COFFEE
At just twenty-one, Katya Eardley has already kneaded her way into Scotland’s specialty coffee and pastry scene with No. 10 Bakery - a sunlit corner spot where flaky cruffins, local produce and very good coffee come together.
It’s a family-built space through and through. Katya and her mum sawed tables together and built the bar; her sister sewed the bench seating, and the colour palette came from sea buckthorn, the bright orange berries they used to pick on the beach in Gullane. That same shade now runs through everything from the logo to the warm glow of the walls, and the Machina Clockwork bags on the counter.
“It’s been a real family effort,” Katya says. “Mum has played a huge part in this story - she used to bake wholesale sourdough in the Borders and gave me my first shot at baking for her when I was a teenager. She told me to try doing what I love, and that freedom really stuck.”
How did you end up here, in this space?
I moved to Edinburgh from the Borders when I was eighteen and thought about culinary school for a while. Then this space came up. The windows, the light, the way it’s tucked into the high street - I fell for it straight away. It just felt right.
Tell us about opening day - how was it?
Completely surreal. The queues were out the door! Seeing people line up for something I’d dreamt about was the most amazing feeling.
What kind of feeling do you want people to have when they walk in?
I want them to feel at home. Warm, comfortable, content. The best part of my day is seeing people smile over something I made. Photos of kids covered in chocolate are the perfect review.
Tell us about your menu.
It’s all local and seasonal. I love playing with flavours and changing things every month. Right now, it’s about autumn warmth and comfort - plums from my mum’s garden, pumpkins, walnuts - those cosy flavours that feel like a hug. As winter comes, I’m thinking Baileys and brandy on the sweet side, bacon, brie and cranberry on the savoury. When summer hits, it’ll be all about lemon, elderflower, and berries from the Borders.
Favourite thing to bake?
Ooh, that’s cruel - they’re all my favourites! I’d probably pick cruffins - they’re a labour of love, and take three days to prepare before they’re filled and topped. They’re plaited into a little ball and rise for hours. It’s slow and satisfying.
You started baking at 3am today - what does that look like?
It was quiet. Peaceful, actually. The first coffee of the day is essential - I chose Clockwork for our house espresso, and that keeps me going. It’s smooth, chocolatey, and it fits the rhythm of the kitchen (and, coincidentally, our colour palette!). The day starts in the dark, with the smell of butter and espresso.
Where’s your favourite spot in the cafe?
I’m almost always at the laminating station. Covered in flour, in my happy place.
And when you finally get a moment off?
I’m still baking around the clock most days, but when I can sneak away, I head to the beach. There are so many deer around here - they’re surprisingly calm. It’s the perfect reset.
What’s next for you at No.10 Bakery?
Grow the team and take it from there! It’s exciting to be hiring additional bakers so soon. Right now, it’s still early mornings, long days, and a lot of learning, but that’s all part of it. I want to keep building something sustainable - a place people love to visit and work in. One step (and one cruffin) at a time.
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Words by Sophie Jones; photos by Sam Lennie. All quotes from Katya Eardley, founder of No 10 Bakery, Gullane.
