PLATFORM is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday and is home to 12 independent traders who use only local, sustainably sourced, seasonal, free range and fair-trade products and adhere to the Scotland’s Food Charter for Events, which aims to raise the standard and provenance of food and drink at events to ensure a better visitor experience.
Serving up food from top Scottish vendors such as Babu Bombay Street Kitchen, Ginger & Chilli's, The Rosehip, Tiny Dancer’s Slider Pantry and Chick + Pea, PLATFORM also hosts former Scottish and British Street Food Awards stars Crema Caravan and Shrimpwreck as well as London’s Borough Market specialists Freddy & Hicks.
Hilary Goodfellow, who is responsible for booking the food traders for PLATFORM said: "PLATFORM is a community of some of the very best street food traders in Scotland, grouped together and operating from the Argyle Street Arches and we are offering an independent alternative to a lot of the food chains that have monopolised Glasgow for so long in the city centre.
Picture: Julia Fletcher Smith
"We have 12 different independent traders that have been hand-picked to ensure we offer something for everybody meaning we take in foods from around the world and have lots of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
"This is further complimented by our range of craft drinks, which includes a lot of craft beer and craft spirits sourced from around Scotland in a bid to support local craft industries."
Rachna Dheer of Babu Bombay Street Kitchen said: “Babu Bombay Street Kitchen is really excited to bring our food to new weekly independent food market Platform at Argyle Street Arches.
"They have a brilliant selection of traders and it’s great that Glasgow has finally caught up with other cities in Europe, and has finally put street food firmly on the map in the heart of the city centre."
Picture: JFS
The new food project has a strong environmental ethos at its core and has partnered with Vegware as part of their innovative ‘Close the Loop’ pilot scheme.
All food is sold in fully compostable disposables, which means everything can be collected by Vegware for commercial composting, creating high-grade compost in just a matter of weeks.
Dog and family-friendly, the new venture also offers free face painting, a doggie bar and a well-equipped kids section, meaning parents can enjoy their food and have a drink whilst the little ones are kept entertained.
All food traders also offer children’s portions at a reduced price, which means there is something for everyone and menus will be updated regularly as seasonal produce changes.
Hilary said: "We are trying to be inclusive as possible so we are family friendly and dog friendly until 8pm. What's been really nice has been the reception that we've received from the people who used to come to the Arches, with a lot of them telling us that they are genuinely excited to be back in the space.
"All of our kids activities are completely free and we have loads of space to play, free face painting and toys to keep them entertained, as its important to us that children are included. One of the nicest bits of feedback that we have received has been that kids aren't just tolerated here but that they are actually appreciated."
Hilary stated that the response to the new market has been overwhelmingly postive, she added: "We felt for a while in a city as diverse as Glasgow there really needed to be something like PLATFORM as if you compare it to a lot of other cities in Europe there is a city centre street food market whereas Glasgow didn't have that so really the response has been brilliant, it seems the people of Glasgow really care where there money goes and that they are happy to support the independents."
Thomson’s Coffee Roasters, Scotland’s longest established coffee business have also set up shop in the Cafe Bar, where they will produce up to a tonne of freshly roasted coffee per day, fueling their wholesale coffee business, whilst caffeinating Cafe Bar customers.
The resident bakery further compliments the Cafe Bar offering an extensive range of pizzas, breads, flatbreads all freshly baked on-site, all still warm from the from the stone-baked oven.
