Experience rustic, family style cooking at award-winning French restaurant La Garrigue. Sample the tastes of Languedoc at one of the most authentic restaurants in Edinburgh (Hitlisted in The List Eating & Drinking Guide 2012) or visit our fantastic little bistro in Leith.
Restaurants and Pre-theatre menu
- Angels With Bagpipes
Angels with Bagpipes articulates the natural union of Scottish and Italian sourcing and gastronomy - KoolBa
You'll love Koolba. The award winning Indian with a unique twist. - Spoon
Spoon brilliantly fills the gap between the casualness of a cafe and the formality of a restaurant - Mussel Inn Edinburgh
Enjoy delicious food and seafood at very affordable prices
Monteiths
57–61 High Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1SR
Monteiths’ discreet menu board at the head of one of the Royal Mile’s darker closes is easily missed. But don’t, because this subterranean bar and restaurant’s low-key Scottish style is a welcome antidote to the energetic tartanry to be found nearby.
Nonna's Kitchen
45 Morningside Road,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4AZ
With a warm welcome from the Stornaiuolo family, this corner venue in Morningside is everything anyone could want in a neighbourhood restaurant. One thing certain is that you could never get bored of the menu – despite a short à la carte selection, the…
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 Apartment Bistro
7–13 Barclay Place,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4HW
The Apartment has been going strong since 1999, and its 2010 refurb seems to have rebooted things nicely. Here, ‘modern bistro’ means seasonality and an evolving menu, as evidenced by a neat little daily set menu, plus specials. A starter of pork…
The Finnieston
1125 Argyle Street,
Glasgow,
G3 8ND
As you enter the snug bar decked with rope bannisters, polished wood and boat motifs you could be in a sleepy fishing village pub rather than on the main Finnieston strip. This smarter, more grown up sister to Lebowskis down the road really does looks…
L'escargot Bleu
56 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3SA
The justly popular L’escargot Bleu generates an air of welcome as you enter the bright, airy rooms one flight up on Broughton Street. The buzz feels embracing rather than exclusive, as much coming from the patrons as the proprietors. Co-owners Betty…
The Ashoka
108 Elderslie Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7AR
A Glasgow fixture since 1982, this Ashoka is not part of the popular Harlequin-owned chain of the same name. Downstairs is the 110-capacity Curryoke restaurant, where you can experience a full banquet plus a spot of singing, while upstairs the…
Tinto Tapas Bar
138 Battlefield Road,
Glasgow,
G42 9JT
This Southside neighbourhood treasure feels exactly like a rustic and cosy local tapas bar should. Dark wooden tables sit against a backdrop of regional Spanish wines, beers, liqueurs and knick-knacks, while a leg of Iberico ham lies ready to be carved.
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…
Steak
12 Picardy Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JT
Steak is one of a new wave of Edinburgh steakhouses influenced by the likes of London’s much-lauded Hawksmoor. It’s aiming for hi-octane glamour that would be more at home in the Meatpacking district in New York City, but Edinburgh could do with a dose…
Creedence
48a West Regent Street,
Glasgow,
G2 2RA
There ain’t no bad moon risin’ in this fun and feisty Delta-inspired bistro. A deep down, underground entrance off the busy roads of West Regent and Renfield streets reveals a chic interior of dark browns and muted yellows with pooled lighting, wooden…
The Honours
58a North Castle Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 3LU
There was little doubt that a brasserie developed under the keen eye of Martin Wishart, Edinburgh's advocate of French cuisine, was going to be something special. Taking over the Castle Street site once home to Tony's Table, Wishart’s team have turned…
Jolly Ristorante & Pizzeria
9 Elm Row, Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4AA
A bright red sign pronouncing the restaurant's whereabouts cheerfully stands out amid Elm Row's other established businesses, beckoning in passers-by from the bustle of the town centre. The interior is dark and slightly worn by contrast, but incoming…
The Square
1 Golden Square,
Aberdeen,
AB10 1RD
A spacious, popular, centrally located café-bistro with options ranging from smart-casual lunches through to full evening dining, including a pre-theatre menu from 5–6pm.
