Italmania

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• Average price 2 courses:
   £14 (lunch)
   £14 (evening meal)
• House wine: £12.95 per bottle

• High point: Hot chocolate selection
• Low point: Without the blinds it's a fishbowl
• Food served: Mon-Wed 9.30am-10pm; Thu-Sat 9.30am-1.30am; Sun 9.30am-11pm
• Bar open: Mon-Wed 11am-10pm; Thu-Sat 11am-1.30am; Sun 12.30-11pm
• Open since: 2000
• Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least 25% of menu), Childrens portions, Childrens high chairs, Wheelchair access, Take away

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

This review is from the 2007 edition.

Taking one corner of Glasgow's busiest crossroad, with competition on all sides from multinational fast food joints, this funky little restaurant offers fresh ingredients in cool surroundings, making it a particularly welcoming spot. Above the entrance hangs a full-size bright red Fiat Cinquecento, a quirky touch that lends the room a Mediterranean hipness. The full-length glass windows allow maximum light, while carefully angled blinds ensure that not all of Glasgow can watch you eat. Starters are mainly vegetarian, bruscetta and salads. Delicious deep fried jalapeño chillis stuffed with cheese are crispy and mouth-numbingly hot. Pizzas are hand-made and thin-crusted, roasted garlic adding a smoky sweetness to a topping of Parma ham. With more than 30 different hot chocolates, including banana and meringue or lemon and pine nuts, the drinks menu is a fascinating read. Milkshakes include tiramisu or wild rose flavours, and after a night on the town is there a better way to round off than with a zabaglione and marsala milkshake? Such a dizzying selection makes it hard to doubt owner Dominic Crolla's enthusiasm for food, which is also shown by his sending staff to compete in the international pizza championships in Las Vegas.