Restaurants, Bistros & Brasseries
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The Italian Kitchen
64 Ingram Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1EX
A sleek, stylish and airy character-setter for its corner of the Merchant City, the Italian Kitchen has a striking atmosphere of buzz and bustle at lunchtime, with relaxed business people competing with smatterings of recharging shoppers to be heard…
The Grill on the Corner
21–25 Bothwell Street,
Glasgow,
G2 6NL
With its shiny black wooden furniture, mirrored surfaces and private booths, each with their own rather decadent crystal chandelier, this luxurious restaurant has a distinct air of the moneyed 1980s. The time travel effect is further enhanced by the…
Two Fat Ladies
118a Blythswood Street,
Glasgow,
G2 4EG
An average two-course dinner at Two Fat Ladies costs what top-end restaurants charge for a single main course these days. Such economies have an obvious appeal and this restaurant helps its cause by putting generally excellent food on the table, to…
The Apartment
7–13 Barclay Place,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4HW
This landmark Tollcross diner has been putting style and ambience at the heart of the eating experience for nearly ten years now. Lights are dimmed to seductive levels, with funky beats gently reverberating through the multi-annexed floor space. Staff…
The Outsider
15/16 George IV Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1EE
With its dark exterior and candle-lit, cavernous interior, the Outsider lives up to the mysterious ambience its moniker suggests. A mix of small and large tables fills the wide dining room, and guests can also sit in the upstairs loft or the snug on the…
The Jam House
5 Queen Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1JE
Dusky purple lights cast romantic shadows on the walls of this funky, jazz-centric venue once occupied by BBC Scotland. Guests dine on the balcony above the main stage where soulful musicians entertain throughout the evening. A fixed-price set menu with…
A Room in the Town
18 Howe Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6TG
A Room in the Town is a great place to have in the back pocket if you happen to have friends in from, well, out of town. Managing to combine the warmth and friendliness of a neighbourhood restaurant with some seriously fine cooking, it's the kind of…
Urban Bar & Brasserie
23–25 St Vincent Place,
Glasgow,
G1 2DT
Elegance and glamour are evident when you enter this venture owned by the team behind the successful Gamba restaurant. Dark wood flooring, black leather banquettes and white linen table clothes give a classic feel to the dining room, while a centrepiece…
The Dogs
110 Hanover Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1DR
Ascending the stairs of this sharply decorated, stylish bistro is a little like walking into a friend's lovely living room for dinner. Stark white walls and simple furnishings are set against pictures of the eponymous dogs liberally scattered around the…
57–61 High Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1SR
Spanking new Monteiths brings a touch of glitz and glamour to this section of the Royal Mile, more commonly associated with pubs and tourist attractions. The entrance is down a vine-arched and lit alleyway next to Moubray House, at the bottom of which…
The Dome Grill Room
14 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2PF
Among the many A-listed buildings on George Street, the Dome stands out as both majestic and remarkably unspoiled. The grandiose grill room and cocktail bar – all marble pillars and potted palms – generates a kind of colonial atmosphere, the…
A Room in the West End
26 William Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 7NH
Happily roosting under Teuchters bar on upmarket William Street, A Room in the West End shares many a trait with its older New Town sibling – not least its focus on modern Scottish cookery. The option to BYOB also runs in the family, making both popular…
The Loft Bar & Restaurant
The Grosvenor Theatre, Ashton Lane,
Glasgow,
G12 8SJ
Set above the Grosvenor Cinema, The Loft is one of the largest establishments on Ashton Lane and as such is packed at the weekend with students and young professionals from across Glasgow. Midweek sees more locals venturing into this vast, airy space.
