement their presence...they haven’t. Customer services skills are very lacking and the culture seems to be, as far as customers are concerned, “my way or the highway”Many in Coldstream would hope that the Besom would work as it used to. Not sure this will be the case

Condescending, rude, obnoxious and belittling is how I would describe our one and only encounter with the landlord of this establishment. Came in to the empty ‘guardroom’ having walked in through the beer garden. I guess it was empty due to the sewerage stench coming from the toilets at the end of the room. No signage whatsoever to say no dogs allowed so we were astonished at the aggressive attitude when being asked to leave. Our only option was to go into rowdy public bar or garden full of wasps. He even waited staring at us as we sorted ourselves and left. Wouldn’t mind if we were nicely asked and decent explanation given... ‘RULES’. Pub obviously doing a roaring trade off season so no need for civility. Good luck going forward but much preferred the attitude in other pubs in town.

Stopped here for lunch on a wet walk around the area. Barman was really welcoming. Good beer and food. Lots of Coldstream Guards memorabilia.

Driving from Edinburgh to Newcastle, pregnant wife needed coffee so I wanted a pint. Delighted we chose this little gem, a true British pub. I had lovely ale and she loved the coffee so much she let me have a second pint.

Spent a few hours in here with family, The landlord was very pleasant and helpful and we enjoyed our time looking at all the Coldstream Guards photos and paintings.

We visit here every year and always made welcome, the beer and the food are good, what more can you ask for. 4 stars to the BESOM, Wanye and his staff.

Good food, both British and further afield, at a reasonable price. Food well presented and service excellent.

Always a favourite, friendly helpful staff, freshly cooked and prepared food is always good. It's certainly hard to beat in Coldstream. Highly recommend visiting this cosy cafe.

We went to Coldstream for a afternoon, we never ate here, just dropped in for a couple of drinks. This is a lovely traditional pub, on a cold day the log fire was lit which added to the atmosphere. But i must mention Sonia, what a lovely lady, great service and a warm welcome.

Food is served from 6:30pm. Nice size menu. The salmon was excellent. Not only hot with the Stilton and apricot sauce but also the poached salmon salad. Good size portions and came out hot. Well priced

Supper on a Monday evening was excellent. Enjoyed the company of the staff and customers. Chef came to ask if everything was OK.

Popped in, service was great and the food was excellent. Couldn’t fault a thing. Best steak pie I’ve ever had. My daughter had the Cumbernauld sausage and she loved it. If you want a great tasting home cooked meal, visit here.

Called in with dogs who were welcome in bar. Owners were very friendly and stayed for a good couple of hours. Would go back and have an evening meal next time up there.

Went with my family and guide dog. Great food and the dog had a great time. Nice big helpings and fab pudding.

We have just moved to Coldstream and decided to walk to The Besom for dinner, it was so good we have been back twice at lunch time to the bar, where they allow dogs. It is a very traditional pub, with brasses, wood cabinets and a very welcoming roaring fire!

not very good , booked for 12.30pm but the doors were shut and didn't get inside until 12.35 . Quality wasn't that good and the order was incorrect

Just a pub and quite a small one, we sat in the lounge but not much room for other customers to get past, on way to toilets. Food was okay but not restaurant standard, but priced as if it was. We had starters haggis balls (3 the size of scampi) and home made soup, followed by mains of half a chicken (deep fried! I think) and a curry. Staff did ask if everything was ok, but on the whole we were disappointed having read other reviews we were expecting a restaurant, not a bar meal.

Staying local to Coldstream we had passed The Besom a few times.

Once again a year later and I still get excellent service from this establishment always a pleasure to dine in here and the beer is good to well done again and thanks

A lovely little pub with a real cosy feel to it. Both times we have been we sat in the snug which is decorated with Coldstream Guards memorabilia. The landlord is very friendly and welcoming and the food is great. Try the steak and ale...

We arrived at 5pm wanting to stop for a meal. It looks Okay from outside. We sat at one of 2 tables and read the menu which was rather uninspiring and short. We couldn't work out what the smell was and then discovered the toilets...

Me decidí a conducir el domingo y por ningun motivo especial terminó en Coldstream. Yo estaba un poco de un día de lluvia y vi el Besom en el otro lado de la carretera desde el aparcamiento. Me pareció una cálida bienvenida del barman y...

Llamado para unos tragos y algo de comer. Me encanta el ambiente del lugar. Comida abundante, caliente y delicioso.

Cuatro de nosotros fuimos a la Besum para una cena. Era un poco anticuado, pero la acogida fue buena y el personal era muy amable y servicial, incluso nos contaron cómo el hotel recibió su nombre. El plato principal era bueno pero el Sticky Toffee Pudding estaba fuera de este mundo - tan buena que volvimos la noche siguiente, así que podría haber de nuevo!

this place is a must if you are travelling into this beautiful part of Scotland. the food and the owners are great company if you like this also I had a first taste of a Scottish lager I never heard of before beautiful well worth a visit I will call here again Folks you really need to try this place you wont be disappointed if you do thanks to you all and of course your friendly locals to

Lovely little pub centrally located in the center of Coldstream with a great array of memorabilia of the Coldstream Guards, and a handy place for a pub meal.

Went here for evening meal after reading all the positive comments but definitely will not be going back.Nice friendly pub as we went in, got a table for two. The table was so sticky the place mats wouldn't move.I ordered fish and chips with peas the wife ordered chicken korma with boiled rice and naan bread.Our meals were served after about 10 minutes.The fish was ok but dry frozen chips terrible left half of them.The chicken korma I'm pretty sure was a supermarket bought microwave meal. Not very good. It came with pilau rice and mini naan.I was going to order the steak pie after reading how good it was but as we walked in two people were eating it and again frozen vegetables which they both left so I didn't bother.Pretty poor food for the price especially when it's mostly frozen and possibly a microwave meal.

We stopped here for food one evening and were the only ones eating here. Simple home cooked fare was very good and reasonable. Service was excellent from friendly staff.

Travelling back to Fife from Yorkshire, we crossed the Tweed and landed in The Besom for lunch.Looked like some nice ale on offer but I was driving. The food was excellent, served promptly by a very friendly landlord and landlady. Good food and a good chat.We were only passing trade, but if we're passing again, we'll definitely drop in.

Terry and I popped back into the Besom for dinner. We were not disappointed !! Terry described the steak pie as the best steak pie she had ever tasted. Fluffy crisp puff pastry, tender and juicy steak, lovely gravy ~ complemented with fresh (in season) veggies.Washed down with some excellent Chilean Merlot. All in all a brilliant dinner !! We'l be back again for def !!

Great little pub serving traditional pub food with real ale and a friendly landlord. Well worth a visit .

Went for evening meal and the first thing I noticed was the fatty smell when I walked in. Food was ok, deep fat fryer is used to do roast chicken. Meal was ok but nothing special. Memorabilia from Coldstream guards was nice to see but probably wouldn't return for food. Staff were very nice and very friendly.

Booked a table here at short notice for Mother's Day. Slightly distracted with the Formula One on the TV or I would have given 5 stars (My Mum is a quiet talker) but asides from that, the service was excellent. Starter was a Haggis variation called 'Haggis Tweeds' which got a lot of conversation going as to what it could be. We were not disappointed. The main course was Eyemouth caught fresh fish and was cooked to perfection, all the segments falling away and a batter to behold. The chips were the thickness of a brickies thumb (Yum!) and again, cooked to perfection. Very reasonable price for some good wholesome food and a generous portion too.