Lannan Bakery & Pantry — Restaurant in City of Edinburgh

Top level: this pastry is worth waiting for. It is elegant, delicious, playful, and ranks with the top I’ve tasted. Any review that is mouthing off about average pastry is clueless/spiteful/delusional, and tasteless. This is top drawer stuff. Standout overall: the plain croix was awesome. Could really taste the tangy butter, gorgeous crunch and lush layers. I loved eating this. Cons: the line. Details: spent 60£, got Plain croix, Cinnamon cream cheese, Pain suisse, “Jaffa cake”, Strawb danish, Prosciutto and cheese croix (with olives?), Asparagus danish, Pistach cherry split, date pecan bun, flat white, wet latte, spelt baggy. Coffee: In a crowded field of great coffee in Edinburgh Lannan definitely is in my top picks. One of the best coffees I’ve had in the city. The baguette was fantastic. Would love to have had some of the focaccia as well. Pastries: Favourite sweet: cinnamon cream cheese. Fave sav: ham and cheese. Emphasising that I enjoyed all of what I ate, a great deal, some things reduced that level of enjoyment. I am a jaw unhinger, gimme a massive sandwich and I’ll take a chunk outa that thing, no problem. However, I don’t really want to do that with a Jaffa cake. Sea buckthorn jelly was awesome, but I thought the whole thing could have been smaller, and cheaper. I found myself nibbling elements of it, and not being able to enjoy the ensemble because it was just a bit too tall. I also think that 4£ for a Jaffa cake is too much, even if it is delicious. Less is more sometimes. The strawberry danish was lush. Loved the tangy creme fraiche and nutty, toasty crumble at the bottom. However I just think there was too much happening, and some of the elements kinda got lost. There was one bite where I think I got everything in one, and it was awesome. Woulda liked it to be more consistent. Maybe the fresh strawbs coulda been diced into the jam, underneath the CF cream, instead of the visually appealing layer on top?

Now the big criticism: the queue. We waited an hour (0830-0930). I realise from your google reviews and replies that you’re working on a solution for the line, but I think you could implement changes right now, to make your customers’ experiences much much better, and crucially, faster. There was no menu. You need a menu every day, so that when people arrive at the counter they already have some idea of what they’re going for, and don’t have to decide on the spot. This can be an Instagram post on the day, a platter somewhere at the front in one of the windows, or just a chalkboard. There needs to be another payment machine, because there appeared to only be 1 (I could be wrong), but that’s such an easy streamlining. Both the doors should be wedged open, so that the line snake can move smooth. One was closed on the morning I visited. I liked the interactions I had with FOH today, and wouldn’t usually do this, but on this occasion I’ve gotta mention the speed of the staff (not the barista, she was rapid). There was not a great deal of urgency in the interaction. Obviously that’s the art of FOH, striking that balance between relaxed attentiveness and speed, but on this occasion I felt it fell short. We had a big order, delivered to FOH in two batches of 4. On both occasions the order was given, and then given again after a box was brought out and constructed, maybe a minute elapsed before pastry was being collected. I recognise the space constraints but maybe pre-constructing some boxes before service is a good idea? It’d save 20x2 seconds per large order, and that adds up to minutes. But most of all I think that you’ve gotta really actually remember the status you have now; that for most people going to Lannan It’s a fucking special occasion, and staff have to move with the alacrity in keeping with that occasion. It’s exhausting. Everything in Lannan is considered and elegant, and I’m sure the solution you have in the works, for the queue, is going to be no different, but in the meantime some short term fixes wouldn’t go amiss.

Can’t wait to come back...

We dropped in a few weeks ago as there was no queue & purchased the Medjool Date buns & Rhubarb Flan, they were exceptional. Not greasy, didn't fall apart on eating, good portion sizing, in short, exceptional & absolutely divine to the very last morsel. Anyone suggesting in all the really miserable 'one star reviewers' department here that you can find products like this elsewhere in the city 'just as good', you are both delusional & mean, this is a one of a kind talent & it's wonderful to have something like it in our city. Additionally, for the ingredients being used, the prices are extremely fair for what is a luxury treat.

The interiors are, as expected, straight from the pages of a DeVOL book or Kinfolk Magazine.

Will we be back, absolutely, providing there's no queue which of course is probably unlikely with the tourist season approaching. Although there was no queue when we arrived, as we were leaving you could feel the hysteria starting to rise with people forcing their way through the doors with their eye sockets rolling back in their heads. One woman was even instructing a man how to hold the door better for her, after he had politely held it open for her! People need to get a sense of perspective (not to mention manners). The sweet treats are seductive, but taking planes, trains & automobiles & queuing for hours, even for the most divine of buns is, quite simply, ridiculous. I mean, get a grip.

I have applied the five stars for the talent & artistry of the products, the service however I will say was less than desirable. Whilst one can only imagine what these people have to put up with on a daily basis from the self-involved ingrates that beat a path to their doors & ask for vegan, gluten free, halal & all manner of intolerances, at the end of the day to be so sullen & miserable looking isn't professional. I would add that some kind of acknowledgement or crowd management such as 'whose next' would work a treat as there were people who just seemed to be mulling around as opposed to purchasing. Even the greatest of talents are only as good as there team & the team (serving) came across as pretty miserable & bordering on rude.

So, in summary, yes Lannan is an exceptional Veinoisserie, the buns & flans we ordered were worthy of any in Paris etc, there is absolutely nothing comparable to them in the city. Is it worth queuing & getting hysterical over - of course not! Would it be great if we could shut off the continuous inane drivel of wannabe 'influencers' & self-appointed 'foodies' & just shove their iPhones in the bin so we could enjoy these delights in peace.....yes it would.

Lannan is perhaps not so much an education in baking as perhaps a sad reflection on...

We listened to the recommendations and checked out this amazing bakery in Edinburgh! Bakery opens at 9 AM and we joined the queue around 9:45 AM. It was not as long as we had anticipated, only waited about 15/20 min and the queue did not go too far back! We went on a Thursday morning so I think on weekends you’d see the long queues everyone warns you about! I read online that some things get sold out by 10 AM sometimes but we were able to get everything we wanted excluding the yuzu pastry.

The bakery was so cute and small but the service was great! Limited drinks menu and I think only one person making drinks but the latte we got was delish.

Now, on to the best part.. the pastries!! We got the cream cheese cinnamon pastry, cardamom bun, medjool & butterscotch bun, triple chocolate croissant and chocolate croissant.

Cream Cheese Cinnamon - 7/5 literally unreal and the best thing we had!!! Not overly sweet, the pastry was flaky and yum and the cream was light and had a yummy citrusy flavor as well. Unlike anything I’ve ever consumed.

Date & Butterscotch- 5/5 amazing little bun, it was so beautiful and the sticky toffee type glaze was so yummy and not too sweet. This was also one of our faves because we have never had anything like it!!

Triple Chocolate/Chocolate Croissant- 5/5 can’t go wrong with a chocolate croissant, especially TRIPLE chocolate. This was such a classic and was filled with melty chocolate inside, it was great but you have got to try the more unique things. We got these because we can never say no to a chocolate croissant. They were a perfect chocolate croissant, so flaky and delicious, not a need to try as you’ve probably tasted something like it before.

Cardamom - 4/5 SO fragrant and tasty! This was a more bread-like texture which I wasn’t expecting but it was so good to enjoy with a latte. Just the right amount of sweetness and insane aroma and flavor! I think this is a popular one that people try. My only qualm was that it was not a flaky pastry and rather a bready one but that’s just personal preference! Definitely recommend it!

Overall this place was so so worth the wait for us!! The pastries we tasted here were unique, delicious, and we did not feel like our teeth were rotting out of our heads after!! If you can withstand a long queue HIGHLY recommend trying!

(P.S. The place is small and really can only accommodate 8 people inside so that’s definitely part of the reason there’s long queues outside. I’m sure if it were just a smidge bigger the queues wouldn’t be as bad so don’t let the long line stop you from...