Auld Hag for Service Works
Auld Hag is a Scottish deli in Angel. Founded by Gregg Boyd in 2021, Auld Hag’s “Shoap” serves traditional Scottish produce including Macaroni Pies, Square Sausage, Rolls: soft, crispy and well fired, Irn-Bru and Tennent’s on tap.
Catering to Scottish residents, American tourists, locals and destination diners, Auld Hag is a little bit of Glasgow in North London.
Who are some of the best Scottish producers that you currently stock at the Shoap?
We have worked with our butcher, Findlays of Portobello, from the day we started, almost 5 years ago now. They’re a small old school family run butcher producing the best square sausage and haggis we’ve ever tried.
We’re also proud to use Mungoswells Mill for all our flour for our baked goods and morning rolls, delivered each week from North Berwick.
We like to be as true to Scotland as possible, we even use sea salt from Blackthorn in Ayrshire and oil from Summer Harvest in Crieff. Quality produce always sourced from the homeland.
How would you describe Scottish food, are there distinctively Scottish attributes?
Scottish food is as diverse as the weather in Glasgow on a day in April.
Breakfast is key and for me, the morning roll is at the heart of that - across the country, everyone has ‘their roll,’ it’s a special thing. Beyond that, a lot of people don’t realise just how good the Scottish produce is. Incredible seafood, world renowned beef, a broad range of fantastic cheeses and some of the best summer fruits you’ll find.
Scottish food is typically viewed as hearty, which it can be; however, it's so much more than that and it’s something we’re keen to shout about.
Tell us more about these rolls, you mentioned that people have their own preferences?
At the Shoap, we have soft, crispy and well fired rolls. It varies across Scotland who chooses what, it’s part of the culture.
Square sausage is almost a given on every roll. East Coasters often favour a soft roll with haggis, while West coasters go for a crispy roll with sausage and tattie scone. Whether someone has butter on it is a big deal.
The main question, brown or red sauce?
For the most part, you can tell as soon as they speak.
You’ve had some pretty notable Scottish icons come into the Shoap in the past few years?
James McAvoy, Irvine Welsh, Sharleen Spitteri and Lorraine Kelly have all sat down for a roll, pie or Irn-Bru at the Shoap at one point or another.
My favourite memory so far is probably James coming in with the full kilt on to cheer on Scotland in the Euros with a packed out Shoap.
