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Glasgow¡¯s dining scene was rebooted by innovative restaurants such as The Gannet, with its excellent take on modern Scottish dining, and Ox & Finch, which turns out small, Mediterranean-inspired plates with a healthy crop of vegetables. These restaurants have since been joined by a contingent of cocktail bars, airy caf¨¦s and colourful shops that have switched up the Glasgow many people think they know.
Celentano¡¯s
Chef Dean Parker previously worked with Robin Gill (The Dairy, Sorella). A few years ago he upped sticks to Glasgow with his wife, Anna, to open their first solo venture, Celentano¡¯s. Set in Cathedral House, a family-run boutique stay opposite the city¡¯s famed Necropolis and cathedral, the restaurant was awarded Michelin¡¯s Bib Gourmand accolade for its Italian-leaning menu of convivial sharing plates, which also showcases the best of Scotland’s larders.
Begin with freshly baked sourdough and homemade chicken liver parfait before moving onto reels of pappardelle in creamy Dexter beef sauce, agnolotti with velvety ricotta and Loch Etive trout with miso-butter cavolo nero. The house Negroni glows against the dark green wood panelling, offset by chequerboard flooring and rattan bar stools. Look out for special Sunday tasting menus, often accompanied by live music. Mhairi Mann
Address: Celentano¡¯s, 28-32 Cathedral Square, Glasgow G4 0XA
Website: celentanosglasgow.com
Crabshakk
This pocket-sized seafood restaurant was one of the first to open in Finnieston ¨C now a buzzing stretch of bars and restaurants, many of which star on this list. More than 13 years later it remains a beloved favourite, with a reliable, fuss-free menu of shellfish, crustacea and gargantuan seafood platters, all served with a slight glint of revelry. High rollers can order the fruits de mer platter, piled high with oysters, clams, crab and a whole lobster. A second, larger restaurant is set to open in 2022, within cork-popping distance of Glasgow¡¯s exalted Botanic Gardens. Mhairi Mann
Address: Crabshakk, 1114 Argyle Street, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 8TD
Website: crabshakk.co.uk
Outlier
Steven Turner spent years transforming a derelict betting shop into Outlier, a multifaceted creative hub with a gallery and cafe. Positioned where Merchant City meets the Trongate, Outlier is a beacon of good taste, furnished with volcanic ash-glazed tiles, HAY furniture and Serax glassware. Head of Coffee Tony Lee has scooped multiple awards for his espresso expertise, including German Barista Champion. Sweet and savoury sourdough pastries, glistening galettes and cardamom and custard buns are the work of ex-Rochelle Canteen pastry chef Allisa Murphy-McFarlen, as are the freshly baked loaves to go. Menu highlights include a ciabatta packed with crispy, hot honey-glazed X.O chicken and the crepe-like Staffordshire oatcake with Loch Arthur cheddar, mustard and spinach. A natural wine bar and an outdoor dining space will open in 2022. ?Mhairi Mann
Address: Outlier, 38 London Road, Glasgow G1 5NB
Website: instagram.com/outlier_coffee
Unalome
Glasgow¡¯s restaurant scene is rich with flavour and bonhomie, but not Michelin gongs. Unalome is the city¡¯s second Michelin-starred restaurant and also Finnieston¡¯s first fine-dining restaurant. It is the inaugural solo venture from Graeme Cheevers, who was previously head chef at Martin Wishart in Cameron House. ¨¤ la Wishart, expect Scottish fare with French flair and bold combinations, such as Orkney scallops in white wine sauce and a roasted fillet of roe deer with gru¨¦ de cacao and cardamom quince. Don’t miss the cheese trolley, piled high with punchy aromas and served with freshly baked oatcakes. Mhairi Mann
Address: Unalome, 36 Kelvingrove Street, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 7RZ
Website: unalomebygc.com
Ubiquitous Chip