Angels With Bagpipes
343 High Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1PW
Don’t let the High Street buskers put you off. Through the back in the restaurant you won’t hear them. Instead, the smart sophisticated décor and modern tableware sets off an approach to Scottish ingredients that acknowledges centuries of continental…
Centotre
103 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 3ES
Centotre manages to pull off a neat trick. Despite the austere, ex-bank interior, from those lost days when financial edifices were akin to cathedrals, it still manages to maintain a feeling of warmth and intimacy in the evenings or bright and breezy…
Leven's
30-32 Leven Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9LJ
With its shiny surfaces, colour-changing LED lighting and leather chairs, Leven’s could be any type of eatery on first appearances. It’s only on entering that the warm welcome and seductive sweety-spicy smells make it clear that this is a Thai…
Asti
73 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RJ
Owned by the same people who run the neighbouring Rapido, Asti is a refined, relaxed eatery in comparison to its neighbour, specialising in decent Italian dishes rather than fast food. Painted a pleasing shade of mocha, this café-cum-restaurant takes…
The Living Room
150 St Vincent Street,
Glasgow,
G2 5NE
Weekends at this popular bar and diner feature live music and even a regular magician – helping to create a lively infectious buzz that is easy to get caught up in. Couples and groups are seated in leather booths, helping to break up the restaurant…
Restaurant Mark Greenaway at No 12 Picardy Place
12 Picardy Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JT
Mark Greenaway’s take on dining is unashamedly modern. With deconstructed creations, foams, smokes and multi-ingredient theatrics aplenty, this is a sophisticated, highly confident offering. A starter of Loch Fyne crab cannelloni is a good introduction…
Spoon Café Bistro
6a Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DH
Home life getting you down? Move here. Seriously. It’s open from 10am till 10pm, serving everything from morning rolls through to a three-course dinner. There’s free wi-fi. People bring you drinks. The furniture is cool kitsch-retro-chic. If only the…
Chang Thai Restaurant
29 Cockburn Street, 1 Craig's Close,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1BN
Down the wynd of stairs between Cockburn and Market streets is Chang Thai, a vibrant establishment serving delectable dishes. The subterranean setting is enlivened by a canopy of fake ivy on the ceiling, copper-coloured walls and smiling golden buddhas.
China Buffet King
53–55 Bath Street,
Glasgow,
G2 2DH
These bustling, bright eateries hit the spot with families, students and office workers looking to fill up on a budget. On offer is a wide range of familiar favourites, salads, fruit and delightfully childish desserts. Some options survive the buffet…
The Grill Room at the Square
29 Royal Exchange Square,
Glasgow,
G1 3AJ
Part of private members club ‘29’ this restaurant thinks of itself as a place to see and be seen. Slick black interior dotted with white linen table cloths, chandeliers and sparkling glassware give a city chic look to the long rectangular space. If you…
Howies at Waterloo
29 Waterloo Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3BQ
While things below the waterline have been a bit frantic since the original owners bought back Edinburgh’s two remaining Howies in late 2011, above the surface everything is typically calm. The Waterloo Place restaurant is a stylishly decorated, well…
Indian Lounge
129a Rose Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 3DT
The family-run Indian Lounge is central enough for most of the city to grab a curry on their way home, and there’s a lot to recommend that you do. Prices are considerably more reasonable than you might expect from the central – or any – location, staff…
Amarone
13 St Andrew Square,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2BH
This vast contemporary Italian themed restaurant complete with pastoral photographs, high domed roof and colourfully lit ceiling art opened in the summer of 2011 and is already bustling. From the restaurant family that includes DiMaggio’s and Café…
China Buffet King
22–24 West Nile Street,
Glasgow,
G1 2PF
These bustling, bright eateries hit the spot with families, students and office workers looking to fill up on a budget. On offer is a wide range of familiar favourites, salads, fruit and delightfully childish desserts. Some options survive the buffet…
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…
The Dining Room
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, 28 Queen Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1JX
While a fantastic selection of spirits is the focus in the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Scotland’s famous members’ bar, the food is definitely the star in the Dining Room, its upscale restaurant. A handful of tables in a light Georgian drawing room with…
Guy's Restaurant & Bar
24 Candleriggs, Merchant City,
Glasgow,
G1 1LD
It's almost certainly worth booking at this well-established Merchant City favourite. At the end of the bar, the dining area is bright and buzzy, with some of the tables quite close together – more suited to social rather than intimate dining. Service…
Hellers Kitchen
15 Salisbury Place,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1SL
Richard and Michelle Heller have moved on from the popular New Bell in Causewayside, and Hellers Kitchen (previously their second string) is now basking in the full focus of their attention. It’s your typical friendly wee neighbourhood bistro, but…
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…
Maison Bleue
36–38 Victoria Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2JW
Maison Bleue is defiantly not a typical French restaurant. Or certainly not one from the mainland, as the influence here comes from further south than Marseilles. The culinary net soars across France’s once mighty empire, from spicy North African…
Ondine
2 George IV Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1AD
Ondine has quickly established itself as a respected fixture on the city-centre dining scene. Located next to the smart Missoni Hotel, the second-floor restaurant offers mesmerising views over George IV Bridge and Victoria Street, while diners can also…
The Partners Italian Bistro
1051 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G12 0XP
This classy looking bistro tucked away near Anniesland offers an upmarket experience within a highly stylised, spacious interior. A lovely buttery, rich crab fettucine is a great opener, but though the dolcelatte soufflé is in itself satisfying, the…
Bibi's Cantina
599 Dumbarton Road,
Glasgow,
G11 6HY
It’s often said that if you venture off the beaten track you’ll find treasures. This is true of Bibi’s – a cosy candlelit bistro offering fresh authentic Mexican-inspired cuisine at the west end of Dumbarton Road, but just a stroll from Partick Station.