The Social
27 Royal Exchange Square,
Glasgow,
G1 3AJ
Location is key for this trendy city centre bar/brasserie in the G1 Group's stable of stylish ventures. A huge square bar dominates the interior space, surrounded by dark wooden tables and leather pouffes. A mixture of suits and pre-clubbers rub…
A Room in Leith
1c Dock Place,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6LU
There's definitely room for a branch of this well-established Edinburgh chain in Leith, which, over the past few years has been overly dominated by high-brow and fish-based establishments. The Room in Leith has taken over the popular and comfortable…
Amarone
2 Nelson Mandela Place,
Glasgow,
G2 1BT
Conceived as a more upmarket venture by the owners of the popular Italian restaurant chain DiMaggio's, Amarone immediately impresses with an elegant entrance and staircase leading to a stylish, modern basement dining room. High stained glass windows…
Roastit Bubbly Jocks
450 Dumbarton Road,
Glasgow,
G11 6SE
Amidst the charity shops at the long end of Dumbarton Road, Roastit Bubbly Jocks might seem out of the way. For many, however, it's a well-loved dining institution. The emphasis is on the food and atmosphere: it's bustling, loud and warm – the way any…
Catch 22 Restaurant & Bar
158–166 Bath Street,
Glasgow,
G2 4TB
Stefan King's various holdings are not best known for their cuisine, but from its launch in 2006 the G1 Group's Catch 22 Restaurant & Bar has put food to the fore. Chef David Thompson's predominantly but not exclusively fish and seafood oriented menu…
Amicus Apple
17 Frederick Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2EY
Amicus Apple has been under new ownership since 2007, and its basement area has been transformed into a chic, welcoming, boudoir-like space. Patterned black walls, twinkling light fittings and comfortable leather chairs accommodate shoppers and office…
Chinaski's
239 North Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7DL
The almost anonymous exterior and dimly lit, stylish interior makes Chinaski's a secret and sophisticated haven from the city rush, epitomised by the sunken M8 across the road. Even if you have never heard of Henry Chinaski, the relaxed approach of bar…
Darcy's
The Courtyard, Princes Square,
Glasgow,
G1 3JN
Nestling among a plethora of bars, restaurants and luxury outlets in Princes Square, Darcy's occupies a quiet corner away from the hoards of frantic shoppers. Perhaps in a concerted effort to de-stress those seeking refuge from the bustling crowds, the…
Home Bistro
41 West Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DB
A number of neighbourhood bistros have popped up around Edinburgh in recent years. The concept is a good one: locally sourced foods in a cosy and welcoming atmosphere. Inevitably, some work and some don't, but you would be hard pushed to find any…
24 Candleriggs,
Glasgow,
G1 1LD
Guy's twinkles warmly in the Merchant City firmament. It's a big, long room, but you can feel at home amid the accumulated bric-a-brac sprinkled lightly about the interior. These include Mexican Day of the Dead plates, an imposing carved bird lectern…
4 Grassmarket,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2JU
Despite its rather grand situation in an old church, which nestles in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, The Lot is a colourful, somewhat unassuming café-cum-restaurant with a lot of charm. The ceilings are high, the colours bright, and people come at all…
La Lanterna
35 Hope Street,
Glasgow,
G2 6AE
For almost four decades, the Martinolli family have been serving up traditional Italian cuisine in their attractive, cavernous restaurant beneath the otherwise unedifying, traffic-choking Hope Street. The décor has remained almost untouched – a warm…
Italian Caffè
92 Albion Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1NY
Styled on the Italian enoteca, literally meaning 'wine library', this recent Merchant City arrival knows its Chianti from its Montepulciano. With 24 labels by the glass and double that number by the bottle, it may be easy to overlook the tapas-style…
La Vallée Blanche
360 Byres Road,
Glasgow,
G12 8AY
A former antique complex above the West End's beloved branch of Fopp has been chosen as the reunion venue for many members of the team that once made Princes Square's étain such a success. The space has been transformed into a calm, low-lit haven of…
Opal Lounge
51 George Street, New Town,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2HT
Scotland
This labyrinthine, subterranean bar/restaurant below George Street is a stylish venue for a meal, a quiet drink, or, very late in the day, a spot of clubbing. The mood is funky and très chic, with a motif of hot-pink and 1970s stylised flowers - the…
Big Slope
36a Kelvingrove Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7SA
Occupying a basement near Kelvingrove Park, this Alpine-themed bar is the closest Glasgow gets to après-ski. Black leather booths nestle under wooden panels depicting snow scenes, while antlers decorate the walls. Students and office workers snap up…
10 Cambridge Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2ED
In applying Slow Food philosophies, properly educating its staff and delivering superbly designed dishes, blue is doing a lot of things right. A fastidious sourcing policy forms the restaurant's backbone, the name of the game being those elusive goals…
The Bothy
11 Ruthven Lane,
Glasgow,
G12 9BG
Tucked away in Ruthven Lane, a stone's throw from the hustle and bustle of Byres Road, the Bothy combines modern design with traditional touches, creating a look somewhere between country hotel sitting room and trendy style bar. The kitchen aims to…
