Inside the Newly Renovated Lannan, the Cult Edinburgh Bakery That Became a Global Sensation
In the short time since it opened in July 2023, 27-year-old Darcie Maher’s Lannan Bakery has not only become a staple of Edinburgh’s independent food scene, but also amassed a devoted following of regulars—and international Instagram fans. Locals and tourists alike make the pilgrimage-turned-rite-of-passage to its location on one of Stockbridge’s most beautiful corners to join the queue as early as 6 a.m., desperately hoping to nab a pastry before they sell out.
“Everyone always asks, ‘Why don’t you just make more?’ Well, we physically can’t,” says Maher, with a laugh. The bakery was originally intended to have two employees—now it has 14—and the staff are in seven days a week despite it being open for just four. The bakery has maxed out how many pastries can fit on their trays and in their ovens—but its new redesign is good news for any Lannan hopefuls.
Lannan closed for the whole of January 2025 for a renovation that includes converting the entire lower floor to become an extensive prep area. “The plan is to double production, which we’re going to do quite gradually, and open for more days each week.” The pastries will still be baked on the top floor—with the help of a newly added elevator—so that guests remain welcomed by the smell of freshly baked Viennoiseries upon entrance.
While practicality was the driving force behind the renovation, the extension is as aesthetically pleasing as the rest of the space. “The downstairs will feel like Lannan despite the fact that it’s first and foremost a workspace,” Maher says of the marble-veined countertops, art-clad walls, and color scheme that sticks to the warm tones and hues that have become Lannan’s calling card. “I want it to be a beautiful, inspiring setting for the bakers.”
Maher left school at 15 and worked as a chef for five years, before applying to—and being rejected by—all the bakeries in Edinburgh. This precipitated a stint outside Manchester working at Flour Water Salt before returning to Edinburgh and then her home in the Scottish Borders. When the pandemic derailed her plans to move to Australia in 2020, she spent the next year developing recipes and consulting for other bakeries, all while dreaming up what would ultimately become Lannan.
