Where to find Glasgow’s best street food

Pop-up street food markets have been in vogue for some time now, so it’s fitting that Glasgow should have its own weekly fixture. Housed in a West End warehouse building, its stalls include goodies from the likes of independent vendors Pizza B Goode, Loop & Scoop, Half-Baked, Abandon Chips, Yalla Lebanese Cuisine, Lil Hectors Tacqueria and McFly’s Wing Bar. It’s a zero-waste setup, open Friday night (5pm to 11pm), Saturday (noon to 11pm) and Sunday (noon to 8pm). Tickets are a fiver, but this is essentially a deposit for a Watermelon Daiquiri/mocktail, beer, cider, or prosecco. Kids go free and as everyone can choose the type of cuisine they want, it’s ideal for families or friend groups who each have very different tastes. There’s no awkward bill splitting, just grab what you want, whenever you want it.

When a venue advertises itself as having “Pho-king good Vietnamese food”, you know it has a sense of humour. The team reckons the eatery’s vibrant colour palette may be due to “having lost the plot during lockdown”. But it’s certainly one of the most eye-catching, interesting places to eat in the city. Tucked just off Byres Road on a cobbled lane, the Hanoi Bike Shop stands out among the Glaswegian architecture, with its colourful Asian-style painted exterior and balcony, hung with bright bunting, lights and — bike wheels. Inside has all the authenticity and welcome of a canteen in Hanoi, with lanterns hanging from the ceiling. And the food is just as authentic… Organic Temple Tofu is made in-house, with dishes like chilli and lemongrass razor clams, gochujang buttermilk and vermicelli noodles; duck and five-spice spring rolls, herb pickles and tamari ginger; smoked pork knuckle, coconut broth, green sambal and red cabbage; pork meatballs with a sweet and smokey sauce; and codfish clay pot, coconut glaze and rice.

Thailand is one of the countries most renowned for street food and Panang evokes the joy of a visit to a night market. The restaurant is decorated in fluorescent neon, with swathes of greenery, a ceiling covered in vibrant traditional oiled umbrellas and walls covered in massive street art murals. It’s funky, fun and happy. A trip here is the nearest experience you’ll find to a long-haul holiday in the city centre. Choose thali, small plates like crispy shrimp and pork doughnuts, green papaya salad, house pancakes, skewers and curries. Panang’s SangSom Slings (a rum punch served on the rocks or frozen) provide the taste of a full moon party for just £5. Plus there are more cocktails, hot drinks with condensed milk and Mogu Mogu, Thailand’s premier softie – a still drink with coconut jelly.

Born in Glasgow, the award-winning Big Feed now covers events nationally. But it continues to host family-friendly socials in Glasgow. These aren’t as frequent as the weekly The Dockyard Social, but the Big Feed has full weekend pop-ups monthly, held in Govan, just across from Festival Park. Open Saturday from 12pm to 10pm and Sunday 12pm to 7pm (check the website for upcoming dates), its superb range of local vendors include Duck, Salt n’ Chilli, Firedog Gourmet Hot Dogs, Muerte Por Churros, Flat Flat White, Nomad, Ya Ca Taco, Stag Bites The Hog, Rost and Three Sisters Bake. Live musicians and a DJ perform, there are games for kids, outdoor seating and it’s dog-friendly.

This is a new addition to the city centre’s street food scene and it’s been getting rave reviews ever since opening. Bombaywalla serves quirky East meets West creations like Masala Beanos (baked beans cooked Indian-style with cheese on toast) as well as authentic dishes such as Bhel Puri (a delicacy sold on the beaches of Mumbai, containing puffed rice, potatoes, tomato, onions, chutneys, herbs, ground spices and gram flour vermicelli). If your immune system needs a boost, order the golden turmeric latte, made from an ancient recipe of milk and juiced turmeric root with cinnamon. There are lots of vegan, veggie and halal options, plus ‘roadside’ specials, wraps and sarnies for a quickie lunch.