The best food and drink themed events to check out during the Edinburgh Festival 2018

From kid's shows to comedy, here are the best food and drink themed events to check out during this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Published 30th Jul 2018
Updated 8 th Aug 2023

A Dram is Worth a Thousand Words

Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Picture: Phil Wilkinson

Where: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (Venue 182), 28 Queen Street, EH2 1JX

When: August 1st-31st

Genre: whisky tasting

What: If you are a fan of whisky then there really are few better places in the capital to visit than the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and during the festival, their Queen Street premises will be hosting a three dram tutored whisky tasting like no other, in the company of one of their knowledgeable brand ambassadors.

A Year of Scotland in a Meal

Picture: SMWS

Where: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (Venue 182), 28 Queen Street, EH2 1JX

When:  August 3rd - 27th

Genre: Tasting,Comedy

What: Experience all that is great in Scotland. Burns Night, St Andrew, Hogmanay... The Society will present that, an' a' that, during a relaxed three course meal interwoven with songs, storytelling, a comedy act and whisky.

Amazing Bangkok Thai Street Food Cookery Workshop\Bangkok Superior Pad Thai

Where: Krua Thai Cookery School

4 Scottish chippies named best in the UK at National Fish and Chip Awards 2024

When: Aug 3-27

Genre: Cookery Workshop

What: Enjoy a fun Thai street food workshop by professional chef Rujira Herd, who reveals her best-kept trade secrets Exclusive to the Edinburgh Fringe, or try out the traditional Pad Thai cookery masterclass - 100 per cent hands-on with three delicious traditional dishes. Lunch included.

Barney's Brewery Tours

Where: Summerhall

10 facts you (probably) didn't know about Guinness

When: Aug 3-5, 9-12, 16-19, 23-26

Genre: Site-Specific tour and talk

What: Barney's Beer invites visitors to get a behind-the-scenes look at their intimate little brewery. During the hour-long tour, visitors will have the opportunity to taste their beers while learning about the brewing process and Barney's Beer's story.

Comfort Food Cabaret

Where: C venues – C at New Town Cookery School

The 12 best places for afternoon tea in Scotland

When: Aug 15-18, 22-26

Genre: Cabaret and Variety

What:  Australia’s singing cook Michelle Pearson presents her award-winning musical-food-cabaret in its UK debut.

You'll be serenaded by the soulful songstress as she cooks comfort-food inspired three-course meals before your eyes... and you’ll get to taste each dish! www.comfortfoodcabaret.com

Eaten

Where: Scottish Storytelling Centre

When: Aug 2-7, 9-14, 16-19

Genre: Children's Shows

What: What if your food started talking back? Lionel the lion has just eaten a human. Now Lionel hears 'hello' from his stomach. A strange friendship between eater and eaten starts to grow.

Faulty Towers the Dining Experience

Where:  The Principal, 19-21 George Street, EH2 2PB

When: Aug 2-27

Genre: Theatre, interactive, comedy

What: Basil, Sybil and Manuel are back, serving yet more three-course meals in this five-star immersive comedy ruled by chaos and laughs.

Seventy per cent improvised, it’s 100 per cent unique and ‘hilariously bonkers’ (Edinburgh Evening News).

George Egg: DIY Chef

Where: Assembly George Square Gardens

When: Aug 22-26

Genre: Stand-Up Comedy,Tasting

What: Stand-up comedy with real food, cooked live using power tools. The total sell-out from 2017 returns with a few new surprises. Five dates only!

Hangry Americans

Where:  Laughing Horse @ The Counting House

When: Aug 15-26

Genre: Comedy

What: Exploring the intersection of food and fury, American expat comedians Molly Sokhom and Neil Thornton confuse carbs with love and hunger with boredom.

They  will show you how to eat your angst, with a combination of stand-up comedy and a chaotic interactive cooking show.

Is Astronaut Food the Future?

Where: The Stand’s New Town Theatre

When: Aug 20

Genre: Spoken Word

What: With growing pressure on the planet's resources, food production is having to get more high-tech.

Matjaz Vidmar asks: could food developed for astronauts be our future? What does it taste like? Is it safe?

