Fire in Babylon Kitchen

Fire in Babylon Kitchen use the word ‘tabanca’ to describe the essence of what they do. ‘Tabanca’ is a word used to describe a kind of lovesickness, in this case a love for the Caribbean and all that comes with it; most notably the culture, food and music. 

Now, living in Glasgow - the second rainiest city in the UK - you’d be forgiven for experiencing a degree of longing for some sunshine and spice. Owner Keith Gibbs, who has Trinidadian roots, found that it was difficult to find quality Caribbean food whilst growing up in Glasgow, so took it upon himself to gather recipes from family in order to create homemade dishes combining exotic ingredients with some more familiar ones, all sourced locally.

Fire in Babylon started out as a mobile street food kitchen, popping up at various events and garnering an avid following before settling down on Hope Street, with options to sit in or take away. It serves a range of authentic Caribbean food, from soup and sandwiches to burgers and food boxes filled with curry, everything marinated, spiced, slow cooked and seasoned to maximise flavour. With prices starting from just £3 and burgers for just over a fiver, it’s a cheap trip to the West Indies and back, right in the heart of Glasgow.

[Rosie McKean]