Dino's

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 – in the shops now or buy online.

Located seconds from the bus station and concert hall, you get the impression from the accents of the diners that when arriving in Glasgow it’s straight off the coach and into Dino’s. The second branch opposite Central station has a similar end-of-the-road atmosphere, feeding and watering weary tourists. The Sauchiehall street branch consists of takeaway at the front of shop, doing a roaring trade in pizzas and baguettes, while the old-school cafe area is always busy with shoppers inhaling bacon rolls and coffee. During the weekend there are often queues for the large traditional restaurant which can see 300 covers in a day. There are no surprises on the huge menu, except perhaps the price of scampi (£18.15). Otherwise pizzas, pasta and speciality meats including veal and sirloin steaks are freshly prepared with a selection of tasty sauces. Despite the huge menu, the helpful staff were happy to accommodate a sizable table of American physicians who wanted to order off menu, all of them receiving bespoke dishes. Going the extra mile might explain why they’ve been in business for more than 40 years.

• High point: Huge steaks
• Low point: Generic desserts