¡®The Chip¡¯ is a Glasgow institution that has been a bedrock of the West End¡¯s cobbled Ashton Lane since 1971. During the day, light permeates the plant-filled central courtyard, while trailing, twinkling lights create a wonderfully ambient setting at night. An upmarket menu of Scottish flavours includes venison haggis and Loch Melfort sea trout. The upstairs brasserie is equally delightful, with a more casual menu for lingering afternoon lunches. The lively labyrinthian space contains several bars with cosy nooks and a rooftop terrace. Ubiquitous Chip¡¯s sister restaurants are also worth a pit stop: Hanoi Bike Shop down Ruthven Lane focuses on Vietnamese street food, or book a table at Stravaigin, a bar and restaurant where lunch and dinner often segue effortlessly into late-night shenanigans. Mhairi Mann
Address: Ubiquitous Chip, 12 Ashton Lane, Hillhead, Glasgow G12 8SJ
Website: ubiquitouschip.co.uk
Cail Bruich
Best for: Michelin-starred dining
Within six months of joining Cail Bruich, head chef Lorna McNee earned it a Michelin star ¨C the first in Glasgow for 18 years. McNee trained with the late chef Andrew Fairlie at his renowned restaurant, where she developed a simple philosophy: to respect and be guided by the ingredients she works with. Naturally, Scotland¡¯s bounty features: Highland roe deer, Isle of Skye langoustines, west coast crab and heather honey are some of the native ingredients in each perfectly balanced dish. Cail bruich means ¡®eat well¡¯ in Gaelic. A beautifully fitting name. Lauren Hepburn
Address: Cail Bruich, 725 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 8QX
Website: cailbruich.co.uk
Eighty Eight
Best for: a fresh, nourishing meal
Strands of homemade tagliatelle often hang to dry in the window of this inconspicuous little restaurant ¨C an ingenious spot of marketing to anyone passing by. Fresh pasta is a must if you spot it on Eighty Eight¡¯s daily-changing menu, a seasonal affair with a distinct Italian influence. Expect vibrant fruit and vegetables, locally sourced fish and meat and expertly made puddings such as dulce de leche with strained yogurt and peanut cookie or creamy panna cotta. Lauren Hepburn
Address: Eighty Eight, 88 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow G11 6NX
Website: 88glasgow.co.uk
Five March
Best for: a balmy evening
You¡¯ll find Five March on a quiet street adjacent to Glasgow¡¯s Kelvingrove Park, where it¡¯s lovely to sit outside and share globally inspired small plates with avant-garde drinks (the Mezcal, fermented corn, avocado and xocolatl cocktail is utterly unexpected). Star dishes include the tangy sweetheart cabbage with Korean gojuchang, corn and puff daddies, buttery salmon ceviche with chilli, ginger, sesame, mint and coriander, and the pork collar steak with chipotle, celeriac and pickled raisins. Afterwards, meander through the leafy park and along the River Kelvin. Lauren Hepburn
Address: Five March, 140 Elderslie Street, Glasgow G3 7QF
Telephone: +44 141 573 1400
Website: fivemarch.co.uk
Baked Pizza Al Taglio
Best for: a slice of Rome
With a ratio of satisfying crispness to aerated softness, Baked¡¯s pizzas are faithful to tradition. The dough is proved for 72 hours and forms thin Romana-style bases for diverse toppings, and the menu is divided into vegan, vegetarian and meat sections, making this takeaway joint particularly inviting to those with dietary requirements. From each, try the pizza rossa with mushroom and garlic; the five-cheese (mozzarella, gorgonzola, taleggio, scamorza and Parmesan); and the anchovy three ways, topped with fresh burrata. Lauren Hepburn
Address: Baked Pizza Al Taglio, 120 Duke Street, Glasgow G4 0XW
Instagram: bakedpizzaaltaglio
Gloriosa
Best for: a trip to the continent
