Essential Eats: Glastonbury 2019

It’s been a long two years of fallowed fields and speculation over the next line up for the greatest festival in the world: Glastonbury. It’s not long now until those lucky thousands return to the farm for five days of music, dancing and with any luck – endless sunshine. If you’re heading to Pilton you’re going to need some serious fuel to get through the week, but Glasto doesn’t have to mean crappy burgers and soggy chips – it also has a fantastic reputation for cracking food. Here’s some of the best to look out for.

Anna Mae’s

A consistent favourite and staple for festival goers for years on end now, Anna Mae’s macaroni cheese is the ideal festival food to get down you to soak up the endless pints of Somerset cider. Creamy cheesy goodness pimped in different ways – The Don Macaroni with crispy bacon, basil oil and fresh basil is my favourite, but you can go classic with a three cheese sauce with The Annie Mac if you prefer to keep things simple. If you’re one for spice the chipotle and jalapenos in The Spicy Juan will appeal, or go big with The Kayne Western, which has chunks of hot dog on top with BBQ sauce and crispy onions to boot.

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

The Bhangra Bus

One of the best things about The Bhangra Bus is all their vegetarian and vegan food is served out of an old yellow American school bus, which you can even take a perch inside to eat your meal – a rarity at Glasto and certainly worth bearing in mind if it’s a rainy one this year (but it won’t be, it won’t!) One of the festival’s Indian food staples for years now, The Bhangra Bus is definitely worth checking out for their delicious curries served with dhal and rice.

Where? Leftfield.

Burger Bear

Burger Bear’s epic burgers will be at Glasto this year. Trust me, you cannot go wrong with a cheeseburger from these guys – the quality is fantastic and it properly hits the spot. It’s a messy one to eat too, which in my book is the true sign of a great burger. I’m praying they’ve got their new chicken burger on the menu too: deep fried chicken thigh, double smoked bacon, American cheese, guacamole, pickled red onion, house slaw with buttery Buffalo sauce. I don’t think I really need to explain why; that description alone says it all.

Where? Block 9

Chapati Man

I cannot wait to get my hands on one of Chapati Man’s amazing Indian wraps this year. With a store now open in Sri Lanka, franchises popping up in New York and eleven years strong at Glasto in this year, Chapati Man is going from strength to strength and remains as one not to be missed. Fresh curry fillings in a chapati wrap, there are four types on offer: keema aloo, chicken saag, masala chicken and chana aloo. The curries are cooked as mild and served 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. See you in the queue!

Where? Leftfield

Chunky Chips, Wicked Dips

Look sometimes you just need chips. But if you’re gonna get chips, get good chips. None of this soggy kebab van shit – head to Chunky Chips, Wicked Dips for the real deal. Dips include the classics such as chip shop curry sauce, gravy, garlic mayo, plus jerk sauce and hickory smoked BBQ. Don’t worry, they do cheesy chips too – one of the best drunk foods of all time. Twice fried, you can add any dip for an extra quid, making this meal cheap as…chips. Sorry.

Where? Silver Hayes.

Crabbieshack 

A bit of a curveball in terms of satisfying a burger craving, but that doesn’t mean Crabbieshack should be overlooked. Their 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.

Where? Leftfield

Dosa Deli

It’s not Glastonbury for me without a trip to Dosa Deli – usually on the Thursday when I’m hanging out in Williams Green all the live long day. Their dosas are banging, their bhel puri is a favourite and their onion bhajis are probably the best I’ve ever had. These guys are unmissable in my book, and luckily for you guys there are two spots to catch them in. Don’t you dare walk away without trying those epic bhajis!

Where? Williams Green and between Silver Hayes/The Other Stage

Eat The Farm

Oh man these burgers look good. Got to balance out all the veggie and vegan places with a few for the meat eaters, haven’t we? With three different burgers cooked to order with all the trimmings on brioche, these are sure to satisfying the dirty burger craving synonymous with that festival feeling. Eat The Farm are also taking part in Glastonbury’s Food For a Fiver initiative with their breakfast: sausage patty, melted cheese, crispy streaky bacon, and a fried egg in a toasted brioche bun, served between 8am and noon. I don’t know about you but I will be making the walk over to Eat The Farm specifically for that one.

Where? Between Westholts and Leftfield in a yellow VW.

Giant Yorkshire Pudding Place

Okay I don’t know the official name of this place, but I think ‘Giant Yorkshire Pudding Place’ is pretty self explanatory and for me it just isn’t Glasto without one of these bad boys filled with mash, gravy and sausages. One of my mates has at least one a day. Perfect warming food late at night after hours dancing in the South East corner or a filling meal when you realise you’ve not actually eaten that day yet, long may the giant yorkshire puddings be a staple of Glastonbury.

Where? Pyramid, to the right as you look at the stage on the way through to the Other Stage.

Le Rac Shack

The huge wheel of melting raclette at Le Rac Shack is pretty much a must at Glastonbury. With beautiful melted cheese from Annecy over potatoes, topped off with sausages from Toulouse, Le Rac Shack delivers every time. This year I’m after their poutine made with rosemary fries and French onion gravy with melted raclette over the top and I’m salivating just thinking about it.

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

Luardos

One of my Glasto Squad got a seriously disappointing burrito in William’s Green back in 2017 – clearly avoiding all my food advice – and how I wished I had known about Luardos to spread the love in advance that year. This isn’t only one of the best meals I’ve had at Glasto but one of the best burritos I’ve had – and I don’t say that lightly. With choices of slow cooked chipotle beef brisket, slow cooked pulled pork with fennel and orange, garlic chicken breast and of course, a vegetarian option, this is one of the best choices you can make this year. Full to the brim with meat, rice, beans, homemade salsa and banging guacamole, you’ve also got the options of mild or spicy sauce to top it all off. The spicy gives a great kick if you’re feeling brave. No excuses on this one as they’re planted right next to The Other Stage on the far right side and the truck is bright pink – you can’t miss it.

