Sunflower

As bright and breezy as its name suggests, the Sunflower, a cosy little haunt just off Peebles’ busy high street, is a real family-friendly oasis. Val and Andrew Brunton are the affable owners, with Val’s excellent but unfussy cooking the star turn. Local produce abounds, with meat fresh from the local butcher, wine from a Peebles wine merchant and organic ice cream from a nearby Borders farm. Light lunches tempt you with generous open sandwiches and more substantial dishes such as Thai fishcakes. Dinner sees the likes of beef fillet from the Forsyth & Sons butchers in Peebles and sea bream with Mediterranean vegetables, both cooked with the same unfussy conviction. For young ones and stressed parents the box of toys for children is a godsend.