Louis Prima – Dinner and Show

Where: Valvona & Crolla

When: Aug 12, 19, 26

Genre: Swing, Storytelling

What: Louis Prima, Sicilian-New Orleanian showman and comedy-jazzer (1930s-1950s) sung by Philip Contini and introducing Fringe newcomer, vocalist Olivia Contini. All enjoyed alongside a three-course dinner.

Nigel Slater’s Toast


Where: Traverse Theatre

When: Aug 7-12, 14-19, 21-26

Genre: Drama,Physical Theatre

What:  Nigel Slater’s Toast is a new play based on his award-winning autobiography. Vividly recreating suburban England in the 1960s, Nigel Slater’s childhood is told through the tastes and smells he grew up with.

From making the perfect sherry trifle and waging war over cakes through to the playground politics of sweets and the rigid rules of restaurant dining, this is a moving and evocative tale of love, loss and... toast.

Oliver Meech: When Magic and Food Collide

Picture: Youtube.com

Where: Just the Tonic at The Mash House

When: Aug 2-12, 14-18

Genre: Cabaret and Variety

What: Oliver's back  after two sell out runs with his latest magical mash-up, stuffed with jaw-dropping, mouth-watering tricks. Tummies will rumble, ribs will be tickled and gobs will be smacked.

Robert Graham 1874's Scotch Whisky and Artisan Food Experience

Picture: MaxPixel

Where: Robert Graham Tasting Room

When: Aug 3-27

Genre: Tasting

What: Robert Graham 1874 cordially invites you to an eclectic extravaganza of flavour as they navigate through three unique Scotch whiskies expertly paired with three diverse artisanal food items, sourced from local food specialists right here in the heart of Edinburgh.

Full details of the whisky brands on each day are available from their website.

Signor Baffo's Restaurant

Where: The Principal

When: Aug 2-5, 7-12, 14-19, 21-27

Genre: Kid's Show, comedy, Clown

What: There’s chaos in the kitchen when Signor Baffo's left in charge. How do you make a chicken lay an egg? How does a sausage roll? Expect plates full of fun, mischief and adventure.

Stuart Mitchell: Gordon Ramsay's Karma Cafe

Where: Gilded Balloon Teviot

When: Aug 1-12, 14-27

Genre: Comedy

What: A story about haute cuisine, daylight robbery and redemption. A cathartic, hilarious tale about the law of unintended consequences and how Gordon Ramsay saved Stuart Mitchell's immortal soul.

The Midnight Soup

When: Aug 14-19, 21-26

Genre: Theatre

What: The Midnight Soup is a piece of theatre during which the audience prepare a meal that they share at the end. The Midnight Soup starts as a monologue and gently opens out to become a conversation.

It tells the story of an unremarkable woman who every day sat down to meticulously record the facts of her life in a diary, until one day she chose her own death. The Midnight Soup is the love letter of a grandson to his grandmother. It is also an edible memorial, celebrating a life lived to the rhythm of the seasons.

The Wedding Reception

Where: The Principal

When: Aug 2-6, 8-13, 15-19, 22-27

Genre: Comedy,Interactive Theatre

What: Totally immersive and highly improvised, this two-hour theatrical dining experience returns to Edinburgh inviting audiences to become guests at Will and Kate’s very surprise, not-so-civilised wedding reception.

Cue uninvited guests, misbehaving family and secrets better left in the closet… Perfect for anyone looking for a fun night out, The Wedding Reception features four performers playing nine characters in a whirlwind of laughter, love and tears – plus a three-course meal and maybe even some dancing.

 

Location:
Driven by a passion for all things drinks-related, Sean writes for The Scotsman extensively on the subject. He can also sometimes be found behind the bar at the world famous Potstill bar in Glasgow where he continues to enhance his whisky knowledge built up over 10 years advising customers from all over the world on the wonders of our national drink. Recently, his first book was published. Dubbed Gin Galore, it explores Scotland's best gins and the stories behind those that make them.
Copyright ©2024 National World Publishing Ltd
Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy
crosschevron-down linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram