Best restaurants in Glasgow City Centre

About Di Maggio's (Theatreland)

Di Maggio’s Theatreland is close to Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall and is popular with audience members and performers alike. The restaurant’s proximity to other venues also make Di Maggio’s Theatreland a magnet for cinema and theatre-goers looking to enjoy a pre- or post-show meal.

About Nonna Said

Promising ‘Napoli-style pizzas like you’ve never seen them before’, Nonna Said also serves up delicious cocktails and memorable milkshakes.

Pizzas are decidedly on the no-holds-barred end of things, with a nod to both cult Glasgow cuisine and global flavours.

As all of the above is combined with a mix of 80s graffiti, hip hop beats and retro touches, you can expect a very lively dining experience. Best of all, the late opening hours mean that you never have to miss out on decent post-pub scran.

About The Duke's Umbrella

The Duke’s Umbrella is a characterful eating and drinking hub that boldly promises ‘the best fish & chips in the country’. The team’s vision is to restore gastropub cuisine to its former glory, giving ingredients the same loving care that fine dining spots do.

Inside, the interior of frondy plants, leather armchairs and pillars has a real vintage colonial feel. So why not order a G&T on the rocks and pretend that you’re a 1930s explorer stopping off for a refreshment before a daring jungle expedition?

About Glaschu

Glaschu offers modern Scottish fine dining and a sophisticated bar area in Royal Exchange Square.

Based in the historic Western Club building, the kitchen is run by chef Dion Scott, who honed his skills in Heston Blumenthal’s kitchens. He promises a menu rooted in Scottish history, cuisine and cooking, with added International influences.

The dishes make the most of local produce, including Gigha halibut and Loch Tay trout from local fishmonger Bernard Corrigan; crustaceans and oysters from Finnieston’s Stuart Wilson, and beef from Lanarkshire farms.

About Green Gates Cafe

After the success of its sister restaurant in Stirling, Green Gates is now bringing home-style, regional Indian cuisine to the Merchant City. Situated on Candleriggs, the restaurant offers an intimate, candlelit space with splashes of tartan. Diners can sample flavours from both North and South India, cooked up by a head chef who has trained extensively in India.

About Mackintosh at the Willow

So much more than an iconic afternoon tea spot, Mackintosh at the Willow is a fully restored restaurant offering gourmet main courses, sharing platters and cocktails. Step inside this Sauchiehall Street landmark and you will be whisked back into the Art Nouveau elegance of 1903, with dreamy decor and furnishings by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. As well as this, the history exhibition, souvenir shop and tours mean that you can turn your visit into an occasion.

About La Vita Spuntini - City Centre

Move over dim sum and tapas, Spuntini is the hearty Italian version of small plate dining. And following the success of its West End venue, La Vita Spuntini has opened a second branch on Gordon Street. The restaurant aims to conjure up the atmosphere of a cosy Italian family meal where dishes are placed at the centre of the table for everyone to share. All food is crafted with passion, love and attention to detail, with candlelight and friendly staff adding to the atmosphere. The menu is massive and includes sharing portions of fresh pasta, mini pizzas, seafood, meat and salads, complemented by an extensive selection of fine wines.

About Cul Cuil

About Mharsanta Restaurant & Bar

Mharsanta is a newly launched restaurant & bar on Bell Street in the Merchant City. Named after the Gaelic for ‘merchant’, it serves classic comfort dishes alongside Scottish seafood and signature cocktails. Inside, you will find a smart minimalist space with windows prettily lit up at night by fairy lights. Mharsanta is a great spot for a relaxed lunch or to dine in the evening before heading to a concert or nearby bar.

About Van Winkle - Barrowlands

Launched at the tail end of 2017, Van Winkle is an American-style bar on the Gallowgate in Glasgow’s Calton neighbourhood. Bourbon, BBQ and burgers are the mainstays of the menus and, as you might expect, the decor also takes its cue from the US of A.

