Something To Eat & Drink: Women In Beer, The Last Bookstore, Bonnie & Wild and more
We hear that rumble in your belly; you're hankering for another round-up of Scottish food news and, like an overzealous Uber Eats driver, we can deliver. In this month's edition, Jo Laidlaw give us the rundown on Polish cuisine, covers some bars beginning with B, and raises a glass to the Women In Beer Festival
Raise your glass
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Edinburgh is chock-full of brilliant events over the next few weeks. There’s still time to catch the final weekend of Edinburgh Cocktail Week, with more than 100 bars and restaurants offering the now-traditional signature cocktail and plenty to explore in the Festival Square Cocktail Village (until Sunday 20 October). Women In Beer Festival, created by a community of ‘women who beer’ (and cheers to that), has a great programme, including meet-ups, brewery showcases plus a brilliant craft (as in beer) + craft (as in handiwork) afternoon (Wednesday 23–Sunday 27 October). And the Scottish National Whisky Festival rolls into The Biscuit Factory (Saturday 26 October). Expect hunners of drams, with plenty good chat.
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… new bars beginning with B. The Burrow is a new whisky bar beside sister-venue Three Blind Mice, just off Edinburgh’s High Street. Glaswegians say ‘hiya’ to Berlinkys, a new Sauchiehall Street spot offering comedy and live music as well as lots of comforting pub grub, brunch and a massive Sunday Roast, while Bazaar by Habibi is a new secret speakeasy on Gibson Street with an intriguing menu. Finally, The Last Bookstore (it still counts as a B) is a new spot from the Devil Of Brooklyn gang with cosy vibes, author-inspired cocktails and nooks to get lost in.
Stuff we love this month
Kora’s Celebration Of Poland is a gorgeous idea: an evening of Polish cuisine showcasing some of their own team’s favourite dishes (Wednesday 6 November). It follows their French night earlier in the year and we’d love to see it catch on. Our socials are on fire with speculation (and the tiniest of side bets) about The Edinburgh Butter Co’s best croissant competition. Open to any bakery in Scotland, rumours we’ll be standing on the steps of The Balmoral to cheer on our faves and trip-up their rivals are entirely unfounded. Finally, congrats to our pals at Ballintaggart and Bonnie & Wild, who both picked up well-deserved gongs at the recent Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards. If you’re looking for an excuse to check them out, we recommend Bonnie & Wild’s White Heather Club ceilidh (Thursday 31 October) and Ballintaggart’s collab night with Isle Of Harris Distillery (Friday 1 November).
Still hungry?
‘October, but make it neither Glasgow nor Edinburgh’ was the command from the Editorial Eyrie at the top of List Towers (neither of those things exist). Not ones to resist a challenge, we went a-walking, with some gorgeous ideas for strolls with a foodie destination in easy reach of Glasgow or Edinburgh. Jay Thundercliffe took us on a wee wander round Helensburgh and Kevin Fullerton went out-out in Dundee. We grabbed the chance to review The Kinneuchar Inn and the shiny new Sanja By Sagar Massey, as well as catching-up with Ben Reade of Musselburgh’s Company Bakery.
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