The Skinny Food & Drink Survey 2019: Best Shops

Head to Locavore (349 Victoria Rd, Glasgow) for locally-sourced groceries – and when we say locally-sourced, we mean it. Much of the produce in a Locavore veg box is grown on the shop's own farms near Glasgow; away from the delicious carrots, you'll find organic dairy, eco-friendly grains and pulses, fresh locally-baked bread and a whole lot more. It's a similar vibe along at Roots, Fruits and Flowers (451 & 455-457 Great Western Rd, Glasgow), a perennial fixture in this survey, because what's better than an immaculately presented shop packed with lovely fresh things? Not a lot, apparently!

For the store cupboard specialities that can turn even the limpest ingredients into something exciting, you plumped for Lupe Pintos (24 Leven St, Edinburgh and 313 Great Western Rd, Glasgow) and Real Foods (8 Brougham St and 37 Broughton St, Edinburgh). The former is packed to the rafters with delicious salsas, hard-to-find chillies and incredible spices, and it's staffed by people who will tell you exactly how to make the best use of everything on display. Real Foods specialises in eco-friendly and organic staples, so if you want to get yourself nicer versions of the stuff that normally ends up in your supermarket basket without much thought, these are the guys to talk to. 

And when you want to add some drinks to the equation, you had a trio of favourites. The Glasgow-based among you were big fans of the Wee Beer Shop (623 Pollokshaws Rd, Glasgow) while The Beer Cave (43 Dalry Rd, Edinburgh) was a favourite of the Edinburgh-dwellers; both are small, independent beer shops packed with interesting beers from all over the map. You were also big fans of Grunting Growler (51 Old Dumbarton Rd, Glasgow) for those times when you really fancy a freshly-poured pub beer but also need to go home and make dinner with all the fantastic ingredients you've just picked up. Good multitasking folks; well done.