Café Andaluz
St Vincent Place,
Glasgow,
G1 2DW
There are two Café Andaluz restaurants in Glasgow – at St Vincent Place in the city centre and Cresswell Lane in the West End – and there are plans to open another in Edinburgh's George Street in 2008. The tapas format fits well into each location, with…
The Living Room
150 St Vincent Street,
Glasgow,
G2 5NE
Slightly adrift from the hub of the city centre, this stylish bar and restaurant pulls in a mix of fashionable twentysomethings and corporate diners on expense accounts. It's dark and moody inside, the long rectangular space divided between cocktail bar…
Olive Branch Bistro
91 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RX
Broughton Street is not lacking in places to eat, so any restaurant looking to make its mark has to offer great food with an atmosphere to match. The Olive Branch has both in spades. In a compact, almost post-industrial-style setting, candle-lit tables…
Urban Angel
121 Hanover Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1DJ
More urbane than urban, this bustling Hanover Street basement is an ever-popular choice, and it's easy to see why. With simple prints on the white walls, solid pine furniture and flock-printed menus, the aesthetic lends the restaurant a cool…
Corinthian/Lite Bar
191 Ingram Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1DA
As we went to press with the 15th edition edition of The List Eating & Drinking Guide, this G1 Group-run landmark was preparing for another rejigging (with the six-week works due to commence in spring 2008). But as the building is listed, its owners can…
Iglu
2b Jamaica Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6HH
Iglu is a venue that takes its organic, local and ethical food policy very seriously. But don't feel guilty if you need to take a taxi there should you find it hard to locate: it's hidden away from the main drag of the city centre and lurks…
Salsa
63 Carlton Place,
Glasgow,
G5 9TW
Technically on the Southside, Salsa is just a pleasant five-minute walk from the city centre via the Clyde's suspension pedestrian bridge. The discreet location suits the ambience of the restaurant, which is refreshingly unlike most Mexican-themed…
Browns Restaurant and Bar
131–133 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4JS
With a kitchen that can handle close to a thousand covers on its busiest days, Browns is no modest operation. No surprise, given that it's one of a chain of 14 owned by the gargantuan Mitchells and Butlers pub operators. The corporate ethos is classic…
225a West George Street,
Glasgow,
G2 2ND
Gamba celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2008, and one would be hard-pressed to name a more consistently excellent, top-end restaurant in Glasgow over the same time period. It's not only that chef and co-owner Derek Marshall doesn't ever settle for…
First Coast
97–101 Dalry Road,
Edinburgh,
EH11 2AB
What inspired Skye-born brothers Alan and Hector MacRae to open First Coast, slightly off the beaten track on Edinburgh's Dalry Road, is something of a mystery. That said, a restaurant with such a simple, adaptable ethos – local, good value produce…
Iris
47a Thistle Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1DY
Iris only opened its doors in December 2007, but, thanks to the competence of owners Mark Lawrence and Kenny Waugh – part of the team that founded the Apartment and the Outsider – the restaurant already seems confident. It's charming too: three petite…
The Left Bank
33–35 Gibson Street,
Glasgow,
G12 8NU
Our 2007 Newcomer of the Year, the Left Bank is still managing to draw in the crowds – the popular bar/bistro has the holy trinity of dedicated service, competitive prices and honest, solid cooking to thank for its success. The stylish décor helps as…
Manna
104 Bath Street,
Glasgow,
G2 2EN
Manna, another successful enterprise in restaurateur Alan Tomkin's empire (Gamba, Urban Grill, etc), is tucked away in the basement of a Bath Street townhouse. Despite such seclusion, this reincarnation of the former Papingo is clearly sought after…
20 North Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1YT
Already highly regarded for stylish, good-quality food and service, North Bridge Brasserie (part of the Scotsman Hotel) was about to undergo a comprehensive refurbishment as we went to press in April 2008. The heritage-listed wood and marble features…
Two Fat Ladies
88 Dumbarton Road,
Glasgow,
G11 6NX
An average two-course dinner at Two Fat Ladies costs what top-end restaurants charge for a single main course these days. Such economies have an obvious appeal and this restaurant helps its cause by putting generally excellent food on the table, to…
Zanzero
15 North West Circus Place,
Edinburgh,
EH3 6SX
Opened in 2007, this is the younger, slightly brasher sibling of the city centre establishment Centotre, owned by Victor and Carina Contini. Many aspects of the two are consistent, including the insistence on high quality, largely organic local produce…
138 Battlefield Road,
Glasgow,
G42 9JT
With the Victoria Infirmary and Langside College providing something of a captive audience, Battlefield Road sustains a fair range of food outlets and, since 2007, Tinto has been adding a little Iberian flavour to the line-up. In contrast with some…
The Bank
443 Clarkston Road,
Glasgow,
G44 3LL
Housed in an impressively spacious former bank building, this pub and restaurant shows that catering for a wide range of tastes – and keeping standards reasonably high – is possible. Vast brown sofas, long wooden tables and a stained glass dome in the…