The Bothy
11 Ruthven Lane,
Glasgow,
G12 9BG
The Bothy enjoys an unusual location hidden amongst the quirky businesses of Ruthven Lane off Byres Road. That’s about the extent of any Bohemian pretensions though – once inside, it’s a slick, efficient member of the G1 Group and one of five Bothies…
Chukoku
298 Sauchiehall Street, City Centre,
Glasgow,
G2 3HQ
Chukoku, which means 'China' in Japanese, fuses a Victorian Sauchiehall Street façade with a friendly but functional modern interior that presents one of the more stylish options among the city's entourage of buffet-style Chinese eateries. More than 50…
Crabby Macs Seafood Café
61 Otago Street,
Glasgow,
G12 8PQ
Based in the former Tattie Macs, Crabby’s is the ideal relaxed, friendly destination for those who may be curious but unconfident about delving into the magical world of Scottish seafood. The small shopfront opens into a large warm contemporary setting…
Giuliano's
18–19 Union Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3NQ
Situated directly across the road from the Playhouse Theatre, Giuliano’s has achieved Edinburgh institution status due to its popularity with theatre-goers, tourists and large parties – including hen and stag dos. Its cavernous interior is resplendent…
Jade Garden
303 Sauchiehall Street,
Glasgow,
G2 3HQ
A Sauchiehall Street fixture since 1971, the Jade Garden feels little affected by the passing of time. A well-trod carpeted staircase leads up to its genteel, pastel-tinted dining room where, within minutes of sitting down, a little basket of light…
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…
110 Restaurant
Genting Club, 124 Dundee Street, Fountainpark,
Edinburgh,
EH11 1AF
Genting Club Fountainpark was formerly known as Edinburgh Circus Casino.
Situated at Fountainpark in the heart of the Capital, moments from Edinburgh Castle, you will be sure to have a fantastic time.
Whether you are planning to celebrate a night…
Stravaigin
28–30 Gibson Street,
Glasgow,
G12 8NX
As this place pops up in most Glasgow guides, many a nationality can be found rubbing shoulders with die-hard regulars enjoying interesting Scottish produce given an international twist. Stravaigin’s well-known branding is ‘think local, eat global’. The…
Sweet Melindas
11 Roseneath Street,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1JH
Sweet Melindas is the very definition of cosy neighbourhood hangout. The one-room Marchmont restaurant’s white-painted wooden panelling, found black-and-white photographs and shelves of assorted bric-a-brac lend it a quaint but pleasant ambience, and…
Absolute Thai
22 Valleyfield Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9LR
The Tollcross area of Edinburgh isn’t short of Thai restaurants. Absolute Thai is hidden away down a side street but still stands out from the crowd through its unpretentious feel, reasonable prices and BYOB approach to booze. Since opening in 2009…
Arisaig
1 Merchant Square,
Glasgow,
G1 1NY
This smart establishment serves Scottish flavours and produce in an upmarket but unfussy environment. Perched on the edge of the Merchant City cobbled square, there is plenty of ‘people watching’ to keep you entertained. Seafood broth as a starter…
Café St Honoré
34 North West Thistle Street Lane,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1EA
Romantic Café St Honoré feels ideally placed tucked away in its cobbled New Town lane, but quiet locations can be deceiving. Inside, its charming, old-fashioned mirrored rooms are often bustling with exuberant diners. At nearly twenty years old, it is a…
Calistoga
70 Rose Street North Lane,
Edinburgh,
EH2 3DX
Tucked away behind Rose Street, Calistoga’s insalubrious location belies a welcoming, chic bistro that aims to bring a little Californian sunshine to Edinburgh. Posters of vineyards on the cream-coloured walls declare the restaurant’s passion for wine…
Dragon-i
311–313 Hope Street,
Glasgow,
G2 3PT
Both the sharp, minimalist surroundings and quasi-Asian menu serve to underline Dragon-i is anything but a traditional Chinese restaurant. There is an undoubted Scottish element running through the menu, with Stornoway black pudding accompanying crispy…
Hotel du Vin
11 Bristo Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1EZ
Fact: eating out is way nicer than eating in. Or at least it is when the people who bring your food and pour your drinks are really, really lovely. This is well understood in Hotel du Vin, where the service is full of personality and pretty much…
Nachos
15 Skirving Street,
Glasgow,
G41 3AB
