Pre-theatre menu

368 places

Sorted by popularity

The Libertine

45–47 Bell Street, Glasgow, G1 1NX

A competition saw this bar named after the decadent 17th-century poet, the 2nd Earl of Rochester, but here’s nothing debauched about this Libertine, which neatly balances daytime bistro and night-time bar. Tall windows line both aspects, allowing diners…

No. Sixteen

16 Byres Road, Glasgow, G11 5JY

Small proves to be beautiful in this cosy bistro at the bottom of Byres Road where a restrained number of covers allows the chef to concentrate on detail, style and flavour. Personal touches like tiny fresh flowers, homemade rolls, and soft lighting…

Saint Judes

190 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4HG

This ivy-clad basement townhouse on the Bath St social hub is an interesting and attractive mix of bar/bistro and hotel with a dark and dangerous (especially when you trip on the way to the toliet) interior and a public yet surprisingly intimate…

Stereo

20-28 Renfield Lane, Glasgow, G2 5AR

City Centre alleyways are generally best avoided but Renfield Lane makes a rare exception with its pair of laid-back hipster hangouts – the Old Hairdressers for small artsy events and big sister Stereo in the Mackintosh building across the road for…

China Buffet King

53–55 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 2DH
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First Coast

97–101 Dalry Road, Edinburgh, EH11 2AB

For exactly a decade, First Coast has been an oasis of tasteful cheer in the relatively under-served area of Dalry. Prices have remained almost static for years, with the result that now they offer eye-poppingly good value for thoughtful, reliably good…

Kama Sutra

331 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3HW

Don’t be put off by the entrance – hinting at a restaurant that puts a cheesy theme first – for inside is a colourful, spacious yet pleasantly intimate space. Menus may proclaim 'the food of love', yet the twisted metal table dividers and heavy wooden…

Leven's

30-32 Leven Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9LJ

A marriage of Scottish and Thai cuisine might seem a doomed alliance, and some of the menu options sound more like a drunken scramble around the kitchen than haute cuisine (lasagne chicken curry, anybody?), but don’t be fooled – this contemporary outfit…

Merrylee Road Bar and Kitchen

128 Merrylee Road, Glasgow, G44 3DL

Candles, soft lighting and a piano player give this neighbourhood brasserie something of a posh hotel lobby atmosphere. The service is warm and informal though, and a mainly local and family clientele mean the place is actually quite relaxed. The menu…

Rishi's Indian Aroma

61 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 2DG

Enticing smells waft from city centre newcomer Rishi’s Indian Aroma. Present in Aberdeen for the past four years, the Glasgow branch launched in January 2013 following a hunt for the right premises – and an Edinburgh restaurant is in the pipeline for…

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Tony Macaroni

17 John Street, Glasgow, G1 1HP

There are many restaurants serving Italian food for the masses, what singles Tony’s out is the service.. It’s polished and on a par with more expensive establishments. The food is not bad either and ribs dish to start is a substantially meaty choice.

La Vallée Blanche

360 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AY

It’s named after a French Alps off-piste ski run, but La Vallée Blanche is very much on the beaten track, with an excellent first-floor location above the summit of Byres Road. An eye-catchingly good value lunch/pre-theatre deal steers a steady stream…

Amore

30 Ingram Street, Glasgow, G1 1QA

At the quiet end of Ingram Street, Amore sits mezzanine height above pavement level which, along with the smart furnishings, lots of sparkling glass and stone-bake oven, provides a pleasant sense of occasion. It's a warm and welcoming enough space, but…

Angels With Bagpipes

343 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1PW

With a name like Angels with Bagpipes and a location opposite St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile, this restaurant is a tourist magnet. The upstairs area is compact with a pretty Edinburgh street view – but fear not, there is extra room on the lower…

Ashoka at the Quay

The Quay, Springfield Quay, Glasgow, G5 8NP

See Ashton Lane branch for review

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Bar Milano – Giffnock

2 Mains Avenue, Eastwood Toll, Giffnock, Glasgow, G46 6QZ

From its pleasantly neutral décor and friendly service to the suburban location, Bar Milano ticks all the boxes for a comfortable neighbourhood trattoria. It’s housed in a converted bank but where such buildings often possess a cold grandeur, the…

Bar Soba

11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow, G1 3NU

The stylish City Centre branch of Bar Soba attracts a cosmopolitan mix of shoppers sipping wine, pre-clubbers enjoying unusual cocktails and diners looking for contemporary Asian food. All rub shoulders with ease as the bar area, with subdued lighting…

Black Sparrow

241 North Street, Glasgow, G3 7DL

The Black Sparrow attracts sophisticated patrons to its ornate and über cool abode. It has an old-fashioned bourbon bar look, with smoochy jazz/ambient beats mellowing the airwaves. It’s actually quite romantic. Dark burgundy leather studded booths…

Café Andaluz

77B George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3EE

The lavish interior of Cafe Andaluz, tiled within an inch of its life and hung with myriad Moorish lanterns, simply screams ‘Spanish’, so oddities like soy and chilli prawns or confit duck stand out for the wrong reasons. But according to Cafe Andaluz…

Café Cassis

Salisbury Hotel, Salisbury Road, Edinburgh, EH16 5AA

Now in its third year, Café Cassis remains unfamiliar even to many of Edinburgh’s enthusiastic restaurant goers. This is a shame, as it turns out highly enjoyable, seasonally influenced meals that aim to offer something for everyone, with lots of…

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China Buffet King

22–24 West Nile Street, Glasgow, G1 2PF

Chukoku

298 Sauchiehall Street, City Centre, Glasgow, G2 3HQ

City Café

Hilton Garden Inn, Finnieston Quay, Glasgow, G3 8HN

Having ditched its semi-fine dining menu along with it its AA rosette, the City Café has gone down the 'home favourites' route to suit its regular customers. Steak pie, beef lasagne and burgers probably suit the hungry hotel guest who doesn’t want any…

The Dining Room

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, 28 Queen Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1JX

The aroma of whisky permeates this elegant ground-floor restaurant set within a Georgian townhouse. As befits the dining room of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society a carefully selected complimentary dram is presented to those eating from the a la carte…

The Glasgow Curry Shop

29 Ashton Lane, Glasgow, G12 8SJ

Previously a branch of Mother India Monir's three Wee curryhouses, the renamed, revamped Glasgow Curry Shop is a haven for casual dining within the hustle and bustle of Ashton Lane. Celebrating the entrepreneurs who positioned curryhouses as an…