Latest news with #TheLeddie
Edinburgh Reporter
04-05-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
The Leddie Launches Seasonal Summer Menu Showcasing the Best of Local Produce
The Leddie, the award-winning boutique retreat in Aberlady, has unveiled its seasonal summer menu. Drawing on the rich bounty of East Lothian's local larder, the new seasonal selection highlights locally sourced ingredients and fresh, vibrant flavours. From garden-grown herbs to locally sourced seafood, the menu reflects The Leddie's continued commitment to sustainability, quality, and culinary excellence. The menu ranges from light lunches in the beer garden to hearty post-golf dinners. The Leddie team has expertly designed the seasonal menu to cater to all tastes and occasions. The Leddie's AA Rosette restaurant invites guests to savour the season in true East Lothian style. Highlights include vibrant summer salads such as a classic Caesar with a choice of chicken or prawns, and a daily rotation of fresh seafood specials sourced directly from nearby shores. The centrepiece of the summer kitchen is The Leddie Grill, where guests can enjoy premium cuts from award-winning East Lothian butcher, John Gilmore. A selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes also features prominently, including seasonal asparagus, pea and wild garlic pappardelle with parmesan, and The Leddie Falafel Burger, served with baby gem, tomato, gherkins, harissa mayo and fries. The beer garden offers the ideal setting to soak up the long, light Scottish evenings, perfect for casual al fresco dining or drinks with friends. Located just 30 minutes from Edinburgh, it is a coastal escape 'that feels a world away'. Robert Clark, General Manager of The Leddie, said: We're incredibly proud of what the team have created for this year's summer menu. At The Leddie, we believe in championing local producers and letting seasonal ingredients speak for themselves. This new menu celebrates the region's best – from the fields, the coast, and everything in between. Whether it's a relaxed lunch in the garden or dinner after a day on the links, we're proud to offer something for every guest to enjoy.' Like this: Like Related
The Courier
03-05-2025
- The Courier
The Leddie hotel was more than worth the trip from Dundee
Is there a more relaxing way to spend a Sunday morning than sipping coffee, wrapped up in a fluffy hotel robe? Only, I decided, if we didn't have to leave. It felt like we'd only just arrived for our one-night stay at The Leddie, a boutique hotel in Aberlady, East Lothian, and we were sorry to check out. Built in 1683, the building was turned into a hotel in 1970, bought over in 2023 and re-opened the following year after an extensive renovation. Now it is a 27-bed hotel in the epicentre of Scotland's golf coast, with a 70-cover restaurant and bar. We arrived after a pit stop for lunch in South Queensferry. Between battling Edinburgh traffic and a tight squeeze through to the car park (even in our little Corsa) we were slightly flustered on arrival. That was soon forgotten after a friendly welcome at reception, with an offer to carry our bags to our room on the first floor. The Leddie, an ode to the original name of the river running through the village, has an inviting lounge which feels airy during the day, then cosy and inviting with its log fire at night. On to our room, a junior suite with a lovely view of the courtyard. It was spacious, tastefully decorated and supplied with a Nespresso coffee machine and beautiful-smelling L'occutane bathroom products. Two rounds of home-made shortbread, alongside a handwritten note, was a personal touch. The only tiny downside was my hair straightener plug did not fit in the socket as it had been built in too close to the dressing table. Luckily, there were plenty of other sockets in the room (unusual for a hotel) and if that was the only fault we could find, The Leddie team have much to be proud of. We took a walk around the village before dinner and noticed lots of helpful information boards for visitors. A tranquil coastal location makes Aberlady the perfect base for a golfing holiday, more peaceful than nearby Edinburgh or North Berwick. Back in time for an apertif, we perused the expansive drinks list before settling on cocktails. It also features page after page of wine options or, if whisky is your thing, there are over 30 nips to choose from. We were equally impressed with the dinner menu, which offered a wide choice of dishes with locally-sourced ingredients. To start I chose cured sea trout, which was delicious but a small portion compared to Steven's huge bowl of Shetland mussels. However when my steak arrived I was relieved not to have filled up too early, devouring every bite of the meat (supplied by East Lothian butcher John Gilmour) and side of fries and salad. Steven's pan-fried cod was also delicious and he somehow found room for a side of crispy garlic potatoes, which were perfectly cooked and used to soak up his mussel butter sauce. Neither of us have a sweet tooth so we debated sharing a cheese board for dessert. I like the option to pay per slice so you only order what you want, meaning no waste. However Steven declared himself stuffed after his mountain of seafood so I went for affogato with Baileys. During the meal deputy manager Ferris stopped by our cosy corner table for a chat and recommended some places to visit the following day. Retiring to the lounge for a nightcap, another quiet corner allowed us to enjoy our chat without