Nachos is the Southside’s newest and only Mexican restaurant, located upstairs in a spacious open-plan dining room, well suited to couples, groups and families, where Mexico’s cultural and architectural icons are illustrated in colourful spray-painted…
1901
1534 Pollokshaws Road,
Glasgow,
G43 1RF
Though a little removed from the main Shawlands dining strip the value of the food along with the decidedly relaxed and jovial atmosphere at this unassuming corner pub and bistro make it worth the venture. New owner Graham Sutherland, who also has the…
Petit Paris
38–40 Grassmarket,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2JU
Cheek by jowl in the middle of the traffic-eased Grassmarket, Petit Paris uses all available spaces to fit check-clothed tables into its lively, friendly venue. More enthusiastically French than many of its competitors, a genuine welcome greets each…
Stereo
20-28 Renfield Lane,
Glasgow,
G2 5AR
Although it’s hard to catch the full vista from the narrow lane, Stereo is housed in a superb Charles Rennie Mackintosh-designed building, all exterior white tiles and square windows with double doors opening into a leisurely eating and drinking space…
Torna Sorrento
148 Woodlands Road,
Glasgow,
G3 6LF
This modest eatery retains a welcome place in Glasgow’s Italian scene. Serving up traditional Italian food in simple, unpretentious ways, fresh ingredients and appealing presentation lift familiar dishes above the ordinary. Seafood crostini and arancini…
Urban Angel
1 Forth Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JX
Seasonal, local and organic are the buzz words for these bright, informal, modern bistros. A high proportion of the menu is made up of daily specials making the most of what produce is best that day. A nourishing parsnip soup is enlivened with mustard…
Arta
The Old Cheesemarket, 62 Albion Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1PA
In Glasgow’s trendy Merchant City the competition among restaurants to attract discerning diners is high. Artà stands out architecturally. Once the location of a medieval cheese market this listed building was developed Baroque style in 2000 into a…
Ashoka Curry-Karaoke
90 Berkeley Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7DX
110-capacity curry karaoke restaurant downstairs from the long-established Ashoka.
Assam’s
57 West Regent Street,
Glasgow,
G2 2AE
Assam’s has quickly affirmed itself as a City Centre mainstay, having only been in its current premises two years. The restaurant is grand and elegant, with split level dining and huge luxurious circular booths – it certainly has the air of fine dining…
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…
Bon Appetit
22-26 Exchange Street,
Dundee,
DD1 3DJ
Tucked away off a side street in Dundee's city centre, Bon Appetit has all the ambience and charm of a bistro on the Left Bank. Informal and welcoming, it is a small corner of sunny France among the city's sea of Asian restaurants. French newspapers are…
Bruadar
The Millhouse, 2 Partickbridge Street,
Glasgow,
G11 6PL
Opened in late 2011, Bruadar is an attractive, minimalistic venue over two floors with bench seating downstairs and a more intimate mezzanine, all flooded with light from the large window. Theirs is a simple enough formula – beer and a burger – but with…
Café Marlayne
13 Antigua Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3NH
Longevity is not something always associated with Edinburgh’s French restaurants. That Café Marlayne has stuck around for a decade is testament to its ability to consistently please an eclectic range of diners. Tucked just north of George Street the…
Elliot's Restaurant
Apex Hotel, Waterloo Place, 23–27 Waterloo Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3BH
Competing with hundreds of bars and eateries, it’s a hard-knock life for hotel restaurants in Edinburgh. Elliot’s, part of the Apex chain’s Waterloo Place hotel, does its best to keep guests in and even tempt the locals along with some smart deals…
L'escargot Blanc
17 Queensferry Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4QW
Tucked high above Queensferry Street is a cosy retreat that manages to celebrate the Auld Alliance without being either too Scottish or too French. Yes, full size French advertising posters and French pop do lend L’escargot Blanc a distinctly Gallic…
Fanny Trollopes
1066 Argyle Street,
Glasgow,
G3 8LY
From its cheeky name and origin story (see the portrait inside or on their website) to the lively weekend crowds attracted by pre-theatre deals, Fanny's doesn't seem exactly a subtle place. Yet a glance at its inventive menu contradicts that: it's a…
