Dino's

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £5.50 (set lunch)
   £14 (evening meal)
• House wine: £11.99 (1l) per bottle

• High point: Attentive staff (Hope Street)
• Low point: Not the most intimate space (Sauchiehall Street)
• Food served: Mon-Fri noon-2.30pm, 5-10.30pm; Sat noon-10.30pm; Sun 4-10.30pm
• Open since: 1998
• Also offers: Childrens portions, Childrens high chairs, Take away, Pre-theatre menu

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops.

This review is from the 2007 edition.

Dino's (with dining rooms on Sauchiehall Street and Hope Street) has served classic Scots/Italian cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere for decades now. Its simple and effective formula is perhaps symbolised in the bold red, white and green colour scheme that dominates the Sauchiehall Street outlet. The best value is to be found with pizzas (crusts not too thin, not too thick, with slightly smoky aromas) or in classic starters such as deep-fried mozzarella sticks. While the gamberoni alla griglia - meaty grilled king prawns served in garlic butter - are undoubtedly delicious, the dish is perhaps in need of an accompaniment to justify its price tag. Among the meat options, the scaloppa Sophia Loren offers an appropriately lean escalope of veal cooked in a white wine sauce and topped with ham, mozzarella and asparagus. Similarly satisfying, the cotoletta alla Milanese serves up a breaded, deep-fried (but not oily) slice of tenderised veal with spaghetti on the side. Specials at the more diminutive Hope Street branch (where prices are slightly lower) can include whole sea bass. While it's rather brightly illuminated at tea time, when the sun goes down the lights are dimmed, candles lit and the café/diner takes on a warmer ambience with staff who are often attentive to small details.