SUPPORTED BY FOOD & DRINK
EDINBURGH FEASTIVAL
Scotland’s capital has earned an enviable reputation for its eating and drinking scene over the last decade, but to what extent do locals mine its riches? Donald Reid previews the Edinburgh Restaurant Festival as it aims to highlight the city’s range and reach
STREET FOOD Casual street food has taken an upward turn in various quarters of Edinburgh, not least when there’s the excuse for two or more vans to gather together. Look out for a DJ-soundtracked Street Feastival curated by Glasgow outi t Kiltr from Friday 24–Sunday 26 October, or pick up a roving meal ticket for the round-the-world food stalls at Stockbridge Market on Sundays 12 and 19 October. BEER FEST On Sunday 19 October, venues around the West End celebrate the local scene with a trail of meet-the-brewer and sampling events. Look out for beer-matched menus and other promotions and offers. Ryan’s Bar, the Huxley, Ghillie Dhu and the Melville take part, with beers and brew-folk from Inveralmond, Harviestoun and Alechemy involved, along with the range from Innis & Gunn.
FOOD & DRINK TOURS Alan Chalmers’ Eat Walk Tour links up shops, restaurants and tasting experiences down Canongate or across the Old and New Towns. With morning, afternoon and early evening departures, you can join the tour for a discounted £39 (normally £55) during the festival. Alternatively, try a gin treasure hunt on Saturday 18 October starting at Edinburgh Gin’s Heads & Tales.
SHOP TASTINGS There’s more gin l owing at Cranachan & Crowdie’s tasting sessions. Thursday evenings from 5 to 7pm are set aside for introductions to the three new local artisan gin distillers: Edinburgh Gin, Pickering’s and NB Gin, each paired with a Scottish food producer. Elsewhere, the Foodmarket at Harvey Nichols will be a good spot to i nd introductory samplings of featured local specialities. SPECIAL MENUS Participation in the Restaurant Festival is probably best illustrated by the fact that over 60 local dining spots are putting on special menus during the course of the event. Ranging across a wide spectrum of prices and styles, you’ll i nd enticing deals and meals going on at pubs and pizzerias as well as glitzier venues such as One Square at the Sheraton and Valvona & Crolla’s VinCaffè.
SPECIAL CHEFS The Michelin-starred brigade may be the headline acts of Edinburgh dining, but the capital is home to an impressive number of chefs who contribute hugely to the range, ambition and reputation of food served in the city. At the Festival’s Ghillie Dhu launch on Wednesday 8 October, Mark Greenaway, Paul Wedgwood, Galvin’s Craig Sandle, Stuart Ralston and Krystal Goff from Aizle are all in action.
For more information on Edinburgh Restaurant Festival events, go to food.list.co.uk or thisisedinburgh.com 38 THE LIST 18 Sep–16 Oct 2014