On Your Marks, Get Set, Eat! Chomp Your Way Through The Commonwealth Games

The teams are arriving, the Queen’s Baton Relay has finished and all of the years of preparation have lead up to this moment – a blog post on the food available around the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

While the 71 competing countries’ athletes slog it out across the 17 sporting disciplines, you can plan to mosey on over to Glasgow Green to grab a top-notch bite to eat and watch the day’s coverage live on big screens, as well as enjoy plenty of other activities. The area will be transformed into what’s being dubbed the Live Zone, which is going to be divided up into sections. The Kitchen will be where you can get fine food and drink; The Living Room will be a main stage for a wide variety of musical acts, from choir singing to electro-pop; The Playhouse will host more theatrical acts in a big old spiegeltent (we had to Google it too. It’s a large tent full of mirrors); The Shed will be a fun spot for arts and crafts for all ages; and The Wee House, The Wee Den and The Back Garden will be a place for the little’uns to belt around and get involved in similar activities to those offered elsewhere, but better suited for ages 0 to 12.

Apart from during the opening and closing ceremonies, entry to Glasgow Green will be free and un-ticketed, so you’ll be able to visit at any time. Scotland Food & Drink and the 2014 Food & Drink teams are rightfully proud of the premium producers that are showcasing their cracking comestibles, as they’ll be selling Scotland’s best to the city’s worldwide visitors. Expect to sample perfected classics like haggis, neeps and tatties, as well as hot smoked salmon rolls, gourmet burgers, sushi and wood-fired pizzas. The Kitchen is also fully licensed, so there will be a chance to try a cocktail or one of a range of Scottish craft beers. What could be better than watching the finish (or start) of the marathon – taking place on Sunday 27th July, fact fans – with a cold one in-hand? You could repeat this with the cycling time trial on Thursday 31st July, and the cycling road race on Sunday 3rd August. It might seem a bit cruel to watch as the athletes pant and puff their way to the end point while you munch a slice of pizza with a pint of beer, but, well, life choices and all that.

Meanwhile, a short walk away in Merchant City, there will be plenty more spots to try some of Scotland’s inimitable cuisine, plus a little extra. On Wilson Street and the surrounding roads, a variety of local larder stalls will tout the best of the country’s goods, while international market stalls will tender for those wanting to explore all cuisines. You’ll also be able to watch Games coverage on the big screen inside Merchant Square.

Meanwhile, the BBC will be employing all of their audio-visual knowledge by hosting BBC at the Quay, a live entertainment festival that, amongst many other things, will offer another big screen near a handy pop-up café to watch the sports on.

For further details on all of the above, visitors can check out the Commonwealth Games Festival 2014 brochure, available here.

Furthermore, John Lewis, as Official Department Store Provider of the Games (yes, this is a thing), will also be getting in on the communal screen action by offering tea on the green in Royal Exchange Square. You can book a spot here and enjoy a charming afternoon tea while cheering on your favourites.

And finally, if you can’t make it to Glasgow, it’s well worth checking out what’s happening in your local area. For instance, you could pack up a picnic and head out to Castle Square if you’re in Swansea, or Guildhall Square if you’re near Portsmouth.