Restaurants, Outdoor dining, Child friendly within 5 miles of Glasgow

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.

With a menu that carries as many superlatives as it does dishes, the proprietor’s personality is evident throughout Glasgow’s take on what is now part of a global chain. The vast ground-floor area is usually packed, providing a warm atmosphere while the…

Tucked away in Merchant City, Lily’s may look like your average café from the outside but the menu tells a different story. Successfully combining paninis, burgers and baked potatoes with Chinese dishes, the noodle soup sprinkled with roast sesame seeds…

A smart, light, bright dining room with a stylish champagne bar attached, the place has an open kitchen where the chefs can be seen preparing dishes from the large menu. Deep-fried calamari are tasty and tender as are the prawns in the same…

Named after the famous ‘Glasgow Glutton’, Robert Hall, who made a living from eating contests, this restaurant and bar (with four hotel rooms) is tucked down one of the Merchant City’s quieter streets. You enter through the cosy bar with a glowing open…

In the heart of the merchant City, which is particularly good looking at night these days, Berits & Brown offers a small taste of a New York style neighbourhood diner. It is a big draw for wine buffs – any bottle on sale in the off license can be…

If it wasn't for the grounding nature of the predominantly British food and décor, the view out of Cranberry's huge windows into an architecturally attractive corner could take you on all sorts of fancy flights around the globe, imagining life in Paris…

It can seem a bit lonely sitting in the plush but slightly soulless Merchant Square, but Fanelli’s has a very warm welcome. On offer here are Italian staples with a Scottish influence creeping in. This is evident in pizza combinations such as haggis and…

Housed in the former Sheriff Court there are few building fronts as impressive anywhere in the city. Gone are any remnants of law court life. Split between a ground floor with a massive glitzy cocktail bar, and an upstairs restaurant that has a more…

What’s on offer in this upmarket eatery is far removed from the rustic style of cooking you’ll find in any roadside café after which it is named. The chefs have previously cooked for India’s rich and famous bringing with them a majestic, refined…

Zinc tables, novelty spirits behind the bar, walls papered with banknotes and postcards from around the globe: at first glance Brutti Ma Buoni has all the trappings of a travellers’ bar rather than a traditional bistro. But it would be a shame to miss…

Pancho’s is a cavernous place – it seats 160 but with high ceilings and big windows onto Bell Street, it feels even bigger than it is. Unsurprisingly it’s at its best when busy, with an atmosphere ramped up by office parties, groups of conference…

Once headquarters of the Bank of England, the restaurant still has a feel of money about it. With original features like wood panels and an Art Deco ceiling offering a diffused soft light. With striking paintings and leather-clad booths, the overall…

Scallops wrapped in pancetta is a good way to start in this large, airy and stylish basement dining room. The portion is generous and the scallops not overcooked. The antipasto misto is described as a signature dish, but is a little disappointing. It…

Chaophraya sits proudly on the corner of Nelson Mandela Place, holding the title of Europe’s largest Thai restaurant. Climbing the small stairway outside, opulence and grandeur awaits in this A-listed building. Enjoy a cocktail on the first floor before…

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…

The long dining room has a mix of booths and tables, and art deco styling. There’s a magician touring the tables with a pack of cards entertaining families, couples and larger parties. Although not here every night, he’s a Di Maggio’s stalwart. It’s a…

When restaurant entrepreneur Tony Hussain took over the long-established Café India in 2011, he kicked it up a few notches from typical Glasgow curryhouse to a classier joint, with a makeover to match. There are still aspects of the former – like the…

Tapas eating can fit into a shopping expedition like few other culinary styles – it’s restorative, flexible and convivial, and rarely too heavy or time-consuming. So Barça’s location in Princes Square makes a lot of sense, and after eight years it ranks…