Restaurants, Cafés, Outdoor dining

A superb gourmet sandwich selection makes this small, unobtrusive café one of the best places in Glasgow to grab a gorgeously crafted ‘piece’, as weegees would say. A few new additions include unlikely favourite the Smackdown – smoked peppered mackerel…

Tinderbox’s original Byres Road coffeshop café opened in 1998 but the interior still feels contemporary and enticing. No food is prepared on the premises though, with savoury options being either pre-prepared sandwiches or salad/noodle bowls. It’s an…

This café doesn't wear its USA theme lightly, with a yellow taxi and NYPD cruiser usually sat outside for diners on the al fresco tables to admire plus Americana draped around the tight space inside. It's all about the breakfasts and brunches here…

A bitesize Kelvinbridge version of the excellent and ever-popular Piece café, this sandwich bar serves up most of the selection of fine gourmet pieces available on the other side of the park. The You Win, stuffed with moreish chilli-marinated mozzarella…

A good local eatery can be hard to find but not in Partick. Cafezique is attached to a delicatessen. Inside, simple décor and a mezzanine level is enjoyed by elegant young ladies chattering over wine with nibbles (olives and cheese fondue). And…

Regulars order without glancing at the large menu which covers everything from steak pie to fillet steak, from chicken curry and chips to pastas, and from pizzas and fish. The atmosphere’s buzzy and busy and you should probably book – even mid-week – to…

Earthy: the name itself reeks of honest-to-goodness wholesomeness and this charmingly decorated Canonmills restaurant certainly delivers on that promise. The place feels rather like a Womble has been brought in to decorate, with found objects and…

The Hidden Lane Tearoom is hidden only in name. Despite being just a couple of years old, it has clearly established a serious following, which means that at weekends, it can often get pretty busy – despite having two levels. Somehow though, owner…

As its quirky Paul Hodgkiss-designed furniture in thick misshapen chunks of pine clearly signposts, Jelly Hill prides itself on unconventionality. While it serves relatively standard and basic café food from morning until night, this small Hyndland…

Balfour’s diehards might be bamboozled when confronted by the enigmatic grey façade that has appeared on this erstwhile drinking den, but there’s no doubt that Leith Walk’s latest addition will soon attract an equally loyal – if somewhat different…

Meaning ‘home’ in Swedish, Hemma is the latest addition to Mike and Anna Christopherson’s string of Scandinavian style bars. And with its soft furnishings and quirky interiors, it does indeed have a laidback, homely atmosphere, despite the modern feel…

Housed in the CCA, this spacious café-bar attracts a predictably bohemian clientele in evenings, with workers and young families hanging out during the day, especially on Saturdays. Despite the cavernous space and clean, modern lines, there’s a sense of…

Circus has a relaxed, hangout vibe with original art hanging on whitewashed walls, chunky wooden furniture and colourful Turkish lamps. Food serving hours run from breakfast right the way through to dinner, making this a popular place with folk staying…

Brightening up Partick for several years now with its 1950s American diner-style décor and assorted retro touches such as big tubs of sweets behind the bar, Rio Café offers a little something for everyone. Serving food from breakfast through dinner…

A visit to the Brooklyn Café, the 83-year-old godfather of the Shawlands all-day café scene is a real Glasgow treat. There's a steady production of breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner dishes including creamy risottos or the recently introduced grill…

Bookshelves crammed with classics, a full complement of tasty cakes and a chilled-out lounge space upstairs make this family-run café a great spot to grab a quiet moment to yourself. A relaxed nook with more print than pretensions, it has a wider appeal…

Circle Café is a stripped back, bare-brick former bakery, serving big breakfasts such as mounds of French toast (unusually using baguettes) with crispy bacon, as well as generously sized, well presented bistro fare including pies, sandwiches and a…

The St John’s Church ‘terrace community’ has developed into an ethical, modern-day conscience balm of businesses at the west end of Princes Street, from the One World Fairtrade shop to the Peace and Justice Centre. Henderson’s café sits harmoniously…

Bang in the middle of studentville, Kilimanjaro has a laid-back vibe, conducive to whiling away an afternoon reading and nattering or making a start on that essay. The chunky tables, worn wooden chairs and leather sofas are comfy and inviting and the…

It says much about how firmly Tinderbox’s finger has long been on the pulse of coffee culture that the main Byres Road branch remains much the same place it was upon opening in 1998, in terms of both fare and décor, and yet doesn’t feel like it needs…

The Treehouse Café, facing Bruntsfield Links, feels bright, summery and welcoming to anybody breezing in from Leven Street for a sit-in breakfast or lunch, or a take-away picnic on the Meadows. The eco-retro décor of cheerful pot plants and vintage…

After a recent refurb, the focus at the Wellington Café is even more firmly on the best coffee they can coax from a bean. Panini and bacon rolls have gone; the food now consists simply of excellent daily delivered brownies, sizeable scones and tray…