Neighbourhood Watch: Great Western Road, Glasgow
A guide to the West End street's pleasures, including The Captain's Rest, The Belle and Lupe Pintos
What’s it like?
One big road full of pubs, cafés and little shops. Flats are mostly old tenements above the bars, restaurants and stores which go up most of the road.
Where’s it, like?
In the West End, a stone’s throw from Woodlands and Byres Road. Kelvinbridge underground station brings you out in the middle of the road, or you can take a 66 bus from the city centre to go all the way along it (but remember to get off before you end up in Anniesland).
Who’s from there?
List staffers have spotted Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand) and Liz Lochhead in the area, as well as Robert Carlyle fingering the veg in Roots and Fruits.
Why would I go there?
For music (The Captain’s Rest); for food (Bar Gambrino does two for one pizzas and many claim Philadelphia does the best chips in the West); for beers (The Belle, The Lansdowne or Oran Mor); for vintage clothing (Watermelon and Glasgow Vintage are on Great Western Road, with Retro tucked round the corner on Otago Street). Tasty delis include Roots and Fruits, Lupe Pintos and Il Cappuccino, plus a plethora of halal shops.
Bar Gambrino
372–374 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G4 9HT
With the same owners as the popular Italian restaurant opposite, it’s part of a cluster of bars along Great Western Road that could form a varied itinerary for a night out. Offering an attractive selection of Northern European beer with a weekly…
The Belle
617 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G12 8HX
An unprofitable foray into food now abandoned, the Belle is concentrating on what it does best: being the West End’s cosiest wee pub. With patrons ranging from suits, fashionistas and students to dogs – there always seems to be at least one in – all…
Il Cappuccino
491 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G12 8HL
The distinctive wood façade of the enduring Il Cappuccino hides a cornucopia of deli delights and quality sandwiches. Wraps, pitta pockets, various fresh-tasting breads and rolls can be filled according to individual taste, or pick from the dozen or so…
The Glasgow Vintage Co
453 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G12 8HH
From the folks behind Watermelon, another treasure trove of vintage clothes and accessories.
The Lansdowne Bar & Kitchen
7a Lansdowne Crescent,
Glasgow,
G20 6NQ
There’s a whole lot going on beneath this leafy residential crescent – themed-dining events, DJs, quiz nights and Six Nations Rugby equate to something for all. Spacious yet homely, it’s a true laidback local that extends a warm reception beyond its…
Òran Mór
731-735 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G12 8QX
Philadelphia Fish and Chicken Bar
445 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G12 8HH
The 'Philly' has been a towering presence at Kelvinbridge for longer than most locals can remember. Easy to spot by its New York cab colours of yellow, black and white it has served many a student, school kid, drinker and busy worker over the years.
Roots and Fruits
455–457 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G12 8HH
If you want a measure of deli/greengrocer Roots and Fruits’ repute as a source of high-quality produce, just ask countless respected cafés and restaurants that use them as a supplier. But a sample of said goodness needn’t only be taken second hand…
Watermelon
603 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G12 8HX
As a former employee of Armstrong's - celebrated purveyor of vintage clothing in Edinburgh - Gavin O'Brien was the ideal candidate to revive Glasgow's second-hand and retro clothing market with his fabulous and quirky shop, Watermelon. Almost everything…
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