Fishers in the City
58 Thistle Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1EN
Fishers Restaurant Group now comprises two main branches as well as the Shore Bar & Restaurant, which stands adjacent to the original Leith eaterie. While both the Leith and city centre restaurants bear the Fishers moniker, the two venues couldn’t…
Home Bistro
41 West Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DB
Quite why owners Richard Logan and Rowland Thomson chose to homage the seventies with their charming bistro isn’t clear, though the wallpaper, trio of flying ducks and elongated wooden antelopes are endearingly quirky. But the nostalgia ends right where…
North Bridge Brasserie
20 North Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1YT
If you wish a little 19th-century grandeur with your dinner, the North Bridge Brasserie will fit the bill. Now a hotel but originally the home of the Scotsman newspaper, dark wood panelling and marble columns give a period feel, while the adjacent bar…
Tanjore
6–8 Clerk Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9HX
Relative newcomer Tanjore brings a wealth of south Indian cuisine to its Newington locale, wrapped up in a friendly and relaxed café setting. Owner and head chef Boon Ganeshram switches between open kitchen and compact dining area, describing tapas…
Tower Restaurant
National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1JF
For the best view in the Southside, try the roof terrace of the Tower, looking over to the Castle. Inside, the National Museum’s restaurant has dark, glossy tables and a modern take on food. Like the crisp fish finger which really tastes of crab.
Amarone
2 Nelson Mandela Place,
Glasgow,
G2 1BT
Enter the plate-glass doors and down the elegant stairway into this basement venue, and it is clear that Amarone is at the classier end of the Di Maggio's chain. There's the slick modern décor, warm chocolate and neutral colours, and mix of open tables…
Ashoka Ashton Lane
19 Ashton Lane,
Glasgow,
G12 8SJ
You’d be forgiven for thinking you had stepped back in time upon entering the charming Ashton Lane branch of the popular Ashoka chain. Things haven’t changed much since they first opened their doors 20 years ago – but that’s exactly the point, they…
Battlefield Rest
55 Battlefield Road,
Glasgow,
G42 9JL
Prepare for your senses to go into overdrive when you visit this gem of a restaurant. It's brimming with tables, diners and waiters, and if you could bottle the atmosphere then you’d surely be able to sell it, if only to the people who fill this place…
B'est
16 Drummond Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9TX
The open, simple, spacious rooms at B’est are a fitting setting for this relaxed bistro that has become a favourite with students and summer festival goers. A cannily priced three course set menu for under £15 is a very welcome dinner option during…
Le Bistro Beaumartin
161 Hope Street,
Glasgow,
G2 2UQ
Stylish and elegant at the front yet homely at the back, this newcomer on the scene is like a kitsch Frenchman’s front room: all black and white photographs on the walls, rich thick wallpaper and retro bistro chairs. Co-owner Richard Dupupet ran his own…
Black Sparrow
241 North Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7DL
The Black Sparrow is certainly an attractive room, packed with original details, with a huge ornate bar that runs the length of the space and lots of rather cute booths perfectly made for two. There’s a mezzanine level for larger groups and a much…
Brian Maule at Chardon d'Or
176 West Regent Street,
Glasgow,
G2 4RL
Trained in France, and having lead the Michelin-starred La Gavroche kitchen in London, one expects Mr Maule to conjure up truly accomplished dishes. And he does. Everything from the crisp white table cloths, black leather chairs to the sharply dressed…
Browns Bar & Brasserie
1 George Square,
Glasgow,
G2 1DY
Browns is a safe pair of hands in George Square, a busy part of town where food choices can seem overwhelming. It has a French influence in its styling and décor but a very British feel in the food – with a name like Browns it could hardly have anything…
Café Andaluz
2 Cresswell Lane,
Glasgow,
G12 8AA
Glasgow’s original of two Café Andaluz restaurants is notable for its unique West End location – nestled down rustic wooden steps below Cresswell Lane’s quaint cobbles. Inside, it’s all Moorish blue, white terracotta tiles, stained-glass lanterns…
Circus
8 St Mary's Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1SU
