World City Guide

Restaurants

The selected restaurants have been divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments.

Restaurant prices are subject to VAT (value added tax) at 17.5%, but this is always included within the prices given. It is customary for patrons to round up the bill and leave a tip (maximum 10%) as well, if the meal and service have been good.

The price categories quoted below are for an average three-course meal for one person. Prices include VAT but not tip nor drinks. Categories are:
$$$$ (over £30)
$$$ (£20 to £30)
$$ (£10 to £20)
$ (up to £10)

Gastronomic

Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or
Brian Maule was head chef at Le Gavroche for many years and has now brought his French influenced fine food to Glasgow. This city centre restaurant has a strong reputation and is very popular with businessmen enjoying the set price lunch menus ($$). Main courses are focused around meats such as duck, lamb and sirloin steak, while desserts might include favourites such as crème brulée.

176 West Regent Street
Tel: (0141) 248 3801.
Website: www.lechardondor.com
Price: $$$-$$$$

étain
This sophisticated fine dining space is Terence Conran’s only UK restaurant outside London. It’s in the heart of the city’s shopping district and decorated in cool shades, with crisp white linen. Dishes have a French influence and may feature sea bream, monkfish or Scottish beef. There is always a vegetarian choice. The set lunches make it an affordable daytime option, while the six course epicurean menu offers a gourmet experience.

2nd floor, Princes Square
Tel: (0141) 225 5630.
Website: www.conran-restaurants.co.uk
Price: $$$$

Gamba
For some of the best seafood, many people make for Gamba in the city centre, where fresh fish is cooked with flair and imagination. The restaurant is down in a basement but décor is cool and light giving a relaxed atmosphere. Fish such as swordfish, sea bream and sole are often infused with Asian flavours like ginger and chilli, while puddings are rich and satisfying.

225a West George Street
Tel: (0141) 572 0899.
Website: www.gamba.co.uk
Price: $$$$

Business

City Merchant
Situated in the smart Merchant City, where the ‘Tobacco Lords’ once had their warehouses, this busy restaurant has a relaxed ‘pubby’ feel with stained glass windows and a wooden bar. The special daytime menu offers good value and is popular with lunching businessmen. The menu includes plenty of steaks and Scottish meats, while seafood is similarly well represented, with choices ranging from fishcakes to mussels.

97-99 Candelriggs, Merchant City
Tel: (0141) 553 1577.
Website: www.citymerchant.co.uk
Price: $$-$$$

Shish Mahal
The ‘shish’ as it’s known is surely Glasgow’s most enduring Indian restaurant. Located in the trendy West End of the city, it continues to offer a wide variety of spicy favourites that attracts everyone from families to visiting businessmen. The menu is extensive and includes plenty of tandoori dishes, some specialities and a wide variety of vegetarian options. Décor is unfussy and the restaurant is consistently busy.

60-68 Park Road
Tel: (0141) 339 8256.
Price: $$

Stravaigin
The name means ‘roaming’ and this Glasgow stalwart in the West End takes good Scottish ingredients, then serves them in surprising and imaginative ways, taking inspiration from around the world. Venison, for example, might be served with wild mushrooms and a raspberry gravy. There is an extensive wine list, with many pudding wines on offer, and a café-bar upstairs for those who want to eat in more casual surroundings.

28 Gibson Street, Kelvinside
Tel: (0141) 334 2665.
Website: www.stravaigin.com
Price: $$$

Trendy

The Living Room
This trendy bar/restaurant opened in 2004 and its central location makes it very popular with local business people. There’s a sophisticated atmosphere with secluded brown leather booths and soft lights. The menu is varied and includes quick lunch options like club sandwiches, wraps and salads. Main courses vary from pasta dishes to Asian inspired dishes such as crispy duck. There are plenty of vegetarian options.

