Review: The Lobster Shack, North Berwick

I live right in the heart of Edinburgh, which is a beautiful city, but during August it can be overwhelming. The tourist season is in full swing and the hustle and bustle of the festival is constant. I am certainly not one of those locals who does everything they can to escape the city. I enjoy being reminded how lovely Edinburgh is, it stops me becoming complacent - but it is nice to get away and have some peace and quiet for a few hours.

North Berwick is a small but affluent seaside town about 40 minutes drive from Edinburgh. It's also home to The Lobster Shack. The Shack is a really simple concept: a shed nestles in the harbour walls, and sells a range of freshly cooked seafood. There's half a dozen wooden tables and chairs off to the side, and plenty of benches around the harbour walls. You place your order and wait for your number to be yelled, which took about 10 minutes. Compared to your average fish and chip shop it's not cheap, but there is something rather special about it. Let's face it, not many places serve lobster (even fewer places kill them to order) and at less than half of the cost of an Edinburgh restaurant you can't really go wrong for a special treat. For me though, the thing that makes it special, the main reason I loved it, was the sheer joy of eating my first lobster using my fingers and a plastic fork while rainclouds threatened us overhead.

The Lobster Shack
North Berwick Harbour, East Lothian
Lobster and Chips with soft drinks, for two: £26.30