Recently I took a trip to Patina, a newly opened eatery in Edinburgh. Out west in Edinburgh Park, you’ll find this modern bakery, restaurant and bar only a stone’s throw away from the tram stop which for me, was a perfect way to spend the morning of a day off – adventuring for pastries. I’ll admit I like my sweet treats to be within walking distance of my flat because it feels like I am earning an indulgence but for Patina, I would make an exception.

The bakes on display looked extraordinary. A long shelf crammed with pastries is my idea of heaven and I was really spoilt for choice with doughnuts, croissants and danishes all catching my eye. However, I’ve had a real thing for cruffins recently and the two varieties sat in the corner did not escape me. After learning that one was lemon meringue (internally screaming) and another was Nutella and hazelnut, I was recommended the latter. Naturally, I got both, one to sit in and one to take away alongside some bread and a cardamom bun – one of my all-time favourite bakes. With a ceramic plate in hand, I chose my table and waited for my flat white to accompany my breakfast.

I’m no stranger to eating alone and quite enjoy sitting unaccompanied in a cafe with a cortado in one hand and a book in another. I like to think I have an air of mystery to me, “who is that girl in the corner? what book is she reading?” and subsequently build up the main character energy in my head. Today was an entirely different vibe. My logic was that a cruffin covered in meringue would be a bit of a faff to transport home so instead having it to sit in was a clever move. I was wrong. Instead of being an ‘it girl’ sitting in the corner of a trendy bakery I was the hungry one, with a face covered in meringue and sugar coating falling on my lap. Was it graceful? No. Would I do it again? Absolutely. The waitress giggled at me as she brought my coffee (valid) and asked if I wanted cutlery and a napkin. It did help a little bit but I think my manners were too far gone at that point.

The loaf of bread I bought was enormous. It lasted me numerous meals and a few snacks when I craved toast slathered with golden syrup (if you know, you know). It was so big I even got a generous batch of croutons out of it to accompany homemade soup. Alongside your traditional baked goods, Patina offer sandwiches and pasta for lunchtime, so I’ll definitely be heading back for some of their Ragu. This hasn’t even touched on their restaurant which encourages a sharing, Mediterranean-style cuisine and looks like a really trendy restaurant from what I’ve seen on their Instagram.

The open bakery fits really well into the space and it’s wonderful to watch your pastries transport from oven to counter quickly. The marble tables were my favourite with their peachy tones that complemented the ceramic crockery beautifully. With such large windows, I can imagine Patina filled with light on a sunny morning, unfortunately, it was just a gloomy Wednesday for my trip. Edinburgh Park, where Patina is located, seems to be undergoing a lot of development in recent years. Whilst in general, there isn’t a lot to do besides having some excellent pastries, there are quite a few sculptures dotting about which I had a nosey round for a little stretch of my legs. I’ll be back to Patina for more breakfast, lunches and dinner and maybe even for one of their jazz nights because I can’t imagine a dreamier setting for the music.

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