150 St Vincent Street
Tel: (0870) 220 3028.
Website: www.thelivingroom.co.uk
Price: $$

Room Restaurant
In the stylish surroundings of One Devonshire Gardens, Room has plastic chairs, moody lights and makes food fun. It serves retro dishes with a distinctly contemporary twist, so a Scotch egg is an elegant tower of black pudding with a quail’s egg on top, and chilli con carne is made with rib eye steak. There are several vegetarian choices, and also a canapé menu.

One Devonshire Gardens
Tel: (0141) 341 0000.
Website: www.roomrestaurants.com
Price: $$

Salty Dog
Perched above the shoppers in stylish Princes Square, this popular meeting place is part restaurant, part cocktail bar. As well as the extensive drinks menu, which includes plenty of champagne cocktails, there are good value light lunches such as salmon sandwiches, smoked haddock chowder and sausage baguettes. Char grilled meats and Aberdeen Angus beef also feature as substantial main courses, and there are several vegetarian choices.

Princes Square
Tel: (0141) 221 7800.
Website: www.princessquare.co.uk
Price: $-$$

Budget

The Arches
There is a cosy, clubby feel to this restaurant which is part of the Arches club/live music venue. The walls are lined with theatrical pictures and the crowd is generally lively. The food is good value, with snacks such as paninis and soups as well as pasta dishes during the day, and filling fajitas, fish and chips and meaty main courses at night. There’s also a popular all day breakfast.

253 Argyle Street
Tel: (0141) 565 1035.
Website: www.thearches.co.uk
Price $-$$

Café Mao
Bright primary colours, and leaping flames in the open kitchen, give this pan-Asian restaurant a lively feel. The menu is varied and dishes take inspiration from Indonesia, Malaysia and Korea as well as China. Diners can have a simple soup for a fast, filling lunch or try more substantial tempura prawns, chilli lime beef, quick fried noodles or Nasi Goreng. There is a good selection of dishes suitable for vegetarians.

84 Brunswick Street, Merchant City
Tel: (0141) 564 5161.
Website: www.cafemao.com
Price: $$

Heart Buchanan
For fine fresh food, this little deli on the trendy Byres Road just can’t be beaten. They use the best local ingredients available, organic meat for instance, and all dishes are freshly cooked in the basement kitchen. Seating is limited and food only available at lunchtime, but it is worth seeking out for home-made soup, imaginative sandwiches and delicious cakes and tarts. A takeaway service is also available.

380 Byres Road
Tel: (0141) 334 7626.
Website: www.heartbuchanan.co.uk
Price: $

Personal Recommendations

Café Gandolfi
Located in the trendy Merchant City, close to the Italian Centre, this was the first of Glasgow’s ‘style’ bistros and is now a local institution. Wooden furniture designed by Tim Stead gives a rustic feel, while dishes are a successful blend of Scottish and Mediterranean classics. Arbroath smokies, sourdough sandwiches and steak on ciabatta all find a place here, and desserts might include tangy lemon tart.

64 Albion Street, Merchant City
Tel: (0141) 552 6813.
Website: www.cafegandolfi.com
Price: $$

Fratelli Sarti
Tuscany comes to Glasgow in this established café/restaurant that’s run by the Italian Sarti brothers. The décor is warm and cluttered with bright check tablecloths and the atmosphere is relaxed. The menu features plenty of pizzas and pasta dishes, as well as some traditional family and regional specials such as hearty Tuscan stews. Desserts include creamy tiramisu and the coffee is excellent.

121 Bath Street
Tel: (0141) 204 0440.
Price: $$

Rogano
Established in 1935, Rogano has a stunningly well preserved Art Deco interior, with intimate booths, crisp white cloths and sparkling silver cutlery. Their speciality is seafood and fish soup, lemon sole and lobster all feature on the menu, together with Scottish classics such as Aberdeen Angus beef. There is a special vegetarian menu, and a popular Oyster and Champagne bar. Café Rogano downstairs offers a more affordable dining option.

11 Exchange Place
Tel: (0141) 248 4055.
Website: www.rogano.co.uk
Price: $$$-$$$$