Welcome to the Food & Drink Survey 2014, Scotland

Over the next eight pages, you'll learn which places your fellow Skinny readers voted as their favourites. But first, some background

Feature by Peter Simpson | 08 Jan 2014

OK, this is now an actual, bona fide tradition. Twelve months ago, we tried to convince you all that an event was ‘annual’ just because it took place two years in a row at around the same time.

Well, now we’re back for a third year, and as De La Soul said, three is the magic number. Not magic enough to avoid being overshadowed by the magazine’s 100th issue celebrations, but that’s neither here nor there. Honest.

Yes, for the third straight year we asked you, the readers of The Skinny, to tell us where you like to get the food and the drinks, and once again you gave us your suggestions. We tallied up more than 4000 votes in this year’s survey, pulling in suggestions from Edinburgh, Glasgow, and beyond. We also got one response written entirely in the style of Sir Sean Connery, so… thanks for that.

In the course of the next eight pages, we look at your love of cafes with incredibly descriptive names, and get our favourite beer blogger to find out why one small brewery from Alloa came to rule the roost right across the country. 

We take a trip around the world of Edinburgh and Glasgow to find the best grub from across the globe, and travel back in time to the heady days of 2013 to see where your favourite new places slotted in alongside the royal babies and giant ducks.

Our resident Phagomaniac is also on hand, with some ideas on what you can do with the fare from your favourite food shops besides, you know, actually eating it.

Places for first dates, landing spots when you’re on your last legs, food on the go and drinks in comfy chairs – the next eight pages are filled with your favourite places to eat, drink and get merry.

We’re also joined in survey-land this year by our colleagues from our Northwest edition – go to the website to find out which bars, cafes and restaurants to make a beeline for when you visit Manchester and Liverpool.
Thanks to everyone who voted in this year’s survey, spread the word about the survey, and harangued their friends and family into voting for their favourite pub. And as we always say, if you don’t like the winners, you only have yourselves to blame.

Don’t look at us like that – it’s now, officially, tradition.