Fill Me With Pasta and Tell Me I’m Pretty: Why The Carb Club Won Me Over

One invitation, three pasta dishes and a merch slogan that feels personally targeted. Bronwyn Ely discovers why The Carb Club's joyful, carb-fuelled street food pop-up instantly feels like finding her foodie soulmate.

You know when you meet a person and instantly click? You laugh at the same jokes. You finish each other’s sentences. Well, have you ever had that with a restaurant? I have, as of last Thursday when I was invited to The Carb Club.

When I received the invite, my actual reply was “You had me at carbs”.

Owned by the lovely Mark and his talented team, this roving pop-up street food business is powered by pasta and creativity. Have you ever had Italian Sushi – creamy buffalo mozzarella, pesto and sundried-tomatoes, hugged by a layer of delectable prosciutto – eaten with breadstick chopsticks? Well, I have. And it won’t be the last time, that’s for sure. And don’t even get me started on how fresh the cherry tomatoes are in the Caprese we devour. With our entrees sorted, it’s time to peruse the main menu. There is something for all three of us. Matilda, my vegetarian friend, is drawn in by the Fresh Pesto, smothered in Parmesan of course. Victoria, my friend who I discovered that evening doesn’t even like pasta (what), absolutely smashes a bowl of the Pepper Bomb, the double cream, garlic, pork sausage and genreous topping of Parmesan calling her name. She is just as surprised by her obsession with this dish.

And finally, I can’t go past the classic Sugo – rich, slow-cooked tomato sauce on a helping of delicious penne, topped with a pinch of basil. A classic for a reason. The best part? They don’t skimp on the portions!

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What I love about The Carb Club is you never know where they’ll be. Actually, that’s a lie – they’ll be at Edinburgh Street Food in November, and what do you know, that’s right by my house. Based in the Scottish Borders, they roam around Scotland and are available to hire for events. You can use their ‘live location’ on their website to track them down!

The Carb Club doesn't just feel like a business, or a restaurant. It instantly feels familiar, a place where I can be myself and have a laugh with new friends. They are an LGBTQ+ founded business and Mark is all about being radically inclusive, something I know immediately upon meeting him. I’ve never spent so long

chatting with a proprietor before – not only was he lovely, but his passion for his business, for quality and for pasta shines through.

And the moment I spot Mark’s business card with the phrase “Fill me with pasta and tell me I’m pretty”, I ask him how he knows my motto. He turns to show me the same beautiful words scrawled on the back of his t-shirt and that is when I discover they have a merchandise shop too – I’ve already ordered mine.