
We have of course shamelessly for our title borrowed lyrics from the B52's Love Shack, but there is lots to love about the Lobster Shack so it seems about right. The only thing is though, it's not 15 miles to The Lobster Shack but closer to 30 if you're staying in Edinburgh for The Lobster Shack is located in North Berwick necessitating a 30 minute train ride or car journey of similar duration, but as a day out, we looked forward to our visit to North Berwick and meal there as much as anywhere on our planned gastro tour.
We've dined at The Company Shed in West Mercia which serves the local catch in a shed (the restaurant name is not a joke in that sense) with PVC wipe clean table cloths and bring your own everything, and which specialises of course in Colchester oysters amongst other local things. But perhaps surprisingly, the Shed's lobsters are imported from North America which leads one to feel a little cheated. At the Shack, you have no such worries, you can see the lobster pots from your seat and everything you eat has been landed that day from local boats. With the offerings on a chalk board, you order, get a number and when ready, they shout out your number for you to then collect your food.
Most 'mains' come in a box with hand cut chips and a salad garnish, and that's basically it. We chose a whole lobster, a box of langoustines and a sea bass fillet. We also had a seafood chowder and a lemonade to drink. The cost of this feast? £41. Surely that places it amongst Britain's best value fresh and tasty seafood?
And as if the brilliant food in itself wasn't enough to set the Shack apart from anything else, while we are eating our meal at the wobbly harbor side table, the staff came round to ask if everything is okay with the food and bringing us fingerbowls to clean up. As the B52 song goes, 'just a funky old shack and I gotta get back', The Lobster Shack washes most seafood restaurants into the sea on quality of produce and indeed attitude. North Berwick is a lovely day out from Scotland's capital and can offer truly great fresh seafood for even the most discerning foodie... as long as you don't mind eating out of a cardboard box. We loved the shack (baby).
During winter, opening times vary and you are advised to check their website for details.
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Related links
The Lobster Shack website