Damascus Drum

Christopher and Frances Ryan opened Damascus Drum on Silver Street in Hawick in 2005, converting a former bootmaker's shop dating from 1881 into a café overlooking the Slitrig Water. Christopher, who has travelled widely in the Middle East, filled the shelves with second-hand books for sale and hung hand-woven rugs from Anatolia on the walls, giving the small dining room a character distinct from a standard high-street café. The kitchen serves soups, mezze-style plates, salads and daily specials alongside cakes and coffee, with vegetarian and vegan dishes available throughout the menu. Local and ethically sourced ingredients are used where possible. The café sits just off Hawick's High Street, close to the town's horse monument, in a town better known for its knitwear and cashmere mills than its cafés. It opens Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 5pm.