The Cream Chimneys — Restaurant in Scotland

I'm being kind when I say the service was slow and erratic. Ordered the Haddock Chowder off the specials menu and when our order of sandwiches and a toastie eventually arrived after a 40 minute wait no Chowder. Happily the sandwiches were 75% correct with one order arriving on white instead of brown bread. An easy mistake and rectified within a few minutes. Meanwhile of the Chowder, no sign.

After further enquiries I was assured Chowder time was imminent and sure enough 5 minutes later it arrived. Two pieces of brown bread and butter and a steaming bowl of Smoked Haddock Chowder. Packed with vegetables but sadly only trace elements of Haddock.

As I’d now been waiting almost an hour and the rest of the group had finished their lunches I wolfed down my vegetable soup forensically searching for morsels of fish without success.

While I was finishing my wife went to settle the bill and to flag the disappointment with my chowder, hereafter known as vegetable soup. On hearing this the cashier/proprietor offered renewed apologies for the delay and to reduce the bill to reflect Chowdergate.

Sadly this tongue in cheek tale ends with further disappointment as the promised financial reduction in the bill turned out to be a 2.2% reduction in the total bill, or if you prefer 100 new pennies, a pound, a quid!!!

I ask you.

I understand this business is under relatively new ownership having established a solid reputation via its previous owners. But on the basis of our experience today we won’t be returning and frankly I can’t see them surviving much longer with such a haphazard approach to service and a reluctance to put things right when...

We'd heard so many good things about this place, in fact the last time we were in Kelso a month ago, it was chockablock so we didn't bother.

Arrived and seated at the back on the corridor to the toilet. This is a narrow corridor area with two seat tables either side, however we had our little dog with us and it was quite awkward for everyone including the other customers and those using the toilets. We couldn't relax because our dog was in the way but there's so little room there.

We looked at the menu's and made a choice. I had to return back to the car so told my partner that I would like the camembert with artisan bread. 5 minutes later when I returned, I was told that this was the evening menu. It's not really clear as it only tells you this in the bottom right hand corner of the sheet of paper. So we went for the panini and the quiche. Both were very nice, however, we both ordered a pot of tea which came 5 minutes after the meals. I think that was a first for us in any cafe we have ever visited.

It was very nice food but the service was a little displaced and putting us at the back with a dog which other patrons, those serving meals and counter staff had to step over constantly, wasn't ideal. We couldn't enjoy our meal because of having to move our dog away from...

Cream Chimneys is a small and very welcoming little coffee shop on the square in Kelso. The menu is small, but the sort if menu that you could happily work your way through, as everything is so appetising. The food is just lovely, all home cooked/baked mostly soup and sandwiches, toasties and oaninis with the glorious "Table of Temptation" to round things off. Everyone is very accommodating to any dietary needs and the atmosphere is friendly. The most popular member of staff is the manager, Piper the coffee shop dog and other well behaved canine friends are also made very welcome. There's a small gift shop section and food is also boxed to take home (which seems to have become something of a habit!) If you want extra for later. If the place is full when you arrive, staff will text you when a table becomes free, they really couldn't be...