The Townhouse Hotel - Melrose

The latest venture from the Henderson family, who have been running Burt's Hotel across the Melrose market square for more than 30 years, is an aptly named, converted townhouse with a style and atmosphere all its own.

For light casual meals, choose the brasserie – a contemporary setting for modern dishes along the lines of sautéed partridge breast with Stornoway black pudding and caramelised apples, char-grilled salmon fillet with saffron and crab risotto, and Cajun chicken Caesar salad.

The restaurant offers a touch more formality, although the menu that includes many similar dishes ranging from cannon of tuna with black pepper and fennel seed crust, teriyaki sauce and sesame oil to passion fruit and vanilla charlotte drizzled with wild berry salsa.