Southside Flavours

One of the highlights of the Southside Festival’s al fresco extravaganza in Queen’s Park this weekend is sure to be the tastebud-teasing Southside Flavours.

Over the last twelve months, the Southside foodie scene has had a real shot in the arm – the neighbourhood bistro landmarks still remain and are as popular as ever, but they’ve been joined by organic bakeries, upmarket cafes and specialty ethnic cuisines.

Taking over the park's ornate Victorian Glasshouses, Southside Flavours promises to be an informal showcase of local culinary talent, letting you nibble your way around a variety of menus and decide where your next big night or slap-up weekend brunch will be.

Those presenting their wares include always-lively tapas bar Tinto, whose veggie-friendly menu boasts honey marinated aubergines and leek and spinach stuffed mushrooms as well as carnivorous delights like prawns fried in paprika butter and salt cod with sweet potato mash. Joining them will be well-regarded upmarket curry house Shimla Pinks, which has long been doling out perfectly executed jalfrezis and bhunas to the great and good of Strathbungo.

Another institution, holding its own amongst the Johnny-come-latelys, is Battlefield Rest, the family-friendly Italian curiously housed in a former tram station in the middle of a roundabout. The festival will give you the chance to taste their homemade pastas and quirky pizzas (bacon and baby black pudding anyone?) without being endlessly circled by the 44 bus.

The new boys on the block will be there too, including the G1 Group's latest venture on this side of the river (joining their relaxed 30-something haven Waverly Tea Rooms and garish see-it-to-believe-it Tusk), Ketchup. We have a feeling those locally-reared Aberdeen Angus burgers will taste just as good away from their natural diner habitat – an immaculately packaged slice of pop art and Americana, Ketchup is where Edward Hopper would take Andy Warhol for a first date and is just the kind of low-key but quality hang out the Southside needs.

With live music on hand to ease down that 20th free sample (there’s no shame in going back in disguise) and the opportunity to support a festival that’s a real community spirited, volunteer-run shindig, get over to Queen’s Park pronto.