Pubs & bars, Child friendly and Student friendly
- Filmhouse Café Bar
fresh affordable food - breakfast, lunch & dinner, cakes & snacks, vegetarian selection. Open 7 days 10am–late. - The Tea Rooms at The Butterfly and the Pig
City centre gem serving Afternoon Tea, High Tea, cakes & delights
Chinaski's
239 North Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7DL
Named after a Charles Bukowski alter ego, Chinaski’s maintains its underground roots by eschewing any signage on the exterior in an effort to deter large groups of rowdy drinkers from nearby Sauchiehall Street. During daylight hours the bar is bright…
The Basement Bar and Restaurant
10–12a Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RH
Situated below street level, this bar looks like the sort of place American sitcom characters would head for after a hard day’s mirth-making, thanks to the obligatory neon sign, mustard-coloured walls and staff dressed in Hawaiian shirts. It could be…
The King's Wark
36 The Shore,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6QU
First and foremost the King’s Wark is a good, solid pub. The dark wood tables and floors have been lovingly restored, Scottish ales are served on tap and the bar is well-stocked with a healthy combination of pub classics and well-selected imports. The…
Iglu
2b Jamaica Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6HH
For all that it is tucked at the far end of a side-street, Iglu has established an enviable profile, priding itself on serving seasonal, locally-sourced, organic and wild foods in the cosy upstairs restaurant and downstairs bar area. Proving high…
Barioja
15-19 Jeffrey Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1DR
Barioja has been dishing out its albondigas for over a decade, so could be considered a pioneer of the still relatively youthful Edinburgh tapas scene. Sitting alongside its big sister restaurant, Iggs, it’s seen competition come and go over the years…
Earl of Marchmont
22 Marchmont Crescent,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1HG
Much like its Canongate sister the White Horse, the Earl is a grand mixture of classic Edinburgh local and funked-up eclectic touches. The crowd is a hotch-potch of students, cheery thirty-somethings and a clutch of venerable regulars decorating the…
Cottier's
93–95 Hyndland Street,
Glasgow,
G11 5PX
Stencils on the walls, fairy lights and candles add plenty of character and atmosphere to proceedings in this converted church. Service is genuinely warm and helpful while suitably informal given the relaxed surroundings. The carpaccio of Inverurie beef…
Bar Milano
2 Mains Avenue, Eastwood Toll,
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…
The Rio Café
27 Hyndland Street,
Glasgow,
G11 5QF
The Rio Café’s 1950s diner-style décor and vibe has made it something of an institution in Glasgow’s West End, and it’s menu offers up tempting options whether you’re in for breakfast, lunch, or just a snack. The burgers come large and tasty, and even a…
The Bank Café Bar
443 Clarkston Road,
Glasgow,
G44 3LL
The Maclay Inns group, five of whose premises are featured in this section, tend to choose interesting buildings for their ventures that add a nice bit of character. In the case of The Bank it is, indeed, a former bank, now popular residential café/bar…
Frankenstein Pub
92 West George Street, City Centre,
Glasgow,
G2 1PJ
Located in a former bank, this large city centre bar is decorated to look something like Dr Frankenstein's laboratory, complete with a 10-foot monster. Booths, clustered round the central bar area, come with their own plasma TVs. Dining is also…
Hamiltons Bar and Kitchen
16–18 Hamilton Place,
Edinburgh,
EH3 5AU
This dusky Stockbridge stronghold never looks the most inviting, yet is always busy – packed with pram-pushing mothers during the hours of daylight, and stuffed with drink-quaffing suits of an evening. And, with separate menus on offer for breakfast…
The Inn at Lathones
By Largoward,
St Andrews,
Fife,
KY9 1JE
The Inn at Lathones to the south of St Andrews is around four hundred years old; its age apparent in the stone-clad fireplaces, whitewashed ceilings and exposed roof beams on display. Then, alongside, you'll find gig posters (the former stables now…
The Orchard
1/2 Howard Place, Canonmills,
Edinburgh,
EH3 5JZ
A bar with a sense of refinement in keeping with the area around it, the Orchard is a wood-panelled old man’s boozer recast as an elegant bar and restaurant in light pastel tones. It’s been around for a few years now but it doesn’t feel tired, and the…
Bar 91
91 Candleriggs,
Glasgow,
G1 1NP
Regularly filled with an eclectic mix of professionals, students and families, Bar 91’s welcoming vibe and contemporary interior see it busy all day. In addition to the usual array of mainstream lagers, there are beers from the nearby West Brewery…
The Grosvenor Café
The Grosvenor Theatre, Ashton Lane,
Glasgow,
G12 8SJ
Located above the well-known Ashton Lane cinema, the Grosvenor is a bar which captures the atmosphere of the film experience. A large projector screen plays out silent pictures throughout the day, while the bar’s décor harks back to the cinematic…
The Lansdowne Bar & Kitchen
7a Lansdowne Crescent,
Glasgow,
G20 6NQ
With walls covered in plasma screens and a plethora of comfy booths, it is easy to see why the Lansdowne is considered by many to be among the best sports bars in town. To the rear of the spacious bar is a conservatory area, primarily a function room…
The Big Blue
445 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G12 8HH
A perennial student favourite and something of a West End institution, the Big Blue endures in its picturesque location by the Kelvin. Portions are hearty enough to satisfy diners with big appetites. The fried calamari with lemon is a tasty starter and…
City Café
19 Blair Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1QR
Pull up your pop socks and pick a song for the juke box: the City Café is your Grease-shaped American diner. Its red banquettes are just right for a short lie down after eating more than your fill of the great BBQ sharing platter, with sticky pork ribs…
Filmhouse Café Bar
88 Lothian Road,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9BZ
Any self-respecting cinema-goer knows that no trip to the Filmhouse would be complete without a pre-movie bowl of nachos from their bustling café-bar. A haven for lovers of independent and arthouse film, the Filmhouse is awash with cinéastes nursing one…
Mono
12 Kings Court, King Street,
Glasgow,
G1 5RB
Mono has been serving Glasgow’s veggie and vegan clientele for ten years now and it’s easy to see the attraction. The room has an indie vibe with a raised platform for the eating area, a good-sized stage for visiting musicians and a long colourful bar…
The Tearoom @ The Butterfly and the Pig
153 Bath Street,
Glasgow,
G2 4SQ
The 'odd pair', it states in the blurb, and they could be talking about the mismatched cutlery and crockery. A step back in time to a more genteel age awaits on climbing the stairs to the sister venue of the Buff Club and companion piece to the…
The Arches Café Bar & Restaurant
253 Argyle Street,
Glasgow,
G2 8DL
In the Arches’ subterranean dining room, regularly changing installations – often by local artists – provide the backdrop to interesting, well-executed food. An appetising menu includes adventurous options such as deep-fried baby octopus and wood…
The Caley Sample Room
42–58 Angle Park Terrace,
Edinburgh,
EH11 2JR
Nowadays, with every establishment that serves more than crisps seeing fit to label themselves a ‘gastropub’, it’s refreshing to discover somewhere that’s actually deserving of the title. The Caley Sample Room’s commitment to using artisan suppliers and…
