Out of town eating north of the Forth
With seaside views and homemade scones, we've rounded up our favourite places to grab a bite outside of the city
Baern
Bowhouse, St Monans
Baern’s menu sings of the East Neuk’s seasonal larder. Sourcing ingredients from East Neuk Market Garden, Scotland The Bread and Butchery At Bowhouse, all on the same site, the daily menus are hyper-local, creative and delicious. The kitchen aims for zero waste, so fermented and pickled ingredients often star in focaccia sandwiches, soups, baked treats, cordials and kombuchas.
Giddy Gannet
10 Station Road, St Monans
This cute seaside café in St Monans is a great picnic stop on the coastal path. Savoury scones are a speciality, perhaps a lemon, dill and caper option with cream cheese and hot smoked salmon. Run by two brothers, the carrot cake, made to their mum's recipe, has a bit of a cult following, too.
The Mercat
The Cross, Culross
A gorgeous new café in Culross from the team behind The Dundonald guesthouse. Generously filled sourdough baguettes come with house pickles, and the earl grey-soaked fruit scones are very special, as is the sticky ginger and cardamom cake. The little homeware shop and deli on site is also hard to resist.
The Shoregate
67 High Street North, Crail
Choose from the cosy backroom bar or smart sea-facing restaurant: either way, you’re in for a culinary treat. It’s fine dining but not stuffy and the servings are generous. Try cod with orzo and shellfish broth or lamb rump with gnocchi. The rooms upstairs are gorgeous, too.
The Kinneuchar Inn
9–11 Main Street, Kilconquhar
This picture-postcard 17th-century hostelry has inherent style (think earthy classic tones) and an easy-going vibe. A field-to-fork philosophy is evident in each lovingly crafted dish, with much of the produce from neighbouring Balcaskie Estate. No faff, no fuss; this place has heart and soul stamped right through it.
The Wee Restaurant
Main Street, North Queensferry
In pretty North Queensferry, this family-run place has been quietly doing its thing for almost two decades. They know their way around a steak, but seafood is the real joy here. Try the specials or tuck into Shetland mussels with bacon, basil, pine nuts and parmesan.
Also try… Loch Leven’s Larder near Kinross, a big farm shop with a great café, Balgove Larder by St Andrews for a café lunch or visit its Steak Barn, and Town House Deli in Falkland for excellent sandwiches and cakes.
This TipList is taken from Eat & Drink 365, our sister mag recommending the best in restaurants, bars, cafés and more across Edinburgh. Want a copy? It’s available online or across all good stockists in Scotland’s capital.