Glasgow’s Buchanan Galleries is set to reinvigorate its food court by offering the space to local independent street food traders.
Taste Buchanan, a partnership between Buchanan Galleries and hi-tech street trading platform StreetDots, will launch in early August and will be the first retail space of its kind in Scotland.
Following the refurbishment, Buchanan Galleries’ top floor will be transformed to allow room for up to eight pop-up units serving artisan street style food run by independents using Scottish-sourced produce.
John Bloomer, mall retail manager at Land Securities said: “The arrival of Taste Buchanan will be the first genuine permanent street food offering within the city and we can’t wait to see it kick-off next month.
“It will transform the food offering within Buchanan Galleries and we’re excited to partner with one of the best in the business. StreetDots is a leading operator in the street food sector and we know they will bring the very best new and exciting food trends to our shoppers here in Buchanan Galleries.”
Darren Callcott, co-founder of StreetDots, said: “The popularity of street food is growing faster than any other category, and there is a real appetite for the culinary trend right now. Street food is about creative artisan dishes being prepared by highly skilled people with a passion for serving fast-moving fresh food to suit customer demand.
“Street food culture is growing in prominence in all the major cities worldwide, but for a leading shopping mall like Buchanan Galleries to dedicate its much sought-after space to the concept really is ground-breaking, and we’re sure Glasgow will embrace it.”
The first line-up of traders to operate in Taste Buchanan includes:
• Chompsky, soft steamed Asian bao buns stuffed full of fusion flavours
• Designer Cakes by Paige, beautifully handmade cupcakes, truffles and push pops
• Equi’s, 90-year-old award-winning family ice cream business
• GLo Pizza, Italian wood-fired pizza’s made with authentic Neapolitan flavours
• Sláinte Mhath, brand new Scottish pop-up bar specialising in craft cocktails
Discussions are underway to secure a local coffee provider, and to maximise the variety of food on offer Taste Buchanan will introduce new traders every two to three months.
Kathy Murdoch, centre manager at Buchanan Galleries, said: “This is such an exciting development for Buchanan Galleries and we’re confident our shoppers will love the concept. To host Scotland’s first independent street food hub within a shopping centre is a coup for us and a real point of difference, but it also fits well with the shoppers we attract who are forward-thinking, stylish and know what they want – now they’ll be able to tell us what they’d like to eat via the new app and we can respond to demand.”