When Ottolenghi-trained Alchemilla founding chef Rosie Healey opened Gloriosa in 2020, she swapped sharing plates for comprehensive courses. Wholesome recipes of baked fish, tender meat, fresh pasta and risotto, and vegetables oozing with olive oil so good you could drink it all draw inspiration from the Mediterranean. The curated wine list spotlights natural, biodynamic and vegan choices sourced from independent producers across Italy, Spain and France. And the white interior, vast windows and outdoor seating shout more ¡®sunshine¡¯ than ¡®mizzle¡¯. Lauren Hepburn
Address: Gloriosa, 1321 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8AB
Website: gloriosaglasgow.com
Julie’s Kopitiam
Best for: South-east Asian flavours
Julie¡¯s Malaysian heritage informs the recipes at her intimate, golden-hued Southside restaurant. Cues are taken from across South-east Asia, and the space is permeated with warm aromas. Flavours may be as simple as a cucumber starter with black vinegar, soy sauce and chilli oil or as intricate as the authentic Malaysian coconut curry, fragrant with spices, ginger, galangal and lemongrass and finished with tender chicken thigh or broccoli, potato and chickpeas. Lauren Hepburn
Address: Julie’s Kopitiam, 1109 Pollokshaws Road, Shawlands, Glasgow G41 3YG
Website: julieskopitiam.com
Vega
Best for: a cosmic culinary experience
Though primarily a bar and restaurant, there is more to Vega than that ¨C not least its bowling alley, which fits in surprisingly well with the retro-futuristic space-age theme. So too does the heavily Mexican-accented menu, rich in corn-derived products and chipotle. (Even entirely non-Mexican dishes can readily be Mexicanised ¨C an all-American iceberg-lettuce wedge, for instance, cries ?Ol¨¦! with the addition of adobo pulled pork or pinto and black-bean chilli.) The likelihood of an astronaut going bowling or eating Mexican food in orbit will seem neither here nor there after a couple of sharing cocktails. The largest of these (¡®for a team of four to six¡¯) are served either in a mirror ball illuminated with electric ice cubes or an oversized Martini glass large enough to contain an entire bottle of prosecco in addition to its other ingredients and from which individual drinks are decanted into smaller glasses by means of a ladle. Steve King
Address: Vega, 260 Argyle Street, Glasgow G2 8QW
Website: vegaglasgow.com
The Gannet
Best for: modern Scottish
The Gannet is Glasgow¡¯s take on modern Scottish cooking. Chef-owners Peter McKenna and Ivan Stein work closely with more than a dozen producers, sourcing quality ingredients across the country ¨C from Shetland to the Hebrides, the Borders, and back again. The kitchen is constantly evolving and recently switched to a tasting-menu format, offering both meat and vegetarian options. These excellent seasonal dishes, served up in a warm, rustic environment, make The Gannet a special place to pay tribute to Scotland¡¯s larder.
Address: The Gannet, 155 Argyle St, Glasgow G3 8TB
Website: thegannetgla.com
Ranjit’s Kitchen
Best for: casual dining
Ranjit Kaur¡¯s Southside restaurant is an extension of her home kitchen. She and her family serve delicious, slow-cooked Punjabi vegetable curries and dals, homemade paneer, stuffed parathas and the city¡¯s best sweets ¨C bar none. Diners eat side-by-side at communal tables framed by bright walls painted in traditional Phulkari patterns. The homey atmosphere, affordable pricing and straightforward menu have earned it a cult following.
Address: Ranjit’s Kitchen, 607 Pollokshaws Rd, Glasgow G41 2QG
Website: ranjitskitchen.com
Drygate Brewing Co.
Best for: beer and a bite
This popular East End brewery offers two takes on pub food: a casual beer hall serving pizza and snacks, and a sit-down brewhouse with a menu of reinvigorated classics. Expect haddock battered in Drygate¡¯s own Bearface lager, pan-fried venison with redcurrant jus, and salsify pappardelle with smoked chestnut. The brewery has about 20 beers on tap, as well as an extensive list by the bottle.
