Spanish tapas, Cuban dancing and an Eastern European cookery demonstration were among the highlights of this year’s Waterloo Quarter Food Festival.

The month-long celebration of local eateries finished on Saturday, July 31, and by the end of the festivities more than 13,500 Waterloo Quarter Gastro Passports had been handed out.

The passports advertised special offers at restaurants and cafes within the Waterloo Quarter BID area, and some businesses have already reported an increase in trade.

The festival also attracted media interest, with the Daily Mail, Evening Standard and Time Out mentioning it to readers.

Events held at Emma Cons Gardens attracted hundreds of passers-by, allowing venues including Baltic, Cubana, Meson don Felipe, Imbibe, the Stage Door and Greensmiths to advertise their wares.

Christos Fournaris, owner of Inshoku in Lower Marsh, estimated 300 people took advantage of a £5 bento box offer he advertised in the Gastro Passport.

He said: “The Gastro Passport offer has led to an increase in sales. I will definitely be taking part in the Food Festival next year.”

Jessica Hill, Waterloo Quarter BID’s events and staff engagement project manager, said: “We had great feedback from visitors to the events and plan to organise an even bigger and better festival in 2011.”