The stone-walled courtyard in the back of this Old Town café/ restaurant is a mini sun-trap in the summer, and a good spot for enjoying some calm while the High Street might be getting unpleasantly hectic with crowds. Circus is run by the same folks who…
City Café
Hilton Garden Inn, Finnieston Quay,
Glasgow,
G3 8HN
The City Café is a riverside hotel restaurant (under new ownership this year) boasting great riverside views and convenient proximity to concert venues. Servings are relatively small, so if ravenous then it’s probably best to plump for the full three…
Creelers
3 Hunter Square,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1QW
Creelers’ proprietor, Tim James, started work as a fisherman a quarter of a century ago and he and his wife Fran are co-founders of the Arran Smokehouse and regularly sell fresh fish and seafood at local farmers' markets. With such a pedigree you’d…
Dino Ferrari
35–41 Sauchiehall Street,
Glasgow,
G2 3AT
Dino Ferrari is the new look for a much-loved favourite on the Glasgow Italian scene (it was formerly plain old Dino's, but the owners sold the Hope Street branch in 2011 and tweaked the name). The avuncular welcome and charmingly retro décor – both in…
Kama Sutra
331 Sauchiehall Street,
Glasgow,
G2 3HW
At the upmarket end of Indian dining, Kama Sutra is spacious yet intimate. As well as the northern Indian cuisine found in most Glasgow curry houses, Kama Sutra offers dishes from various Indian regions, as well as embracing Scotland's own larder with…
Masala Twist
192–194 Byres Road,
Glasgow,
G12 8SN
A relative newcomer to Glasgow’s curry scene, Masala Twist certainly manages to hold its own, pulling some surprising punches. The staff instantly make you feel welcome, in a genuine, honest, and natural manner. Split over two small floors, the…
Metropolitan
Merchant Square, Candleriggs,
Glasgow,
G1 1LE
Given the weather, Metropolitan’s indoor terrace overlooking Merchant Square is the safest way to dine al fresco in Glasgow. It’s a very pleasant place to be, with the sandstone walls, linen napkins and twinkling fairy lights adding atmosphere to the…
Mezbaan South Indian Restaurant
14/14a Brougham Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9JH
It’s rare in Edinburgh to find Indian restaurants with regional specificity, so Mezbaan is welcome in introducing flavours from the country’s south, especially since it has one of Britain’s best South Asian chefs at the helm. Coconut is a prominent…
Mussel Inn
157 Hope Street,
Glasgow,
G2 2UQ
Mussel Inns aren’t just restaurants but the end point of a diligent infrastructure of sustainable fresh food that begins at seed in West Coast lochs – a truly remarkable operation that has to be commended for re-introducing many Scots to the glories of…
Nur
22 Bridge Street,
Glasgow,
G5 9HR
Run by a Scots-Egyptian couple, Nur is an oasis of warmth, friendliness and good food. A cosy mezzanine is furnished with low tables, divans and plenty of cushions, while the downstairs dining space is dotted with shisha pipes, papyrus and pottery. As…
One Ten Bar and Grill at Marks Hotel
110 Bath Street,
Glasgow,
G2 2EN
The One Ten Bar and Grill offers a calm and classy escape from the more jumping bars and restaurants that populate Glasgow's Bath Street. While there's nothing strikingly distinctive about this establishment in comparison to any other hotel restaurant…
R34 at India of Inchinnan
Greenock Road,
Inchinnan,
PA4 9LH
Part canteen, part fine-dining restaurant, chef-owner John Shields’ operation is housed in the impressive extension to an A-listed Art Deco former rubber factory, with Saturday-evening dining and brunches most catching the imagination.
Sapporo Teppanyaki
2-6 Ingram Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1HA
The Merchant City plays host to the Glasgow branch of this three-strong UK chain. Popular with stags, hens, birthdays and works night outs, Sapporo Teppanyaki has a well-deserved reputation as a fun destination for parties. Large hotplates provide a…
The Ship on the Shore
24–26 The Shore,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6QN
A popular fixture on the Leith scene for nearly a quarter of a century, the Ship on the Shore can genuinely be said to offer something for everyone – as long as you’re not averse to fresh, beautifully prepared fish and seafood. Opening its doors with…
Smoke Stack
53–55 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RJ
A meat-lovers’ mecca since 1996, Smoke Stack reinforces its menu’s focus on beef with its spartan interior, the deep-crimson walls visually echoing the shade of a quiveringly rare fillet steak. While there are salads, fajitas and a few vegetarian…
