Abergavenny Food Festival returned for yet another year with thousands of people making their way to south Wales from across the UK to try out the best food our corner of the world has to offer.
The street food market was constantly busy across the two days with people queuing up to try world cuisines.
Traders were all excited to be there with big names like Beefy Boys, Pizza Box and The Cheesecake Guy all showing off their street food making skills.
I tried a lot of food over the Saturday and Sunday and these are my thoughts.
Bab Haus
Bab Haus is a South Wales favourite for Mexican food. They are known, by myself at least, for their popular Mexican food units in Newport Market and Goodsheds Barry.
Founder Leyli Homayoonfar recommended the pork belly tacos and the beef birria tacos and both were delicious. These were £12.
The Bab Haus has been nominated for this year’s Uber Eats ‘Restaurant of the Year Award,’ and after eating those tacos, I can see why.
Meat and Greek
Another Newport Market favourite is Meat and Greek. They were at the food festival serving tasty Greek food including Gyro Pittas and fries.
Founded by a Cardiff based Greek Cypriot family, Meat and Greek had one of the longest queues in the street food market.
Partners Lisandros Hajigeorgis and Sophie Tumelty said they love food because it 'reflects many things, such as family, culture and community.
Though it would be hard to pick a favourite dish from the weekend, the chicken and halloumi gyro pitta, which cost £14, would definitely be a contender.
Mac Daddies
With the longest queue of all food stalls were the Mac Daddies, a duo serving posh mac and cheese to festival goers.
The business is based in Herefordshire but are no stranger to working an event such as Abergavenny Food Festival, with 2024 being their second time trading.
I tried their festival special, which was the signature four cheese mac and cheese with pulled gammon, sweet peppers and a funky pineapple sauce. It cost £12.
Though I was unsure of the flavours at first, after giving it a go, it just made sense.
This would be another contender for at least the top three.
The Crab Shack
Next up is The Crab Shack, which is run by a father and son duo who started their shell fish stall specifically for the Abergavenny Food Festival years ago.
Their menu items included soft shell crab and prawns, served on a warm tortilla with sweet chilli sauce, both for £11.
The pair are familiar faces to many of the annual food festival goers.
They are completely gluten free
Burger Shop
Another Herefordshire based business operated at the festival was the Burger Shop.
Since 2014, Burger Shop has been considered as 'Hereford’s go-to destination for burger enthusiasts and all-round foodies.'
They are dedicated to sourcing local ingredients, such as grass fed beef patties straight from Heggies of Hereford.
I tried the £14 pulled pork loaded fries, topped with coleslaw and pickled red onion.
Other items n the menu included a buttermilk chicken burger and an angus beef burger.
Say Cheese
Bristol based cheese lovers Say Cheese were a favourite amongst cheese lovers.
The pair were selling halloumi fries and mozzarella fries costing around £7.
The Beefy Boys
Beefy boys were present in more than just a food stall capacity. One of their founders gave a demonstration in the castle grounds on 'how to make the perfect smash burger.'
Their burgers have put the UK on the map in recent years following their successes at the World Food Championships.
The 'lonely boy' burger pictured below cost £14 and their full menu of signature burger styles were on offer.
Bao Selecta
Some might recognise Bao Selecta for their bao buns in Cardiff Market.
Their business was established in 2016, and Bao Selecta specialise in Taiwanese street food.
Baos are fluffy steamed buns, loaded with a range of fillings and dressings.
Options on their menu included pork belly, Szechuan fried chicken and beef menchi katsu. There were also vegan options.
The beef bao buns pictured below cost £14.
Pen-Min-Cae Welsh Black Beef and Lamb
About as local as it gets - Penmincae were set up offering beef and lamb rolls straight from their farm in Mid Wales.
Pinmincae is situated on the banks of the River Wye in Mid Wales and produce their own Welsh Black Beef and Lamb for direct sales.
This Lamb roll cost £10.
Dough and Co
Another Cardiff based business present was Dough and Co. They established themselves in June 2020 during the first Covid 19 lockdown.
Ashley and Rachael (Directors/Husband and Wife) spent their free time in lockdown developing a Brioche Doughnut recipe.
Since then they have taken Cardiff by storm and have set up in popular places such as Roath Park.
They had Kinder Bueno flavour doughnuts as well as milky bar and Biscoff. Each cost £4.50.
If you had a favourite that was not included in this article, you can let us know by emailing letters@southwalesargus.co.uk.
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