Family Style Dining at Carriages

As we reemerge from lockdown, Renfrewshire Foodies enjoy an afternoon of familial joy at Kilmacolm’s Carriages.

There’s no doubt about it, the last six months have been hard on everyone. Simple pleasures such as meeting up with your family have been out the window, leaving us to try to make sense of the world around us. However, we might be starting to get back to normal… 

Case in point, the team behind Carriages in Kilmacolm has pulled out all the stops to get your family together again. Buffet-style carveries might be out, however carving boards at the table are in.

Venturing out again after so long can be scary, especially when you’re rolling out your parents for their first restaurant meal in months. But rest assured, Carriages have a great handle on socially distanced dining, with the safety of its customers serving as paramount. We were asked to wear masks on entering the premises, give our details for track and trace, shown a sensible one-way system around the venue and given info on their two-at-a-time policy in the toilets. The tables were well spread out, masks could be removed once seated and you’re encouraged to remain there as much as possible to avoid social contact. 

The venue is dog friendly in the bar and the outside area which was a huge plus for us. Our toy poodle Teddy is part of the family, well behaved and enjoys hanging out with his humans, so being able to bring him to Sunday lunch was lovely. He even got his own canine-oriented dish delivered from the kitchen. 

Now, on to our experience – we loved it, genuinely. There’s a real warmth about the staff and the General Manager, Scott. Nothing was too much trouble and the team took the time to talk us through the food menu and the drinks on offer, including highlighting all their non-alcoholic options for the drivers. 

As we visited on a Sunday, we opted for the carving board. Opting for gammon, this came in at £40 for four people. Sirloin beef and chicken are also available and if you’re short on folks to take with you, £10.95 will buy you a single-plate Sunday roast. While we waited, the staff brought along some freshly baked homemade bread and salted butter to begin. We skipped starters based on the knowledge that there was plenty of food coming. 

Photo by Renfrewshire Foodies

When our board arrived, we weren’t disappointed. Nobody was leaving hungry! A well sized gammon joint, finished with a mustard crust, mash and roast potatoes, a selection of roasted veg, green beans, cauliflower cheese and the hallowed Yorkshire pudding were all present and correct. Lashings of gravy, which we poured over our food, finished the meal. We piled our plates high and enjoyed family conversation round the dinner table, something we’ve sorely missed over the past few months. It felt beautifully normal. 

Is Carriages worth a trip out to Kilmalcolm? Absolutely. It’s got a warm and homely feeling inside, on top of being stylishly refurbished to a high standard. Their extensive and great value cocktail menu suits a younger crowd, while they cater for the more traditional guest with their afternoon tea range, available seven days a week. 

Definitely save room for dessert. It’s worth it. We tried the Milkybar Mousse, served with raspberry gel, poached raspberries and candy. It was delicious, homemade and more than reasonable at £5.99 a head. My parents went more traditional, finishing their roast off with the selection of well-presented creamed ices. 

Simply put, Carriages offered great value, delicious food in wonderfully homely surroundings and we very much look forward to returning soon. 

Carriages, Station Road, Kilmacolm, PA13 4DW, 01505 805300. This review was published in Mill issue 10 September/October 2020.