Gloucester Food Festival

This annual event is a must if you’re in the area. From tea to fudge, from burgers to scones, they’ve got it all! But let me begin this review with a disclaimer: they are sold at London prices.

The festival consists of a myriad of stalls, sat on Gloucester Docks. As you walk among the tents and the old sailing ships, reclaimed warehouses tower over you from one side of the water and on the other you can see the modern glass complex that is Gloucester Quays shopping centre. It is a pleasant walk and one that is undergone to the tune of Ed Sheeran (the band that were playing clearly had a thing for his music). The vendors are lovely and, most importantly, there are lots of free tasters that you can try without having the stall owners pester you to buy something afterwards.

As for the food, some is reasonably priced and some is not. Generally, I found that most of the tents (that close at 6) were lovely and fairly priced, but the main area with the larger marquees and vans (that close at 8) were not as good and more expensive. Obviously I didn’t try everything but here are a few recommendations to look out for…

1. Blacks' Cheese

I love weird and wonderful flavours and this place certainly had plenty, cheddar flavoured with Irish whiskey and stem ginger being the best, in my opinion. This was definitely my favourite stall and needless to say, we took home a LOT of cheese (as would anyone in their right mind).

2. Leaf & Petal

I’m not sure why but I have always seen loose leaf tea as a little luxury. Of course, when I find somewhere that sells it, I can’t avoid mentioning it. The smells coming from this tent are what drew me to it. The herbs had such a strong aroma that you couldn’t smell anything else unless you were more than a couple of metres away. I had a wonderful cup of tea (with some fudge that we also bought at the festival) later that night and it was definitely a good purchase.

3. Roly Poly Ltd

Last but not least is Roly Poly Ltd. This is where I recommend stopping for a substantial meal because their portions are huge! They have a basic menu of burgers or pulled meats (vegetarian options available) that have been adapted many different ways to create loads of amazing dishes. The meat is succulent, the chips are delicious, the sauces are spicy, and the garnishes add colour and bring it all together. The prices are fairly high (£10 for the pulled pork) but you definitely get your money’s worth so I have no complaints.

The festival is around annually so if you get a chance to go, let us know what you thought and send us pictures if you tried any of our recommendations. If you’ve been to any other food festivals be sure to tell us about them so we can have a go too!

Roo x