Baern, Bowhouse and bakery are worth the trip: GNAW magazine

On one trip, the main road was closed on the way home, so we were rerouted, and rerouted again, along increasingly rural and icy roads. The back road off the back road is not much fun in pitch darkness in December. On another, the car got stuck—completely, catastrophically stuck—in the thick, soft, mushy mud of the parking lot. It took three strong men to pull it out, and it wasn’t the first of the day.

Bowhouse is a hub for excellent food and drink, and as the crow flies, the East Neuk is about 20 miles from Edinburgh. But if you’re driving by car, it’ll take about an hour and a half, and you can basically double that time if you need to catch the bus. So… why am I recommending it?

In a word: Baern. Giacomo Pesce and Hazel Powell’s bakery is genuinely brilliant. The open kitchen counter is filled with cakes made with incredible ingredients from the Fife countryside and incredibly creative pastries (a fluffy, swirly bun dotted with carrot and chilli still pops up for me every now and then). The decor is equal parts rustic and well-crafted country house. Major Projects project. Beautiful wooden surfaces and floors, huge windows to let the light flow.

The Bowhouse markets are great fun, and the Futtle Brewery pulls double duty as one of the most impressively varied record stores in the country, but Baern is the heart of the operation. Get out of the car, shake off the cobwebs, grab a cake, a coffee and sit by the window. It might be a bit of a walk, but I promise it’s worth it.

Bowhouse, near St Monans, Fife; Thu-Sun, 10am-4pm
bowhousefife.com/producer/baern
@baern_cafe on Instagram
Photo above by Giacamo Pesce

This article is from the first edition of CHEWour new food and drink magazine dedicated to sharing stories from across Scotland’s food scene. Pick up a free copy at venues across Scotland and follow CHEW on Instagram @gnawmag