Forest Feastival has announced its full line up for its forthcoming events in September.
The street food festival returns to its unique location – in a woodland, by a castle, near the sea – at Merthyr Mawr for four weekends, starting on Friday 2nd September.
The line up includes a chance for diners to eat dishes from chefs who are new to street food and some making a welcome return after opening bricks and mortar restaurants. Visitors will be able to eat dishes from two restaurant menus before they’ve even opened – Tukka Tuk Canteen and Rock & Scallop – and try Mr Noodle Ramen, currently only available from their Bristol pop up.
Street Food Circus ringmaster Matt ‘the Hat’ is the founder of Forest Feastival. He said:
“We’re really focusing on food – bringing the best from Wales and some inspiring visitors from further afield. It’s a mix of Street Food Circus favourites – including several British and Welsh Street Food Award winners – new traders who people will not have seen before and a couple of chefs previewing dishes from restaurants they’ve yet to open.
“In the evenings we have live music and entertainment in the Freedom Sessions tipi with a focus on showcasing local talent and during the days, plenty of circus-themed activities to keep the kids happy.
“It’s a beautiful time of year to be out amongst the trees and the dunes on this unique site – and we’ve got one of our most exciting chef line-ups ever to make it a food experience to remember,” he said
The full trader line up
Every weekend:
Ansh – Ansh is a partnership between Aled Hill and Shaun Jones. They’ve built their restaurant business around ethical, sustainable burgers straight from the family farm which celebrate all they love about Wales. This will be a return to their street food roots and the first festival Ansh have appeared at since opening their restaurant.
Bao Selecta – With a love of Taiwanese street food, Nick has been running Bao Selecta since 2016 and is a firm favourite with Forest Feastival visitors. Baos are fluffy steamed buns loaded with fillings like slow cooked pork belly or festival favourite, crispy vegan “beef” – topped with fresh vegetables and home-made sauces
Fire & Flank – Serving sou-vide cooked steaks which are flash fried and served with homemade sauces. On the menu will be their flank steak with cheesy garlic mash and chimichurri which won Best Main Dish at the 2021 British Street Food Awards.
La Pantera – La Pantera was started by a group of pals who wanted to bring tacos and mezcal to Cardiff in a casual, informal restaurant setting. They celebrate the unauthentic taco – with an ever-changing menu with everything from lobster thermidor to crispy duck.
Mr Noodle – Mr Noodle are Michelin trained chefs who cook Ramen for fun. They’ve worked in fine dining restaurants around the world in London, Tokyo and New Zealand. This summer they opened a Mr Noodle Izakaya & Ramen Bar pop up in Bristol. They got into street food to add a bit more fun to their lives, while still cooking great food.
Pwdin – The ultimate comfort food. Serving all homemade classic puddings, Pwdin are famous for their sticky toffee pudding – with custard for Forest Feastival as we’re coming into autumn!
The Fork Society – Bringing restaurant-inspired dishes with a street food twist, the Fork Society are making a triumphant return to Forest Feastival – since last time, they’ve won the 2022 Welsh Street Food Awards People’s Choice Award for their char-grilled pork steaks, served on skin-on fries with homemade chimichurri.
The Warren – Chef Deri Reed cooks simple, wholesome food using local, seasonal and organic ingredients. On the menu will be organic Hazelwell Farm hogget koftas with a range of accompaniments made from local, home-grown and foraged ingredients.
Tukka Tuk Canteen – The latest venture from chef Anand George is inspired by South Indian dishes – dosas and malabar parotta with authentic curries. Anand is opening Tukka Tuk Canteen as his fourth restaurant soon, so this will be an exclusive opportunity to preview the menu.
Rock & Scallop – Championing as much Welsh and British seafood and shellfish as possible, Rock & Scallop are famous for their lobster & seafood rolls and scallops cooked in their shells. The Rock & Scallop restaurant is due to open later this year, so this is a chance to experience what they’ll be offering.
On rotation for one weekend only:
Bare Bones Pizza – Father and son team Mike and James front this family business which has been serving Neapolitan style pizza at festivals across the UK since 2014. All their pizzas are cooked in wood-fired ovens using local ingredients and their menu has a weekly special along with vegan and gluten free options.
Hot Damn Wings – Hot Damn are returning for the first time this year to cook at Forest Feastival. Local boy Ryan serves wings with his home-made sauces including his Pap’s Hot Sauce, a recipe his dad brought back from Zimbabwe in the 1980s.
The Real Ting – Albert Vale moved to Wales from Jamaica in 2020 just before the pandemic and spotted a huge opportunity to share Jamaican cuisine in Wales. 80% of the menu is vegan/plant-based with a focus on nutritious freshly made food. Real Ting want to transport people to Jamaica – their food is all about real experiences, authentic recipes and cooking with energy and good vibes.
Tokyo Nights – A trip to Japan for the Rugby World Cup inspired established street food chef Oli to create Tokyo Nights. Famous for their gyoza stand in Cardiff Market, Oli’s bringing his free range chicken yakitori to Forest Feastival – he says it’s the most authentic yakitori in the UK!
Tickets cost £5+VAT & booking fee per person, with kids free. The ticket price includes free parking – though organisers ask visitors to use public transport or share cars where possible to keep pressure on the local roads to a minimum – and a Forest Feastival reusable cup for use at the bar.
Tickets must be bought in advance and are on sale now at forestfeastival.com
