Coltman's Delicatessen & Kitchen

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

If you can, grab a window seat at Coltman’s to make the most of its picturesque views over the River Tweed. If not then console yourself with the fact that the food here is also worth admiring. Kenny Coltman opened in Peebles High Street two years ago with an already established reputation and is now a firm fixture on the Borders food scene, supplying the whole range from posh picnic food in the deli to fine dining in the restaurant. For a starter try the competently cooked salad of confit duck leg with poached duck egg. For mains a trio of game makes the most of ingredients sourced in the surrounding local countryside. Alternatively stone bass combined with crunchy fennel and razor clams is a happy combination of textures and flavours. Complete with thistles on the walls and a wood burning stove, the intimate restaurant has a contemporary Scottish style that makes for romantic surroundings. Touches like a lemon posset served in a miniature kilner jar add fun to finesse. The bright and laidback deli shop front is a less formal venue for snacking and lunch with a moreish selection of continental treats, salads and pastries.

• High point: An amuse-bouche to write home about
• Low point: Vegetarian options limited in the evening