The Glass House Restaurant

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £5.95 (set lunch)
   £12.50 (evening meal)
• House wine: £12.95 per bottle

• High point: Sizzling specials
• Low point: Mundane main menu
• Food served: Mon-Sun noon-10.30pm
• Open since: 2006
• Also offers: Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access, Takeaway, Pre-theatre menu

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

This review is taken from the 2007 edition.

The latest addition to the Fife-based chain of House Restaurants (which also includes the nearby Doll's House and Grill House) is a clever amalgam of old and new. The Glass House Restaurant embraces the old stone architecture of St Andrews and mixes it with industrial minimalism and cool, contemporary design. Every nook and cranny of the former Salvation Army church hall has been utilised, with large swathes of glass helping create the illusion of space. The target market is the town's students and young professionals, with prices pitched appropriately. The fresh and lively feel is matched by the staff, who deliver the Italian-based dishes with huge smiles. Like the restaurant, the menu is cleverly laid out, if unlikely to spring many surprises on you. Starters range from pizza bread to char-grilled lime, garlic and chilli-marinated squid. For mains, there's a choice of salads, pasta or pizza, with all the favourites accounted for. The special board is where the action is, however, with carpaccio of beef rubbed with garlic, thyme and olive oil coming up trumps for the starters, and a tender fillet of monk fish wrapped in bacon a clear winner among the mains. With plenty of Italian coffees and desserts to finish with, the Glass House Restaurant is a welcome addition to St Andrew's mid-market sector.