Gilmartin’s Cafe & Bakery Interview

Gilmartin’s Cafe & Bakery, Stewarton reopened at the end of last year when Mossgiel Milk took over from the previous owners. We spoke to Head Baker, Gran Lynn, to find out what’s on offer at the Bakery. 

Greeted by the warming aroma of coffee, freshly baked cakes and friendly locals, we were excited to learn more… 

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Tell us more about Gilmartin’s and what’s on offer here 

We loved everything about Gilmartin’s before but we wanted to put our Mossgiel stamp on it. We’ve set up a milk vending machine within the cafe to provide our fresh organic milk, made at Mossgiel Farm, for people in Stewarton and surrounding areas. 

We pride ourselves on serving locally sourced organic products and we are proud of being in the top 10 places for vegan bakes. 

We try to keep the products used in the cafe as local as possible including local meat; our own unique blend of organic coffee beans from Dear Green; Cairnsmore Cheese, who use our milk to make the cheese; local vegetables and much more. 

We take our coffee very seriously here; Mossgiel Milk has to be a certain temperature for coffee, making it stand out from any coffee you’ve ever had. 

Our menu does the talking, it may be small but it speaks volumes. It’s designed to the tastes of the area too. Our sourdough, that’s used for the Toasties is made in-house and we have our own spin on classic lunch dishes, making them more luxurious and yummy. We also have a kids menu available. 

There’s also a shop at the front of the cafe where we sell items from local artists and suppliers. 

Tell us more about your job here at Gilmartin’s

I do all of the baking for here and for Mossgiel Snug too, our cafe based in Mauchline. Everything is baked in-house, meaning I’m non-stop baking! I worked within the NHS previously but I’ve always enjoyed baking as I watched my mum do it and did it within Home Economics at school. 

There’s a home baking cabinet at the front of the bakery where there’s a large range of cakes and bakes on display. I like to switch it up with different bakes and have recently started making Cinnamon Rolls. 

Our sourdough has become really popular which is a real achievement as I’ve just learned to make it in the past few months. 

What’s your favourite item to make? 

I enjoy it all but I would say the bigger cakes as there’s a lot of work that goes into them and I love decorating them. I feel a sense of pride after making them and the compliments make the hard work worthwhile. My favourite thing to eat is the hazelnut brownie! 

What is the customer’s favourite item from the Bakery/Menu? 

It has to be the lemon fudge slice, it flies off the shelf. Our scones also sell out within an hour. 

The coronation chicken toastie ‘The Crowned Cluckie’ is popular as well as the ‘Address to a Toastie’, an organic sourdough bloomer filled with Cheddar, Haggis & Sweet Chilli Sauce (Vegan and Vegeratian options available too). They’re both hearty meals, that visitors and locals alike get time and time again. 

Are there any more exciting plans for Gilmartin’s Bakery?

We hope to expand our sourdough range so it’s for sale all the time. 

We’re now open every day of the week 9 am-4 pm, it was originally only Thursday - Sunday!

We’ve been the host for different themed nights, including cocktail & board nights where The Dispensary Bar has taken over with their amazing theatrical-style cocktails. Reggaelicious, a food truck specialising in Caribbean cuisine have also been here, bringing a bit of culture to Stewarton. 

Gilmartin’s really is a place for the community, a place to celebrate culture, food and organic products. 

What’s your favourite thing about East Ayrshire? 

Definitely the countryside and all of the walks that are here. We’ve got magnificent scenery and we are close to beaches. I love the views from our Mossgiel Farm at Mauchline, at the top of the hill you get views of Ben Lomond and more. 

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It was a joy to speak to Gran Lynn and learn more about Gilmartin’s Bakery. All of the home baking looked mouthwatering and it’s evident that the cakes are a hit. 

For more information, follow Gilmartin’s Bakery on Facebook

And learn more about Mossgiel here - Mossgiel Farm

And make sure to visit soon… organic coffee, local produce, homemade sweet treats and an irresistible lunch menu, what more could you ask for ?!