Scottish Food & Drink News – July 2018

Pop-up dining, pressing buttons and popping (beer) bottles all await in this month's food and drink events round-up

Feature by Peter Simpson | 28 Jun 2018

We kick off July with three of our favourite things – beer, citrus fruit, and Mexican food. They all come together in the launch event for Brooklyn Brewery's new Naranjito Orange Pale Ale at the delightful Bodega in Edinburgh. You'll try a quartet of Brooklyn's beers, including the aforementioned orangey one, while Bodega will throw in some delightful nibbles to run alongside. 4 Jul, 6-8pm or 8.30-10.30pm; Bodega TollX, 36 Leven St, Edinburgh; £20, tickets via Eventbrite

If you're more of a gin and push-button fan, then Brockman's Gin have just the event for you – Press For Gin. "It’s simple," they say somewhat facetiously. "Press a button, gin appears." Ah, now we get it... no actually that doesn't really explain things at all does it? As far as we can make out, this is an evening of gin cocktails, canapes, experiental performance, and some kind of button. How big will this button be? Will we all have to share a button, or do we get one each? Only one way to find out, we suppose. 4-6 Jul, 7pm; Summerhall, 1 Summerhall Pl, Edinburgh; £20, tickets via Skiddle

Through in Glasgow, there are still a couple of chances to check out Ka Pao's takeover of SWG3's new Acid Bar space. Ka Pao is the brainchild of former Ox and Finch chef Sandy Browning, and the menu for this residency promises to be an up-to-ten course feast of sharing dishes inspired by his recent travels around southeast Asia. 5 & 7 Jul, 7pm; 100 Eastvale Pl, Glasgow; £30, tickets via Eventbrite

Making its triumphant return this month is the West End Beer Festival, with the Glasgow Hopfest back for its fourth iteration. 15 independent bars run by breweries from across Scotland and beyond – featuring some of our local faves including Pilot, Up Front and Drygate – with the festival also getting its very own official beer for the first time. If you're in the market for a new favourite beer this summer, here's where to have a look. 6 Jul, 6pm-midnight, 7 Jul, 12-5pm & 6pm-midnight; Cafe Source Too, 32 Hughenden Road, Glasgow; £8, tickets via Eventbrite

If you ever wanted proof that veganism is 'having a moment' as the kids say, look no further than the fact that Scotland Vegan Festival is being hosted in the colossal surroundings of Hampden Park. Inside, you'll find 100 stalls dedicated to vegan wares and chat, as well as a string of workshops, talks and vegan food vendors. Looking for the vegan equivalent of literally anything? Chances are that if it exists, you'll find it here. 14 Jul, 10.30am-4.30pm; Hampden Park, Glasgow; £3 on the door

And finally, some lovely times courtesy of a Pasta PopUp at Edinburgh cake shop Lovecrumbs. Rather than the usual niceness of a slice of cake and flat white in the midst of some nice reclaimed furniture, here's the chance to smash into some charcuterie and big bowls of pasta while sitting in said furniture. Homemade scran in really nice surroundings, one week out from the end of a very long month? This is a fantastic idea we wholeheartedly endorse. 22 & 23 Jul, 7pm; Lovecrumbs, 155 West Port, Edinburgh; £35, tickets via Eventbrite

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