Festival FOOD & DRINK SUPPORTED BY
P H O T O © O L V E R R O S S E R
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SNACK ATTACK
When hunger strikes in festival season, a quick bite is probably all you’ll have time for. Keith Smith rounds up the best food stalls across Edinburgh this August
M eal planning. It’s the perennial festival promise you make to yourself. Next time you’ll be better organised. You’ll factor in more time to get between shows, book a table at your favourite restaurant in advance, or maybe even just remember to bring some sandwiches. Next year. Until then, you’ll have to resort to snacking on the run like the rest of us. Thankfully, there are more festival food stops than you can shake a tenner at, so long as you don’t expect much in the way of change. Like the venues themselves, much of the outside catering is grouped together in a few main clusters. Many of the most intriguing are centred in and around George Square Gardens. Outside Assembly, options include hot smoked salmon, chilli squid, lobster rolls and oysters from Alanda’s Scottish Seafood Grill, spicy indian wraps served up by Khushi’s Jingle Bus, and from 20–31 August, a taste of the South Tyrol in the form of beetroot, spinach and cheese dumplings from savoury favourite Alplings. Soup stars Union of Genius are in the vicinity too with their van, Dumbo.
Venture inside Assembly and you’ll find Street Food Cartel members Pad BKK (pictured) cooking up south Asian-style dishes, plus there are Elvis- themed patties courtesy of The King’s Burger. Also worth seeking out are the (self-styled) ‘pretentious’ wood-fired pizzas from Paddle & Peel, featuring
toppings such as prawn and fennel. The Wild Dining Co. keeps the upmarket feel going with a range of attractive smørrebrød that wouldn’t be out of place in central Copenhagen. Meanwhile, across George Square, The Laughing Stock teams up with Underbelly once again, providing everything from posh burgers to Keralan curry and pad Thai.
Superb slow-cooked meat sliders from Ròst, plus plenty of creme brûlée by Crema Caravan supplement Summerhall’s permanent food and drink fixtures, while BBQ specialists Jones & Son are the main draw at Boxsmall, on the rooftop of Princes Mall. Look out too for Orinoco’s arepas (Colombian filled corn flatbreads) along with outdoor offerings from Edinburgh restaurant favourites Kampung Ali and Howies. City dining stalwarts Henderson’s and Valvona & Crolla return to St Andrew Square for a second year running alongside seafood stall Love Fish. On neighbouring George Street, the excellent Harajuku Kitchen returns to its street food roots, alongside a healthy feel-goodness from Fresh Revolution and meatballs and flatbreads by Flat Out.
And should you find yourself in the Broughton area, keep an eye out for the recently opened Barnacles & Bones. Tucked away behind John Lewis, this converted police box boasts treats like slow-cooked short rib and tarragon salt fries.
5 P O T
5 1 0 2 R O F W E N
EL CARTEL CASERA
MEXICANA Trendy tacos that eschew tired Tex- Mex offerings for the true l avours of Mexico. 64 Thistle Street, New Town
THE RIPARIAN ROOMS Scottish produce in smart surroundings at the bottom of Broughton Street. 7–11 East London Street, Broughton
OX184 Cowgate outi t takes the dirty food trend to the next level with their own wood- i red grill. 184–186 Cowgate, Old Town
SPIT/FIRE Laid-back New Town drinking den with dining, from the talented crew behind the Hanging Bat. 26B Dublin Street, New Town. VDEEP The Vintage team join forces with Hardeep Singh Kohli to deliver top-notch curry and craft beer. 60 Henderson Street, Leith
RECOMMENDS . . .
QUEENS ARMS EDINBURGH
A hidden jewel beneath the cobbles of Frederick Street, steeped in Scottish
history.
queensarmsedinburgh.com
26 THE LIST FESTIVAL 20–31 Aug 2015