The Wee Green Hut is proving to be a haven for ex-Edinburghers like myself in desperate need of their bagel fix.
The small cabin has only been open a couple of months but is already popular with both locals and visitors to Haddington. For Haddington residents who used to live or work in Edinburgh, it is offering a much-missed taste of the city, providing a convenient take-away breakfast or lunch during the week, and somewhere to relax over a coffee at the weekend.
The Hut was created by the owners of The Green pub Laura Mouat and Kurt Edwards, who realised the need to move with the times that COVID-19 had created. Already providing take-away food and drinks from the pub, they noticed that tastes were changing, and the focus was very much local. Their customers were seeking something a bit different with a focus on good quality, local suppliers and sustainability.
Taking on board this local focus, The Wee Green Hut supports many East Lothian-based independent suppliers like Denny’s Bakes (see my previous review of these amazing cookies here), Seriously Dough, Station House Bakery, Machina Coffee and John Gilmour butchers. They also produce a lot in-house, including baking their own bagels, cinnamon buns, muffins and blondies, and smoking their own homemade pastrami.
Fortunately, unlike Royston Vasey in The League of Gentlemen, The Wee Green Hut isn’t just for local people but also welcomes visitors to Haddington, looking for a quick stop or a picnic while enjoying the beautiful town and surroundings. Visitors much like myself. I was lucky enough to be in Haddington on a beautiful July Saturday and sought out The Wee Green Hut for lunch.
Bagel options included piri piri chicken, pesto chicken, smoked salmon and halloumi, but as a pastrami lover already, I had to try their own version. It came on a toasted ‘everything bagel’ (I can’t remember what was in it, but trust me, go for it) with mustard and gherkins and was thickly sliced with the ideal flaky texture. They had certainly perfected the pastrami technique and the whole combination was a taste sensation.
The sun was shining, so we took our bagels and excellent cappuccinos, all in eco-friendly packaging, down to the River Tyne Walkway to enjoy. An indulgent white chocolate and Biscoff blondie was squirrelled away for later.
I definitely recommend stopping by The Wee Green Hut next time you’re nearby. Tucked away down a side street, it isn’t the easiest to find, but once you reach The Green pub, you know that excellent coffee and bagels are only a turn away.