Food Stalls at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games

Food stalls in Glasgow's Merchant City Commonwealth Games fan zone

This short special feature sees me taking a wander through Glasgow's Merchant City, one of the designated "live sites" or "fan zones" for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The visit took place yesterday (Thursday) morning when I had occasion to visit Glasgow. I had a very short amount of spare time in the City Centre so I decided to take a brief look at what the Merchant City was offering in food terms before proceeding to where I had to be.
 

Commonwealth Games fan zone in Glasgow's Merchant City

So what was I expecting/hoping to find? I was expecting to find a wide variety of foods from around the world, to offer variety and choice for visitors. Even at what was barely 10am, I certainly wasn't disappointed in that respect. Non-Commonwealth countries like France, Italy and Spain were especially well represented, which I perhaps found a little bit surprising. The foods on offer though largely smelled and looked good - shame I wasn't hungry. A goat curry was one of the first dishes to catch my eye - but at £7.50 a portion, I'm not so sure I would have indulged even if I had been starving...
 

French creperie and Brazilian coffee stall

What I was hoping to find was a variety of fresh Scottish produce, which by its very nature also frequently represents healthier eating options. Although I did find one stall offering a variety of healthy burgers - with an option for Aberdeen angus beef - I was otherwise largely disappointed in this respect.
 

Healthier option burgers incorporating meats of the world

I couldn't help but feel as I walked what an opportunity these food ares represented for promoting real Scottish food - top quality Scottish food - to visitors from dozens of countries around the world. Okay, this is but one location in Glasgow where food stalls are to be found during the Games and yes, it was early in the morning. First impressions matter, however, and my first impressions of a high profile location could certainly have been a lot better.

Italian and Spanish food stalls

As I got right to the very end of my brief wander through the Merchant City, I was delighted to find two British produce stalls side by side. Snowdonia Cheese and particularly of course The Hebridean Food Co were very much more what I had been hoping to find. The only sad part was that I was now verging upon being late for my appointment and didn't have time to stop, look at the food on offer and perhaps make a purchase or two.
 

Hebridean Food and Snowdonia Cheese

I will need to be back in Glasgow at some point next week and am hoping to make more time to explore the street foods on offer in greater detail, perhaps later in the day, and even hopefully in more than one location. I wonder if I will be more impressed overall by what I find?

Bars in Glasgow's Merchant City prior to opening time