How to vote for your favourite as Scotland's tastiest street food vendors attend mass Edinburgh event

Hal Prescott, Robin Strigner, Laura Hope

But this weekend the great and the good of the Scottish market will be packed into the Pitt offering more than just the basics.

Street food vendors from across Scotland will gather in Edinburgh on Saturday and Sunday to compete to be named the country’s favourite.

In Berlin it’s rösti—plate-sized portions of fried potato, slathered with apple sauce and, in Rome, it’s “pizza a taglio” sold by the rectangle and the Scottish surge of fresh and affordable street food has is now being celebrated.

The Scottish Street Food Awards, supported by Hellmann’s, are hosted by the Pitt and will see 15 vendors serve their wares to thousands of visitors over the weekend.

From crispy haggis bao buns to venison pastrami sliders, the event promises to showcase a range of flavours from the now thriving street food scene.

Francesco Bani, originally from Italy, will be there with Wanderers Kneaded – a pizzeria on wheels serving sourdough pizzas cooked in a woodfired oven in an old-school food truck.

And how does he create the popular pizzas? Francesco said: “Scouting for fresh, high quality produce in the right quantities and using local farms to help us with our selection of meat and cheese as well as an independent Italian supplier that brings us the finest selection of goods, from 00 Caputo flour and San Marzano tomatoes to Nduja and Guanciale.

“Our idea was born from trying to serve food in the most honest way possible. We are succeeding in being a sustainable pizzeria on wheels that don’t always look for ways to cut corners in order to work. It’s a tricky balance but its genuinely what keeps us going – knowing that day-in-day-out we cook just what we believe in, no excuses, and served to the community that we love.”

And for the sweet toothed street food lover Emma Riddell from Moo Pie will also be parked up at the Pitt.

A former nutritionist, Emma decided to switch tact and went to Gelato University in Bologna, before launching Moo Pie Gelato. And despite sometimes selling in the rain, Emma said the local scene is an exciting one to be part of.

“Street food is about getting decent food within a super chilled vibe. Plus events like the Pitt are fab as the traders are ever changing. It’s a great forum for trying a total array of foods,” Emma said. “Edinburgh is actually pretty amazing. There are a lot of people doing some really cool stuff. Plus as a trader it is a really cool community to be part of.”

Fried chicken from the well-loved Buffalo Truck.

The Shawarma Shack, melted, rost, barnacles n bones, The Peruvian, buffalo truck, ShrimpWreck, Ginger and Chilli, Moskito, Faceplant foods, Prime Street Food, Fatboys and The Redshank will also be in vying for the top spot.

Visitors will be invited to vote for their favourite trader alongside guest judges, Ben Reade, of Edinburgh Food Studio and Scott Smith of Fhior.

The Pitt founder Hal Prescott, said: “Scots know great food, and the creativity that street food vendors bring to table is nothing short of brilliant.”

The Pitt opens from 12 noon, entry £3 on the door, or £2 in advance from www.citizenticket.co.uk.