Apart from gluing the leaves back onto the trees, there’s not much we can do about the onset of autumn and the fact that the nights are fair drawing in.
Still, there is much to look forward to (and eat) to keep the colder season from seeming too gloomy. Here are a few of the events, new restaurants and books to ensure that this is a time of mellow fruitfulness.
Neapolitan pizzas, pasta, cocktails, seafood and sharing platters are the order of the day at Glasgow's newest Italian restaurant, Roberta’s, which is conspicuous by its bright turquoise awning. We like the sound of their signature pizza, with a topping of salame Napoli, provola, ricotta, black pepper, basil and EVOO, and the rigatoni with wild mushrooms, black truffle and grana padano.
140 St Vincent Street, Glasgow, 0141 737 5537, www.robertas.co.uk
Book your stay at Killiecrankie House - a restaurant with rooms, which is the most ambitious and exciting opening we’ve seen for a while. Their inventive 12 course tasting menu, £85pp, includes dishes such as the dripping fried porridge, and Highland wagyu, green tea, onions and pickled pine, as well as their twists on other Scottish delicacies, like Scotch eggs and macaroni pie. Bookings are currently being taken from October 6 onwards.
Killiecrankie House, Perthshire, 01796 473 213, www.killiecrankiehouse.com
Re-visit one of Edinburgh’s best restaurants, Timberyard, under new head chef, James Murray, formerly of Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Nur in Hong Kong, The Edinburgh Food Studio and the capital’s lockdown fried chicken pop-up, JFC. He’ll be making his mark on the autumn menu, which will be available from September 16.
10 Lady Lawson Street, Edinburgh, 0131 221 1222, www.timberyard.co
Jessica Elliott Dennison, the proprietor of Edinburgh cafe and shop, Elliott’s (www.elliottsedinburgh.com), is launching her latest book, Lazy Baking (£16.99, Hardie Grant), at the end of September. As the name might suggest, it’s full of easy no-fuss recipes, such as amaretti biscuits, crispbreads and flourless chocolate cake. Join the team at The Mainstreet Trading Company, St Boswells, on September 30, 7.30pm, where they’ll be holding a live cooking demo with the author. Tickets are £20, including a copy of the book, or £30 for two tickets and one copy of the hardback book.
Main Street, St Boswells, Melrose (01835 824 087, www.mainstreetbooks.co.uk)
Don’t panic about running out of time to visit celebrity chef Tony Singh’s new Radge Chaat street food offering in Edinburgh’s Tollcross. It looks to be continuing indefinitely (he’ll have to invest in some fingerless gloves), so wrap up and try his veggie chaat dishes, served from the side of a brightly painted shipping container.
5 West Tollcross, Edinburgh, Instagram @whatsyerchaat
Forget whatever syrupy confection Starbucks has come up with this season, we prefer eteaket’s limited edition Pumpkin Chai blend, which is back from September 10. It contains pumpkin pieces and seeds, cinnamon, ginger and cloves, and is to be served black or with milk and honey. Available in their tea room (41 Frederick Street) or concept store (111 Rose Street) or their website.
£7.95 for 100g, www.eteaket.co.uk
We’ve been counting down to the release of the lovely book, The Hebridean Baker: Recipes and Wee Stories from the Scottish Islands by Isle of Lewis local and TikTok star, Coinneach MacLeod. It’s out on September 16, and features autumnal-sounding sweet and savoury recipes including Aunt Bellag’s Duff, cranachan chocolate cups, Atholl brose and granny’s griddle cupcakes.
£20, Black & White Publishing
Stock up on autumnal produce, as the dates for Fife’s biggest food and drink market, Bowhouse Market Weekends, have been announced. These events will be taking place on the second weekends of September (11 and 12), October (9 and 10) and November (13 and 14), all from 10am until 4pm. Expect permanent residents, Scotland the Bread and East Neuk Market Garden, but also special visitors including Unorthodox Roastery, Cocoa Tree and Woodmill Game. There will also be street food from the likes of Flahute Coffee, Rost Eats - serving Korean style duck bao buns - and Screaming Peacock, with their pheasant burgers with rosemary fries.
Bowhouse Farm, St Monans, Anstruther, Fife, www.bowhousefife.com
If you need yet another reason to visit North Berwick, apart from a trip to the fab Bostock Bakery, a new restaurant, The Lawn, is opening on September 23 as part of the Marine North Berwick hotel. It’ll have Masterchef finalist, Chris Niven, in the kitchen, and dishes will include Gigha halibut with chicken butter, brown sugar and cucumber. Its sister hotel, Rusacks, in St Andrews, headed by Derek Johnstone (another Masterchef alumni, as he won in 2008) is opening its rooftop restaurant, 18, on September 18.
18 Cromwell Road, North Berwick, www.marineandlawn.com
Glasgow’s Cocktail Week runs from September 24 to October 3 and they’ve gone all out, with a line-up of events, masterclasses and immersive tastings. Around 40 of Glasgow’s top boozy venues are taking part, including the new Abandon Ship Bar (opening September 17) and Champagne Central. Tickets start from £5 for a Cocktail Explorer, which allows you to try cocktails for a fiver in participating venues. Or, go all access for £10. This grants you a session at their silent disco at VEGA, as well as your pick of events including Brunch Bingo at The Gate on October 3, or a Make Your Own Mojito session at The Citizen on October 2.