About Madha

Madha is a contemporary Indian restaurant on Albion Street in the heart of Glasgow’s Merchant City. The bright, open dining room that looks onto the street gives way to a larger space tucked away beyond the bar. Opened in the summer of 2017, Madha is pleasingly different from traditional Anglo-Indian restaurants and offers an intriguing range of dishes which would not look out of place in Jaipur or Kochi. The menu is adaptable to any dietary requirement and even offers vegan wines, if required.

About Ardnamurchan

Ardnamurchan is a contemporary Scottish restaurant on Hope Street, opposite the Theatre Royal. As the name suggests, the West Coast peninsula of Ardnamurchan has inspired the restaurant and its owners have close links to the area. Whisky barrels, Harris tweed, exposed brick and stone walls plus designer lighting all mean that the decor treads a neat line between rustic and city centre chic.

About Chez Mal

Chez Mal Brasserie is in Glasgow’s Malmaison hotel. The building was originally a Greek Orthodox church and the atmospheric restaurant sits in what used to be the crypt. As well as the main dining room, there are three intimate private dining rooms.

About Babbity Bowster

Babbity Bowster is one of those iconic Glasgow drinking and dining spots that charms anyone lucky enough to stumble upon it.

Tucked away on Blackfriars Street, it is both a small guest house and French-influenced restaurant that showcases seasonal Scottish ingredients.

Inside, you will find a cosy fireplace, restful decor and an overall welcoming feel. Babbity Bowster is actually named after an old Scottish country dance, so it’s fitting that occasional live music events add to the vibe.

About Blackfriars

Since 1995, Blackfriars has been giving Merchant City real ale fans plenty to smile about. With twelve beer taps – five real ales, many Scottish – alongside some 40 bottled beers from all over the world, there is plenty of choice. It is not hard to see why Blackfriars has won CAMRA’s Glasgow Pub Of The Year twice. The basement venue hosts regular club nights with DJs and bands playing the hippest music from the 1950’s onwards. If many of Blackfriars neighbours are style bars, this is more of an honest to goodness pub.

About Hampton by Hilton

Casual city centre bar and kitchen

Right in the heart of the city, Hampton By Hilton Glasgow Central offers a convenient and relaxed restaurant and bar. The hotel’s bar and dining areas are contemporary in style and filled with light from the floor to ceiling windows. Several screens mean that visitors can catch all the sporting action in the well stocked bar. The friendliness and warm welcome offered by the staff is a recurring theme in customer reviews.

About Citation

Citation Taverne & Restaurant is housed within the landmark former Sheriff Court building on Wilson Street, in the heart of Glasgow’s Merchant City. Outdoor terraces allow alfresco dining in the summer months. The restaurant’s Portico, nestled among the building’s Corinthian-style, exterior columns, is one of Glasgow’s most impressive dining locations. Citation is the ideal location for a romantic meal, a night out with friends or a long and lazy lunch. Those who want to carry on socialising long after their meal can head to the ground floor bar.

About Halloumi

Decked out in the jaunty colours of the Greek flag, Halloumi is a Greek-Cypriot mezze restaurant on Hope Street. A bright, cheery space, it is a friendly spot for a quick lunch, a pre-theatre bite or a lively evening meal with friends.

About Ralph and Finns

Upmarket brasserie in the city centre
Launched by veteran Glasgow restaurateur Alan Tomkins, Ralph & Finns is a sleek and gleaming 180-seater brasserie & bar on St. Vincent Place. Housed in the former Scottish HQ of the Bank of England, there is a feeling of timeless elegance inside (partly thanks to award-winning designer, Mark Brunjes). Yet playful touches like the parrot wall art show that this dining spot doesn’t take itself too seriously either.

About The Spiritualist

Opened in the spring of 2016, The Spiritualist is a stylish restaurant and bar in the building that once housed Stirling’s Library. Inspired by the Art Deco movement and hung with vintage portraits, the decor is as sleek as it is contemporary. A stunning drinks list features Scottish craft beers; a globe-trotting selection of spirits; a well balanced wine list and many innovative and attractively presented cocktails. A unique Chef’s Table in the kitchen is a real talking point.