5 Producers to try around Berwick-upon-Tweed

The most northern town in England has had a tumultuous history, changing hands between Scotland and England 13 times, as a strong point for both Scotland and England in the past because of its advantageous location as a gateway to the North Sea and the rest of Europe. Berwick-upon-Tweed is an interesting place – a town split into 3 parts and marked by the North Sea, the River Tweed and its three famous bridges.

Over the past decade, with the rise of the artisan food movement, many new local businesses and initiatives have popped up all over the town and are well supported by the residents. Less than an hour train ride away from both Edinburgh and Newcastle, Berwick upon Tweed is a popular coastal getaway for city dwellers who have seen the charm of this border town.

Discover the taste of Berwick upon Tweed, from the top of the town to the shore at Spittal, by trying products from these popular Berwick-based producers.

Local Producers to Pleasure Your Palate

1. Bear Claw Brewery

The nano-brewery based in Spittal is a favourite amongst locals at pubs such as The Curfew micropub. The beers can also be found in local shops including The Green Shop and The Hop and Bottle.

All the beer is vegan. It is unfined and unfiltered so don’t be put off by the cloudy pint. There is a core range which is always available. This includes popular beers such as The Fool and Pooka.

Check for updates for seasonal and special-brew beers.

Visit the nano-brewery on Tap Days which is the 1st Wednesday of every month from 12 pm – 11 pm.

2. Berwick Shellfish Company

The Berwick Shellfish Company is a family business which has been going since 1969. It is situated along Dock Road facing the River Tweed and indomitable Elizabethan Walls encircling the town. The company supplies fresh shellfish around the town to local restaurants.

All preparation is done onsite and they provide wholesale as well as retail. Onsite there is a seafood shop, which opened in 2014, selling a variety of fish products from smoked haddock to crayfish to Lindisfarne oysters as well as crab meat.

The company has recently undergone a rebrand and have also included new products such as wine to complement seafood, seafood wedding cakes and seafood hampers.

Cafes and restaurants around the town including Gasparro’s, The Maltings Kitchen and Deyn’s Deli. During the summer months, it’s not hard to find Berwick crab on the menu.

3. Northern Edge Coffee

Launched in 2015, Northern Edge Coffee has gone from strength to strength and is sold in various shops and cafes around the town.

A recent move of the business from Spittal to the Ramparts Business Park has seen Northern Edge Coffee change from just a roastery to a coffee shop. The new coffee bar is open weekdays between 7 am and 12 pm. Perfect when you want to grab a coffee before the morning grind. Also available at the coffee bar is Alice’s Pantry bars, a new business to the area.

With a core range of coffees which include Coffee Harry, Jimmy Strength and Three Bridges, there are also some special roasts including beans from Kenya, a country which is making a name for itself in the tea and coffee world. All beans are ethically sourced which is an important part of the business ethos.

The beans are also roasted in small batches to ensure freshness, as well as quality and consistency.

4. Skelly’s Butchers

Possibly the oldest business in Berwick, celebrating 260 years next year, Skelly’s Butchers is still a family run business.

Despite changing attitudes in shopping habits, eating and how the town has adapted throughout the years Skellys is still a popular butcher shop in the town centre with loyal customers.

Skelly’s aims to get as much as their meat as locally as possible. The butcher also supplies meat to local restaurants around the town too. On offer are traditional choices including cooked meat, pies, beef and chicken. Seasonal offerings include haggis, rabbit and exotic meats such as ostrich.

5. Karmic Cakery

Karmic Cakery, a relatively new business on the scene in Berwick upon Tweed, has enjoyed several collaborations with local businesses such as the Mule on Rouge cafe and more recently with Northern Soul Kitchen, a food waste initiative cafe and community hub.

Karmic Cakery is a vegan bakery which offers wholesale cakes as well as opening every Wednesday at the Meantime Workshops in Spittal between 9 am – 4 pm selling savoury and sweet options available to eat in or take away. On offer with the vegan treats is tea or coffee from Northern Edge.

As well as offering cruelty-free bakes, Karmic Cakery is happy to accommodate other food sensitivities.

Love What You Eat

There are so many fantastic local producers around this area. Have we missed one of your favourites? Let us know. Join the conversation on social media. Follow Foodful on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.