As Dundee celebrates the success of its inaugural Food Festival which saw around 17,000 Tayside food and drink fans brace all weathers at the weekend to take part in the city’s foodie event, it now gets ready for the city’s Cocktail Week which takes place from the 19th to the 28th of July. DRAM spoke to some of the bars and restaurants involved to find out about the signature drinks they have carefully curated for the event.
The Food Festival saw thousands enjoy a variety of free and paid-for activities across the city centre and put the city’s food, drink and hospitality sector into the spotlight. Organised by Dundee City Council in collaboration with local partners including the Eden Project, V&A Dundee, James Hutton Institute and Eat and Drink Dundee, the celebration featured over 45 local businesses and boasted a schedule of 60 plus events.
From food markets, the street food extravaganza at the Waterfront and and chefs on stilts at City Square, to a picnic in the park at Slessor Gardens with the Eden Project, as well as the sold-out dining events at V&A Dundee, the city was bursting with inspiration and culinary delights.
As the city recovers from the busy festival it now looks forward to a successful cockail week that is expected to repeat the success. Dundee Cocktail Week, which first launched in 2022 is estimated to have generated £487k for the local economy last year alone, and this year organisers M.ad Agency, based in Dundee, are showcasing the city’s hospitality scene to both locals and visitors, capturing the busy summer market.
Alice Christison, director of M.ad Agency, said, “Dundee Cocktail Week has always been popular with locals and independent businesses, and by offering unique discounts at various bars and restaurants we’ll get more people out enjoying Dundee’s hospitality industry.
“There’s no denying times have been challenging for venues in and around the city, but the feedback we receive from businesses is that the event is always a huge help in driving customers through their doors and bringing new clientele in, too. We’re excited to bring the event back.”