Where? The Other Stage, to the right hand side as you look at the stage.

No Bones Jones

Even if you go for nothing else, you must swing by No Bones Jones for their legendary veggie fritters. Served with salad and sauces, a bowl of these fried veggies are the perfect drunk food to drag you through a day of drinking into a night of…well, more drinking. As the name suggests, No Bones Jones are firmly of the vegetarian and vegan persuasion, and are famous in their own right for serving high quality food with minimum impact on the environment. Other than the epic fritters you can grab curries, stews and salads – and a whole load of it is gluten free, keeping many happy I’m sure.

Where? Yeoman’s Bridge near West Holts.

Piggie Smalls

Don’t go buying a shoddy hot dog from a nameless white van when you can get your sausage fix from Piggie Smalls this festival. Inventively named after your musical favourites, these frankfurters are pimped out to be far more exciting that your regular hot dogs. Try the Amy Swinehouse: smoked frankfurter with pulled pork and Jim Bean BBQ sauce; or go for the Chili Con Kanye served with rich beef chili and nacho cheese sauce. You can even go extra with the Baby Got Mac which has – you guessed it – macaroni cheese on top with crispy onions.

Where? West Holts

Samosas Near The Other Stage

Okay so I don’t know their official name (look, things get hazy; I’ll try to take notes this year), but this little place to the left of the Other Stage is the perfect pit stop to keep you going between sets – grab four delicious samosas with mint raita, harrisa sauce and lime pickle for a fiver – a great part of Glasto’s Food For A Fiver initiative. Choose from spicy beef kilifi; the Bangkok parcel made with ground beef, ginger, coriander, green chillies and lemongrass; the spicy lamb made with scotch bonnet (the hottest of the bunch) or the Shingara – a veggie samosa popular in India and made with traditional Bengali spices. Go for all four or pick and choose as you please but I can confirm all are excellent, so whatever you choose you can’t go wrong.

Where? Towards the Other Stage on the left hand side as you walk from Pyramid.

Seasonal Samosas

Okay look I know there is a strong contingent for Indian food at Glastonbury but I honestly do not see a problem with that. Family run Seasonal Samosas use vegetables grown locally, the majority in their own Indian garden, making this a great sustainable option. Gluten free samosas, pakoras and tikki are available and the use of so many veggies makes this a healthy option too. Check them out in the Avalon field.

Where? Avalon

The Cheese Truck

One of the ultimate drunk foods: the humble cheese toastie. Luckily for Glasto goers, The Cheese Truck are back again doing what they do best: taking two simple ingredients and creating magic. Of course there’s a little more to it than that. The goats cheese with honey, walnuts and rosemary butter is as beautiful as it sounds. I wish I liked blue cheese as the addition of bacon and pear chutney sounds amazing, but more for you guys.

Where? At the top of the Pyramid and if you’re a lucky ticket holder, hospitality.

The Fruit Cup

For when you’re curried and burgered out and craving a bit of fresh fruit to keep things regular head to The Fruit Cup for a healthy fix. Don’t worry, you don’t have to go too healthy, they’ll smother your strawberries in Nutella and marshmallows if you so wish it. A particularly refreshing option if the sun plays ball this year!

Where? Yeoman’s Bridge, between West Holts and Williams Green, and another spot in Hospitality Camping.

The Goan Seafood Company

Another familiar favourite, the Goan Seafood Company have been serving up their famed Goan Mackerel Masala Dahl curry to the punters all day and all night long for years now. Their fish is fresh from the Cornish coast and vegans are catered to with a vegan version as well. Watch me head straight for their breakfast kedgeree for a welcome change to the endless bacon and sausage baps in the mornings.

Where? West Holts

Tibetan Kitchen

Well known for their banging momos (Tibetan dumplings), the Tibetan Kitchen will be back again this year to serve the masses at Glastonbury. Always an excellent shout for a meal between sets at the Pyramid given its close proximity, The Tibetan Kitchen serves up plenty of curries – also suitable for veggies and vegans – alongside their famous dumplings.

Where? On the left side of the Pyramid stage as you look at it and between The Other Stage and Silver Hayes.

Tom’s Spuds and Tom’s Toasties

Wyke Farm are back with their award winning cheddar in two spots this year, one dedicated to serving up banging jacket potatoes with their gorgeous Extra Mature cheddar and a variety of vegetarian fillings, whilst Tom’s Toasties spot will be out in the campervan field for those out that way.

Where? Tom’s Spuds in Green Kidz Field, Tom’s Toasties outside the pedestrian gates in the campervan field.

Tommy’s Pizzeria

Partying in Block 9 and need something good to tide you over for another few hours of partying? Look no further than Tommy’s Pizzeria. This joint serves wood fired Neapolitan style pizzas and uses quality local produce and ingredients to deliver banging slices. With excitement around their permanent restaurant opening in mid May down by the seaside in St Leonards/Hastings at a high, I have no doubt these guys will be a festival hit this year.

Where? Block 9

Wholefood Heaven

Oh man I love Wholefood Heaven’s Buddha Bowls. Their veggie massaman curry bowls are a Glasto staple, and perfect for when it gets to a point where you start to acknowledge that you really should get something healthy in you in amongst all that partying and boozing. A People’s Choice Award winner in the past, which should tell you everything you need to know. Great spot.

Where?  Between Pyramid and Leftfield near Chameleon Bar.

Have the best festival everyone – remember to eat well, hydrate and keep regular! See you on the farm.

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