Address: Drygate Brewery, 85 Drygate, Glasgow G4 0UT
Website: drygate.com
The Hug and Pint
Best for: vegan food
This is a lively West End bar with an excellent, unassuming vegan menu that draws its inspiration from familiar South-east Asian flavours. Dishes such as jackfruit curry, black- pepper aubergine and kimchi porridge draw in Glasgow¡¯s thriving vegan community from all over. At night the cosy downstairs area transforms into a venue space, hosting many of the best small acts touring Scotland.
Address: The Hug and Pint, 171 Great Western Rd, Glasgow G4 9AW
Website: thehugandpint.com
Kaf
Best for: baked goods
Pre-pandemic, Kaf served brunches worth lining up for and, despite panicking loyalists when relaunching as a bakery in 2020, today it¡¯s clearly just as popular, as evidenced by the queue outside. Highlights on the changing menu have included fluffy doughnuts, buttermilk cakes, twice-baked almond croissants and sea-salt, brown-sugar and caramelised-white-chocolate ice cream. Made-to-order sandwiches are, of course, served on freshly baked bread (the adobo pulled pork and barbecue chard with ¡®burnt cheesy sweetcorn¡¯ are standouts). Room left in your bag? Try the focaccia.
Address: Kaf, 5 Hyndland Street, Partick, Glasgow G11 5QE
Website: instagram.com/kafcoffee (pre-ordering recommended)
Tantrum Doughnuts
Best for: something sweet
A stone¡¯s throw from the fabulous Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, this unassuming, grab-and-go shop launched a citywide doughnut craze when it opened in 2015. Tantrum rotates its flavours monthly, with the exception of mainstays such as their cr¨¨me br?l¨¦e (torched sugar on the outside, Madagascar vanilla-bean custard on the inside). Visit through the seasons to enjoy specials such as pistachio and tahini custard, or an apple-strudel old fashioned with caramel glaze and baked crumble.
Address: Tantrum Doughnuts, 27 Old Dumbarton Road, Glasgow G3 8RD and Tantrum Doughnuts, 28 Gordon St, Glasgow G1 3PU
Website: tantrumdoughnuts.com
Alchemilla
Best for: lunch
Meat is on the menu, but vegetables take centre stage at this colourful restaurant. Sit at the burnished orange counter and tuck into small plates that showcase Scotland¡¯s larder: seabass carpaccio with chilli and orange, salted onglet with pickled clams, and pine nut cake with plums and cr¨¨me fra?che. Wash it all down with a midday glass from the wine list ¨C the city¡¯s most progressive.
Address: Alchemilla, 1126 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8TD
Website: thisisalchemilla.com
The Hidden Lane Tea Room
Best for: afternoon tea
Head down this secret, cobbled lane and you¡¯ll stumble upon its eponymous tearoom, outfitted like a home kitchen with glass-windowed fa?ade, mismatched porcelain and kitschy floral curtains. Expect a range of 30 different teas (everything from white peony to East African green), with freshly baked scones and homemade jam with clotted cream. The tearoom serves sandwiches including Mull of Kintyre cheddar and smoked salmon with dill, and can cater for gluten-free or vegan diets. A BYOB policy also makes it a handy spot for afternoon bubbles.
Address: The Hidden Lane Tearoom, 1103 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8ND
Website: hiddenlanetearoom.com
Mother India
Best for: supper
Opened by Monir Mohammed in 1990, Mother India is a Glasgow institution: an Edwardian space run by suited waiters, with candelabras and high-backed Charles Rennie Mackintosh chairs. Order the phenomenal butter chicken, served in a cast-iron skillet and drenched in a deeply rich sauce, then mop up the piquant sauce with an order of peshwari naan ¨C lightly sweet and still hot from the tandoor.
Address: Mother India, 28 Westminster Terrace, Glasgow G3 7RU
Website: motherindia.co.uk
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