Best places to eat in Glasgow

Café Strange Brew
Casual dining, cheap eats

A hidden gem tucked away on Pollockshaws Road in Glasgow’s south side, Café Strange Brew serves up the best breakfasts in town. The café is small and gets extremely busy, but once you sample the Turkish eggs with coriander, yoghurt, chilli and toasted pitta bread or the super-indulgent caramelised pecan French toast, you’ll find out why. Get there early and try a matcha latte too. Food from £5.50.

Mono
Casual dining, cheap eats, child-friendly

Mono is a vegan bar and restaurant and a Glasgow institution. It opened in 2002 with the aim of creating a space where people could eat, drink and discover music via live bands or the in-house independent record shop. The atmosphere is relaxed and the menu consists of vegan versions of your favourite pub food classics. Try the seitan burger. Food from £5.50.

Kimchi Cult
Casual dining, cheap eats

This little blink-and-you’ll-miss-it eatery has been wowing diners since moving from London to Glasgow’s west end. Describing the food as ‘punk riffs on Korean classics’, Kimchi Cult is home to the best fried chicken in Glasgow. Coated in a sweet gochujang hot sauce, it’s incredibly crisp and downright delicious. The star of the show is the bibimbap: Korean purple rice with fried egg, kimchi, vegetables and your choice of meat or tofu. Dishes from £2.50.

The Hug & Pint
Casual dining, cheap eats

The location currently occupied by the Hug & Pint in Glasgow’s west end has changed hands so many times that you’d think it was cursed, but head inside and you’ll discover a real gem of a place. The food is pan-Asian vegan comfort grub and the five-dish menu changes daily. The jackfruit curry is stunning, while mushroom rice pudding with crispy shallots and pickled onion is as delicious as it is unusual. Main courses from £6.

Nippon Kitchen
Special occasions, casual dining

Stunning food in an equally stunning setting. There are various sushi platters on offer, containing up to 38 pieces for really hungry diners. The bento boxes are extremely filling and a big hit with the lunchtime crowd. Finish your meal off with a Nippon Old Fashioned – one of the best cocktails in the city. Main courses from £13.50.

Riverhill Restaurant & Bar
Special occasions, casual dining

Already serving some of the best coffee and cakes in Glasgow at their small café on Gordon Street, the Riverhill team decided to knock down a few walls and open an adjoining restaurant. Due to its size, it’s often busy but the food is worth it. There’s a delicious breakfast menu available too. Main courses from £9.75.

Cail Bruich
Special occasions

Menus change seasonally at this modern Scottish restaurant near the Botanical Gardens in Glasgow’s west end. Creative dishes and fresh ingredients are the game here. Try their tasting menu for £140 per person.

Alston Bar & Beef
Special occasions

Accessed through a plain doorway inside Glasgow Central Station, this speakeasy-style underground gin bar and steak house is anything but ordinary. Try a dry-aged T-Bone with a ‘raspberry royale’ cocktail or a gin from their extensive collection. The burger, topped with Swiss cheese and smoked chilli mayo, is also a must-try.

Red Onion
Special occasions, casual dining

A modern yet traditional bistro in the heart of the city centre, Red Onion is the brainchild of chef John Quigley. On the menu you’ll find contemporary twists on Scottish classics – the Innis & Gunn beer-braised blade of beef and the haggis bon bons are not to be missed. There’s a vegan menu too. Red Onion’s crackling open fireplace makes it an ideal date night location. Mains from £13.

Ox and Finch

Special occasions, casual dining

A few years ago, Jon MacDonald made a splash in the Glasgow food scene with his Street Food Cartel pop-up, but has now settled permanently into his first restaurant. Ox and Finch is the jewel in the crown of Finnieston, Glasgow’s hottest foodie spot. The menu is made up of small sharing plates from £3.75. Standouts include braised lamb neck, smoked potato and wild garlic salsa verde, and tequila-cured sea trout, charred corn, lime and pickled chilli. Tables fill up quickly – advance booking is highly recommended.

The Gannet

Smoked salmon on a plate with a pile of coleslaw

Special occasions

Occupying a formerly derelict tenement building in Finnieston, The Gannet’s innovative, ever-changing menu is created with the finest Scottish produce. Enjoy fresh ingredients in intimate surroundings. Sample lunch menu from £30.

Crabshakk

Special occasions, casual dining

A Glasgow institution, Crabshakk has been wowing diners with the best of Scottish seafood since 2009. Freshness is prized so much that the specials menu changes twice daily. The fish club sandwich is the star; the shellfish chowder is devilishly indulgent. It’s a small restaurant so it’s best to book. Dishes start at £7.

The Butchershop Bar & Grill

Steak on a plate with a metal cup of chips

Special occasions, casual dining

As the name might suggest, it’s all about the meat – here you’ll find the best steaks in Glasgow in a stylish setting. The côte de boeuf is grass-fed and dry-aged, and the eye-popping tomahawk (bone-in rib steak) is made for sharing. The staff are knowledgeable and can help with wine pairings. Mains from £16.

Mother India's Café
Casual dining

Mother India’s ethos is ‘try a little and taste a lot’, and there’s lots to taste here. Indian tapas are the game and sharing is the way to order – but you may just find yourself fighting with your dining companions over the chilli garlic chicken and the aloo saag dosa, a rice & lentil pancake stuffed with potato and spinach. The service ranks among the friendliest in the city. Tapas dishes from £4.95.

The Hanoi Bike Shop
Casual dining, child-friendly

This cute Vietnamese canteen, down a lane in Glasgow’s West End, prepares its own tofu from scratch every day. If you think you don’t like tofu, it’s because you haven’t tried the black pepper version here. There are also meaty noodle bowls bursting with flavour, as well as separate gluten-free and vegan menus. A real gem. Street food dishes from £8.

Bloc
Casual dining, cheap eats

In charge of the kitchen at Bloc is ‘the Mad Chef’, who got his name when his Buckfast ice cream and Irn Bru pulled pork creations went viral online. Bloc has plenty of cool, edgy attitude but it’s still a crowd-pleaser. There’s something for everyone on this menu – impressive burgers and incredible vegan pub grub, including the not dog (veggie dog with lentils, sweet potato, butternut squash, tahini, avocado cheese sauce and Quorn chilli), which would bowl over even the most ardent meat-lover. Dishes from £6.95.

Bread Meats Bread
Casual dining, cheap eats, child-friendly

Located on St Vincent Street, in the heart of Glasgow's 'burger district', it's rare not to queue for a table at Bread Meats Bread, but it's worth the wait. Award-winning burgers and a relaxed atmosphere keep diners coming back for more. The Cali burger, with its mustard-fried beef patties, is the star of the show. Burgers from £10.

111 by Modou
Special occasions, casual dining

What's not to love about a bistro that offers great-value, creative, delicious food and mentors young people from underprivileged backgrounds? It's a bit off the beaten track, but 111 by Nico does nearly everything right – the thoughtfully created dishes are visually stunning. The menu changes weekly, but try the smoked ham hough (hock) if it's on offer. Six course tasting menu from £30pp.

More foodie places to shop & eat

El Perro Negro

3 burgers in a row topped with different meats and sauces

This regular pop-up is home to Scotland's finest burgers, and tickets sell out fast. Try the top dog: a rare-breed patty with bone marrow and Roquefort butter.

Tantrum Doughnuts