Essential Eats: Glastonbury 2017

It cannot be argued: this year’s music line up for Glastonbury is absolutely cracking, but what about the food? The food at Glasto is becoming so well known and revered in its own right that it’s considered up there with the best of food festivals, and half of Glasto-goers are seemingly as excited about what they’ll be able to shovel down their throats as which headliners they’ll be racing to see. Glasto being what Glasto is, it’s also one of  the best collections of vegetarian and vegan food around; there is truly something for everyone. Here’s what not to miss at this year’s Glastonbury.

Anna Mae’s

Not tried Anna Mae’s yet? Where have you been, exactly? Macaroni cheese has had quite the surge in popularity over the last few years. You can get mac and cheese as a side at any restaurant worth its salt at any time of day and it now comes in toasties and burgers too. But Anna Mae’s are the original, the King and Queen of Mac N Cheese. They’re classic and renowned for their art: large skillets of steaming cheesy goodness, pimped out every which way with a variety of toppings. Perfect festival food.

Where? Between the Bandstand and Pyramid, as well as in the Acoustic Field

Buddha Bowls 

Another famous Glasto food mecca, Buddha Bowls won the People’s Choice Award on Twitter after last year’s festival. Their homemade massaman curries (among the very best types of curry, in my opinion) have won multiple street food awards and I for one cannot wait to get my hands on one this year. They’re also veggie (vegan if you skip the halloumi), wheat free and gluten free too, so they really do cater to everyone.

Where? TBC

Chapati Man

Hands down one of my favourite things about Glastonbury is the sheer amount of Indian food on offer, and Chapati Man’s Indian wraps are famed at the festival. Chapatis are filled with keema aloo, chicken saag, masala chicken or channa aloo, along with crisp salad, cooling raita and extra chopped green chillis for the brave. Look out for the big yellow van with a turquoise elephant painted on it!

Where? Leftfield

Crabbieshack 

A staple at Kerb, Crabbieshack’s soft shell crab burgers are the best I’ve tried – the batter light, each burger designed with the perfect balance of flavours. My favourite is the harissa, red onion, red cabbage and pomegranate (seriously those seeds make it), but the fennel with almond, avocado and harissa is a close second. It’s also probably the quickest I’ve ever eaten a burger, it just disappears as it’s so moreish I’ve barely swallowed before I’ve shoved it in my face again.

Where? Leftfield 

Dosa Deli

The brilliant dosas from Dosa Deli are a continued food highlight for me at Glasto, so it’s a good job they’re back again. The Mysore Masala Dosa with spiced potatoes and hot garlic chutney is a hit, as is the paneer Chilli Cheese Dosa with red onion, tomato and channa dhal chutney. Both served with Bombay bhel and coconut chutney (there can never be enough chutney – a rule I live by), this veggie offering is as good as they come. The real star of the show are Dosa Deli’s onion bhajis that almost look like curly fries – definitely get these as an add on.

Where? Williams Green

Le Rac Shack

You’ll soon see a pattern here: it’s hard to get through a festival without lashings of melted cheese. The huge wheel of melting raclette at Le Rac Shack has been recommended to me dozens of times over so I am making it a mission of mine to get some of the good stuff this year. Le Rac Shack’s cheese comes from Annecy and their sausages from Toulouse, so you’re very much getting the authentic French experience of raclette – essentially fancy cheesy chips (or, crushed new potatoes) with all the toppings. They also do legit poutine with rosemary fries, French onion gravy with melted raclette on top which is, in fact, one of the best drunk foods of all time. See you there.

Where? Opposite the Somerset side bus in between the Pyramid and Bandstand

Manic Organic

What with Glasto being Glasto, veggie and vegan food is naturally associated with the festival and has been for decades. Whilst obviously not a requirement of food traders at Glasto (hi Smokestak), the veggie food you’ll find there is so bloody good you could easily go vegetarian for days on end without even noticing you’re missing meat. Manic Organic have been trading at Glasto for something like near on 30 years, and it’s no surprise – their plates of curries and dahls are a staple, though they do salads and stir fries too. They can usually be found in Greenfields with all the brightly coloured hand drawn signs.

Where? Greenfields

No Bones Jones

Oh let’s have a bit more of that veggie and vegan vibe that Glastonbury is famous for. No Bones Jones are famous in their own right with their offering of high quality food with minimum impact on the environment. Alongside curries, stews and salads there are the veggie fritters I’ve heard great things about and are definitely on my list to try. Also, a lot of it is gluten free, which I’m sure is good news to many – especially at a festival.

Where? Yeoman’s Bridge near West Holts

Square Pie

We may have lost Pieminister this year (we’ll miss you guys), but thank God we still have Square Pie going 15 years strong to see us through those pie and mash cravings on the way home from Shangri La at 3am. With a large menu that ranges from your classic steak and ale to chicken jalfrezi, these delicious pies are served with lashings of gravy and of course – mash. Eavis only knows how much mashed potato these guys must serve up each day, but it’s for a great cause: pie.

Where? TBC

Thali Cafe

With two pitches at Glasto, Thali Cafe is somewhat of an institution by now, serving up their famous veggie fry ups for breakfast for years. Mostly veggie and vegan, but with a couple of meat dishes thrown in, this is the spot if you’re after a delicious curry. Also, Thali Cafe prides themselves on being eco friendly, sustainable and never using palm oil – hear hear! More of that, please.

Where? Craft Field and The Park

The Cheese Truck

You know those pornographic photos of cheese toasties? No, you do. You know the ones. The ones that are all your drunk-self dreams of? Those pornographic cheese toasties are by The Cheese Truck. These cheesy favourites in the big yellow truck are serving up epic cheese toasties in not one, but two sites at Glastonbury this year, so there are no excuses for missing out. The goats cheese with honey and walnuts is beautiful, but I’m yet to try the classic cheddar that looks so glorious all over Instagram, so I’ll see you in the queue.

Where? Main campsite above the Pyramid Stage and Shangri-La
First We Eat Words: here

The Goan Seafood Company

Repeatedly recommended, the Goan Seafood Company by West Holts have been showing up at Glasto for years, serving up their famed Goan Mackerel Masala Dahl curry to the punters all day and all night long. Their fish is fresh from the Cornish coast and you can get a vegan version of their curry too. I’m told the kedgeree they serve up for breakfast with hot smoked salmon is to die for – and a welcome alternative to the endless bacon and sausage baps you find yourself inhaling come 10am.

Where? To the right of West Holts 

Tom’s Toasties

Being one of the best drunk and hangover foods around, it’s handy that there are never ending options for toasties at festivals. I’m told Tom’s Toasties are the best toastie you’ll ever have – strong competition for The Cheese Truck it seems! Tom’s uses Wyke Farms Cheese, a local Somerset award-winning cheddar, left to mature for 12 months before it finds its way into thickly sliced bread, the toaster, then ultimately, your stomach. I’m salivating just thinking about it.

Where? Green Kids Field next to the pirate ship

UPDATE: Unfortunately Smokestak won’t be at Glasto this year after all – a loss for all! But if you’re ever in London or a London local, make sure to visit their new bricks and mortar outpost in East London for the best damn brisket of your life.

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