The counters in Edinburgh worth queuing for: bread, pastry, and the morning ritual.
Bakery counters in Edinburgh worth queuing for: levain breads, laminated pastry, regional bakes and the morning ritual.
Rachel Morgan and Emily Cuddeford's Brunswick Street bakery in Edinburgh, opened 2015, the city's reference sourdough kitchen and the most-loved doughnut.
Worth the queueBrown butter and salted caramel doughnut
TipDoughnuts sell out by 11:00 on Saturdays. Brunswick Street is takeaway only, so plan to eat yours on the walk.
The Company Bakery on Easter Road in Edinburgh, opened 2018, a Leith sourdough kitchen and cafe with fresh-from-the-oven pastries and a small lunchtime.
Worth the queueCinnamon morning bun
TipCinnamon buns sell out by 11:00. Online preorder for collection is the only reliable way on weekends.
Lovecrumbs cake shop on West Port in Edinburgh, opened 2010, a tea-and-cake counter in a Grassmarket-adjacent townhouse with a daily-changing slice counter.
Worth the queueSalted caramel cake
TipWalk in only; the upstairs nook holds four for a quieter window.
Bostock Bakery on St Stephen Street in Stockbridge Edinburgh, opened 2020 by Hamish Saxton, a sourdough-and-pastry kitchen with daily-changing croissants.
Worth the queueAlmond croissant
TipSaturday morning queue runs out the door. Order ahead through the Square online shop to skip the wait.
The Palmerston restaurant's bakery counter on Palmerston Place in Edinburgh, opened 2021, selling the day's bread from the kitchen at the end of restaurant.
Worth the queueCardamom and pistachio bun
TipStock varies by day; show up at 16:00 sharp. Sourdough and cinnamon buns go first within the first 20 minutes.
Edinburgh Larder's bake counter on Blackfriars Street in the Old Town of Edinburgh, opened 2009, baking Scotch pies, sausage rolls, sourdough loaves.
Worth the queueScotch pie
TipPies are at the counter from 11:00 to lunch; loaves sell through the morning. Friday list runs on the website.
Valvona and Crolla's bakery shelf on Elm Row in Edinburgh, baking within the city's longest-running Italian deli opened 1934, with focaccia and Sicilian.
Worth the queuePanettone
TipPanettone preorder list opens 1 October each year; the boxes sell out by mid-December.
Machina's Marchmont cafe and roastery outlet, a bright south-side coffee space with a daily pastry counter stocked from local bakers Company Bakery.
Worth the queueSourdough viennoiserie from Company Bakery
TipThe pastries are bought-in rather than house-baked; quality is high but stock runs out by 12:00. Machina's earlier Brougham Place espresso bar has closed.
Darcie Maher's Lannan Bakery on Hamilton Place in Stockbridge Edinburgh, opened July 2023 and expanded in 2025, a scratch-made viennoiserie counter.
Worth the queueCroissant and pain au chocolat
TipQueues form from 6am on weekends and the rack often sells out by 11am; the pantry next door stocks loaves and pantry goods past midday.
Twelve Triangles Portobello on the high street near the beach in Edinburgh, the seaside branch of the Leith bakery that bakes naturally leavened sourdough.
Worth the queueBrown butter and salted caramel doughnut
TipTakeaway only on this site; doughnuts and morning buns clear out by 10am on summer weekends.
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