interrupting, or being interrupted by, a larger group nearby. Staff continued their impeccable service, checking if we needed refills or recommendations. After a sound night in one of the most comfortable beds I've slept in, we enjoyed the waterfall shower and the robes mentioned back at the start of this review. At breakfast we loved the 'starter' option of porridge or yoghurt, before the 'main' cooked offering. It gave us the choice of a buffet with the service of a sit-down meal. I enjoyed Greek yoghurt with rhubarb compote while Steven tried out a breakfast banana split. We both opted for smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on sourdough, which was the highest-quality breakfast we'd tried for a long time. After a swift checkout we manoeuvred the dreaded car park again and travelled the seven miles to North Berwick by car. For those who prefer public transport, there are bus stops right outside The Leddie with services to North Berwick and Edinburgh. If you want to stay closer to 'home', Aberlady Bay, Longniddry and Gullane beaches all make for peaceful walks nearby. For the golf fans, Archerfield, Gullane, North Berwick and Muirfield are all close by. It's easy to see why AA awarded The Leddie five stars. The food, created under the watchful eye of head chef Shaun Lund, was faultless, the service was impeccable and the surroundings were stylish without lacking in comfort. As I live in Dundee, I'm looking forward to seeing what owners Wirefox do with the Ardgowan Hotel in nearby St Andrews, currently closed for refurbishment and due to re-open in 2026. If it's anything like The Leddie, they're on to a winner. The Leddie: Our stay in a junior suite with bed and breakfast, plus £40 per person towards dinner, cost £363.50 on a Saturday night in April. The same deal on a standard room is available for £255.50. Getting there: Various buses between Edinburgh and North Berwick stop in Aberlady. The nearest railway station is three miles away at Longniddry, which is just 20 minutes from Edinburgh by train.
The Herald Scotland
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Does Scotch whisky really pair well with food? I think so...
They paired each of the courses with a dram of whisky, which really reignited my fascination for food and whisky pairings. I know many people will say that whisky does not go well with food, as the alcohol can overpower your palate, but I prefer to see the whisky as adding a flavour which will contrast or complement the food. However, I find it offers me a different way to experience food, which feels exciting and fun. It was refreshing to see that the team at The Leddie decided to pair my starter - a cured west coast sea trout with lemon creme fraiche and blood orange - with the peated Meikle Tòir The Sherry One. If you have been to a whisky tasting, you've probably noticed that you tend to try the peated whiskies last in the lineup, but I really enjoyed being served this one so early on during the meal. I always prefer when whisky and food pairings feel a bit innovative and different, rather than always following a specific rulebook of what things are "supposed to be". When I go out for food, I would much rather feel that the meal is an experience which includes everything from drinks, to service and atmosphere. For me, it's therefore much more fun to try a selected peated whisky with the sea trout because that was an excellent pairing where the citrus notes and saltiness from the cured fish blended incredibly well with the smoke which was balanced with an underlying character of fruitiness and influence from the sherry casks. Read more: For my mains, I chose a wild mushroom pappardelle with parmesan and tarragon cream, which was paired with a Dalmore 15 Year Old. This was probably my favourite pairing of the lunch as the orange marmalade notes in the whisky, as well as the sweetness, added a really fascinating extra flavour to the pasta. The earthiness of the mushrooms went well with the oak notes in the whisky, and the sweetness of the dram added an element that I didn't know I was missing from the food. This felt like one of those moments where you are cooking a stew or a sauce, and something is missing, but you can't quite put your finger on it. Is it acidity, sweetness or salt? In this case, it was a dram of Dalmore 15. As the portions were quite generous and a big bowl of pasta can be quite heavy, the whisky was almost like an instant digestif. For dessert, I ordered affogato, was really curious to see what the pairing would be here. The dram that arrived at the table shortly thereafter was a Glenallachie 18 Year Old, which is incredibly rich in both colour and flavour. The espresso almost overpowered the whisky, but the rich and indulgent notes of orange zest, banana bread, cloves and dates in the dram managed to hold their own. The whisky even brought out more of the roasted notes and made them linger for longer. What I will say for a three-course lunch with respective whisky pairings is that you'll definitely want to make it a long lunch and not rush through it, and do make sure to order some water for the table. My whisky of the week is the Dalmore 15 Year Old. This whisky is finished in different types of sherry casks, including Apostoles, Amoroso and Matusalem Oloroso after initial maturation in ex-bourbon casks. This is almost like a dessert of a whisky with notes of fudge, orange marmalade, sweet florals and leather. I've also heard that it goes incredibly well with wild mushroom pasta...
