Scottish Food & Drink News – December 2017

We kick off in Glasgow, with the opening event at the ambitious new Dockyard Social space in Finnieston. Headed up by the guys behind the Section 33 pop-up restaurant, the plan is for the warehouse unit to eventually become a permanent fixture with a host of street food vendors all under one roof. For now, head down for a weekend of pop-ups to help get the Social off to a flying start. 30 Nov-3 Dec, 95 Haugh Rd, tickets £5, dockyardsocial.com

On a similar note through in Edinburgh, two of our favourites team up for a top-notch festive pop-up. FIRESIDE is a collaboration between the street food aces at The Pitt and party-loving dive bar Paradise Palms, taking over unused space at the Waverley Arches for a programme of street food, music, and a load of open fires and Christmas trees. As fans of each of these elements, we are fully on board. 30 Nov-6 Jan, East Market St, free entry 

Also in Edinburgh, things get extremely smelly (in a good way) at IJ Mellis’ Artisan Cheese & Wine tasting. Don’t know about you lot, but we bloody love cheese – the more artisanal, the better – and the wine just sweetens the deal even more. Consider this a pre-Christmas treat, or a scouting exercise for foodie presents. In fact, consider it whatever you want; it is loads of delicious cheese and wine in one place. 7 Dec, 6.30pm, 330 Morningside Rd, tickets £27 via Eventbrite

Back in Glasgow, food anthropologists Küche are asking the tough questions – namely, what's the deal with Saint Andrew? The Feast Day of Saint Andrew will celebrate and explore the stories behind St Andy; who he really is, what he got up to, where he comes from and where else he is celebrated. Naturally, this exploration will take the form of exciting food and drink from around the world, as all history lessons should do in our opinion. 7 Dec, 6pm, Kinning Park Complex, £PWYW, tickets via tabl.com 

The following night in the capital, it's bubble tea o' clock! Tempo Tea host a festive bubble tea tasting evening in celebration of the mysterious and kinda-futuristic drink with balls floating in it. You'll try half a dozen different teas, get some background into the ways of the bubble, as well as grabbing a tea for the road. 8 Dec, 7.30pm, 7 East Market St, tickets £10, facebook.com/TempoEdinburgh

Next up is the Glasgow Vegan Christmas Festival, brought to you by the crew behind this year's Vegan Connections festival. The Briggait will be filled to the brim with all the expected festive delights and gifts you'd want from a market two weeks before Christmas, but without any animals involved. There's no animal in mulled wine that we know of, so we're happy. 9 Dec, 10am-7pm, 141 Bridgegate, £3 on the door, facebook.com/veganconnections

Over at Barras Art and Design, there's a special Christmas edition of BAaD's Feast End Food street food market on 16 Dec that should be a chance for a festive catch-up with even the fussiest of foodie pals, while in the Southside on the following day Marchtown host a Christmas Beer Tasting. The theme is 'sugar and spice', so expect beers with a bit of a Christmassy kick. If you like nutmeg, it's your lucky day. 17 Dec, 5pm, 741 Pollokshaws Rd, tickets £22 via Eventbrite