A Food Lover’s Day Out from Edinburgh: Cook, Eat and Explore East Lothian

The Yarrow Cookery School
2 days ago
4 min read

Just 18 minutes by train from Edinburgh, Yarrow Cookery School sits within the beautifully restored Longniddry Steading in East Lothian: close enough for an easy day out, but tucked away enough to feel like you have properly escaped the city.

A day at Yarrow is about more than learning a recipe. It is about arriving somewhere special, slowing down, cooking with beautiful local ingredients and sitting around the table together. Whether you are visiting Edinburgh, planning a get togeher, looking for a thoughtful gift, or simply wanting to explore more of East Lothian, a cookery class at Yarrow makes a memorable food lover’s day out.

This is not a checklist of everything to do in East Lothian, but a slower way to spend the day: coffee, flowers, cooking, coastline and a few favourite local stops.

Start with the journey to a food lovers day out from Edinburgh

One of the loveliest things about Yarrow is how easy it is to reach, while still feeling completely hidden away. You can hop on the train from Edinburgh and arrive in Longniddry in around 18 minutes, then make your way to the steading from there.

For those who love a slower start to the day, you could cycle down to the steading from Portobello and make a morning of it. There is something very special about arriving in East Lothian with the sea air, open skies and coastline around you.

Arrive at Longniddry Steading

Yarrow is part of the restored Longniddry Steading, a beautiful setting with stone walls, gardens and a real sense of history. Guests often tell us they cannot quite believe what is tucked away here when they arrive.

Before or after your class, you can pick up coffee from Perk Coffee Shop, which is also based at the steading, or collect flowers from In Bloom Studio, our beautiful neighbour just beside Yarrow. Or why not pop into Fern Bothy, where you can enjoy yoga and wellbeing classes, making it a lovely destination for anyone wanting a day that feels calm and a little bit different.

Margiotta is also here at the Steading and a lovely place to pick up a few things to take home. One of our favourite finds there is Yester Dairies, a brilliant East Lothian producer whose yoghurt and dairy products we often use in our classes.

Cook together at Yarrow

Once inside the cookery school, the day becomes hands-on, relaxed and full of good food. Our classes are designed to be welcoming rather than intimidating, whether you are a confident home cook or someone who simply loves eating and wants to learn more.

You might spend the day making fresh pasta, rolling sushi, cooking a seasonal Scottish feast, baking bread, preparing vibrant South East Asian dishes or gathering around the table for one of our full-day classes. Every class is built around connection, good ingredients and the joy of cooking with other people.

Our kitchen looks out towards the Yarrow gardens and courtyard, which are becoming an increasingly important part of the experience here. As the seasons change, we love seeing the school surrounded by herbs, flowers and planting, adding to the feeling that Yarrow is a place to pause, cook and spend time well.

Sit down around the table

For us, the best part of every class is when everyone sits down together. After the cooking, we gather around the table to enjoy what has been made, with drinks available from our on-site bar.

It is this moment that makes a Yarrow class feel like more than a lesson. It becomes a shared meal, a celebration and a memory. Guests often arrive as strangers and leave having cooked, eaten and laughed together.

Make a full day of it in East Lothian

If you are coming from Edinburgh, it is worth giving yourself time to explore East Lothian while you are here. We are surrounded by beautiful coastline, villages and food stops, so a cookery class can easily become part of a slower day out.

Gullane Beach is one of the highlights of the area, with sweeping sand, dunes and big open skies. It is a beautiful place for a walk before or after a class, especially if you want to make the most of the coast.

Yellowcraig Beach is another favourite. From there, you can walk towards North Berwick, taking in views across to the Bass Rock. Once in North Berwick, you could wander through the fantstic independent shops and enjoy the seaside atmosphere before heading home.

For anyone who loves local food, Carfrae Farm Shop is also well worth a visit. It is a lovely stop for produce, gifts and inspiration, and it fits perfectly into a food-focused East Lothian day out.

Stay a little longer

Yarrow is growing into even more of a destination, with our accommodation opening soon in the steading courtyard. Soon, guests will be able to come for a class, stay overnight and enjoy a slower East Lothian escape with food, cooking and the coast all woven together.

It is an exciting next step for us and will make Yarrow a wonderful option for foodie weekends, special celebrations, private classes and guests travelling from further afield for our longer courses.

Who is a Yarrow day out perfect for?

A day at Yarrow is perfect for couples, friends, families, solo guests, birthdays, corporate groups, visitors to Edinburgh and anyone who loves food and is keen to learn a few new skills to make cooking easier and more fun. It is also a thoughtful gift for someone who would rather have an experience than another thing to unwrap.

Whether you come for a full-day class, an evening around the table or a private event, Yarrow offers a different way to experience East Lothian: through cooking, gathering and spending time well.

Plan your visit

If you are looking for a food experience near Edinburgh, a day trip in East Lothian or a memorable cookery class in Scotland, we would love to welcome you to Yarrow.

Explore our upcoming classes, gift vouchers and private experiences, and make a day of it in one of Scotland’s most beautiful corners.