Edinburgh Fringe 2022 is now well underway, and thousands of hungry and thirsty festival goers are descending on venues in Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance, and Underbelly looking for something for a pre-show drink or something to eat.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh Fringe, and some huge names are due to perform, including Ian McKellen, Josie Long, and Nish Kumar. Running from 5 – 29 August 2022, the "single greatest celebration of arts and culture on the planet" will see thousands of shows from across the worlds of drama, comedy, music, and more.
However, it's not just the entertainment that the attendees look forward to. While Edinburgh hosts excellent bars and restaurants all year round, the Ed Fringe also offers a whole host of quirky food and drink options around the festival's site.
Read more:Edinburgh Fringe: Free festival shows and non-ticketed events for 2022 Fringe Festival
Top tips on food and drink at the Edinburgh Fringe 2022
While venues are spread throughout the city, one of the largest sites for the Edinburgh fringe is in and around the University of Edinburgh campus and George Square Gardens. It is here that the bulk of food and drink options are situated.
Starting up in Bristo Square, it's important to mention that some of the venues themselves will have bars, cafes and other food and drink options, such as the Gilded Balloon Teviot , which plays host to nine performing spaces, including the Wine Bar and Dining Room. However, taking food and drink from other venues into performing areas is not always possible, so this is something to keep in mind as you make your way around the festival.
Outside the Teviot, we have the famous Gilded Garden , which also hosts many food and drink options (including cocktail trees!). It is perfect for a pre-show drink or taking some time to decide what you want to see next in their covered beach huts.
Speciality coffee is available here, and a team from Down the Hatch (who have a permanent venue on Antigua Street) is serving authentic Canadian dining. This year, they offer several varieties of Poutine, including haggis, buffalo, veggie, and vegan, as well as several bockwurst hot dogs.
Heading out of the gardens, several food and drink trucks are lining the street as you head down towards George Square Gardens. The Churros Stand offers excellent coffee and Portuguese treats for anyone with a sweet tooth. There are also options for Mac & Cheese, burgers, and several others. On the corner of the street, the On The Roll cabin offers Bratwurst, Krakauer, Currywurst, and Vegan-Wurst.
Heading towards Underbelly's site in George Square Gardens, there are several food stands that offer unique dishes, and the first one (that is impossible to miss) is The Jingle Bus, which has to be one of the most visually striking food trucks attending this year's festival. The Jingle bus offers a variety of Indian street food dishes, including a Chicken Masala Wrap, Samosa Chaat, Mango Lassi, and Kulfi (Indian ice cream on a stick).
Just next door, The Fried Chicken truck often proves popular with festival goers, offering classic chicken burgers, buffalo, Korean and honey-chipotle priced at £8.50. Other options down that street include Taberu (Japanese-style fried chicken and gyoza) and The Fat Flamingo (tacos and nachos). Heading into the Underbelly festival gardens site, there are also lots of options for food and drink if you're seeing any shows around there.
However, if you're feeling particularly thirsty, the Refreshing Rum Cocktails stand (on the corner of George Square gardens, opposite the entrances to Studio One and Two, and not far from the Gordon Aikman Theatre) offers some classic rum cocktails like the Pina Colada and Cuba Libre, as well as some more adventurous offerings like a Blue Mojito and Watermelon Daiquiri.
Finally, inside the Assembly Gardens, there are several food offerings worth mentioning, including the Kebab Bar , which (priced at £9.50) offers classic chicken and halloumi kebabs, as well as "The Macca", which features a Scottish beef patty as its central ingredient. Chick and Pea also offer some brilliant Middle Eastern/Mediterranean-inspired street food.
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