Are the Edinburgh Fringe food trucks worth it? Here's my verdict

The National

2 days ago

There are a whopping 3352 shows across 265 venues, which can often result in a mad dash across the city between shows.
You might not have a lot of time to grab food in between performances. Sometimes a meal deal or a Greggs is enough to get me through it, but I thought I'd explore some of the food options which are on offer at Fringe venues.
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With that in mind, I was kindly invited to try out the various food stalls at the Pleasance Courtyard – one of the festival's best known venues.
Here's my honest review of everything I tried.
Location
Pleasance Courtyard is one of the main Fringe venues – and the one you're probably most likely to recognise in photos.
Set in a literal courtyard (which is part of Edinburgh University), and spanning over several levels, there's plenty of things on offer here. And there should – theoretically – be plenty of places to sit, too. But more on that later.
(Image: NQ) There's various food stalls dotted around the venue, and they're in a prime location for people who are already in the Courtyard, making it a great quick fix for anyone feeling a bit peckish in between shows.
Options
There's a good range of stalls at the venue. Here's everything that was on offer:
Harajuku Kitchen: Japanese street food
Japanese street food Mimi's Bakehouse: Coffee and sweet treats
Coffee and sweet treats Mint: Flatbread wraps
Flatbread wraps Pizza Geeks: Pizza (clue's in the name, really...)
Pizza (clue's in the name, really...) Total Meltdown: Grilled cheese sandwiches
There are also six bars across the venue, which are all excellently stocked.
I started off with half a pint of Aspall's cider, which I got from Arthur's Bar and cost just over £3. I don't feel the need to review the drink itself, because you can get it pretty much everywhere!
(Image: NQ) There was a lot of choice and the staff were really friendly. I can imagine it can get quite overwhelming when it's busy, but they were all lovely and I got some great service.
I'd recommend walking past the bar in the main courtyard and visiting a bar on one of the other levels to avoid the worst of the queues. It can take a very long time to get a drink otherwise, but I didn't have to wait too long at one of the smaller bars.
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It was difficult to pick where I wanted to eat from (I could have tried something from everywhere!) but I settled with Total Meltdown, a stall specialising in toasties.
It's a very simple kitchen staple – quite difficult to get wrong – so I thought it would be interesting to see how they would make it stand out.
(Image: NQ) (Image: NQ) There were loads of different options, and it looked great for vegans, which must be difficult to achieve when the main ingredient in the dish is cheese.
I chose the Reuben, which had cheese, pastrami, sauerkraut and a creamy Thousand Island dressing, which is made from a mayonnaise, either ketchup or tomato puree, and chopped pickles.
(Image: NQ) It tasted good. The sauce was nice, and it worked well with the pastrami, which I've never had before.
But it was also £12. It was very small for that price, and the bread wasn't anything particularly special. I would have expected a bit more – both in quality and quantity – for that much. Honestly, it felt a bit like a rip off, especially for anyone who is buying for more than one person.
I did really like the look of all the different flavour combinations, though – I would have loved to have tried the kimchi one. I just wish there was more of it.
For dessert, I paid a visit to Mimi's Bakehouse, which I'm a big fan of anyway. You can find them nestled inside the children's area, which I think is a lovely idea for parents who might be in need of a coffee boost.
(Image: NQ) They had a fantastic selection of sweet treats. I have a soft spot for carrot cake, so I went with one of their cupcakes. It didn't disappoint, it was very soft and had the perfect amount of icing.
(Image: NQ) This is a great option for anyone looking for a change from the typical street food-style vendors you get everywhere else at the Fringe.
I didn't try it this time, but I would highly recommend Harajuku Kitchen. It's one of my favourite places to eat in Edinburgh – I promise you won't be disappointed by the karaage chicken.
I would also have liked to try Mint. The chicken and halloumi wrap is apparently a firm favourite among festival-goers.
Price
It goes without saying that the food here is expensive. There are less options in the area surrounding the courtyard, so I suppose people are less likely to be fussy (or they're too hungry to be that bothered) about paying a bit extra.
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If you're prepared to pay that, that's fine. But the Fringe is an incredibly expensive festival as it is, and I don't feel as though this is going to be a realistic option for many people.
Verdict
The location of these food stalls could not be more perfect. There's so much choice, lots of meat-free options, and all the vendors are local to Edinburgh, which is fantastic. The venue had a great atmosphere to it, and it felt nestled away from the rest of the city, which I appreciated.
You also have a good chance of spotting some famous faces, if that's something you're into. In the two hours I was there, I saw Rosie Jones, Jazz Emu and a Gogglebox star.
With that said, it is pricey. This isn't unique to the Courtyard, however, and you're likely to pay a similar price at any of the food stalls you come across at the Fringe.
Another point worth mentioning is that for anyone who struggles with big crowds or can get overstimulated, this may not be the place for you. It's incredibly busy and noisy, and despite there being lots of seating options they were all full when I was there – I ended up eating my cupcake sat on a wall. For anyone with accessibility needs, I'd bear this in mind.
There is definitely something for everyone here, and I can imagine it being particularly useful when you have a day packed full of shows.