Restaurants, Scottish within 5 miles of Glasgow

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…

Established in 1988, City Merchant's reputation as one of the best fish restaurants in Glasgow is as much down to owners who pride themselves on the freshness of their seafood as it is to the resulting cuisine that is undeniably impressive. A decadent…

One of the more self-consciously ‘Scottish’ of the restaurants in this section (it defines itself as such on the signage and on its website) Ingram Wynd is a good bet for traditional dishes such as skirlie, stovies or cranachan – which can be…

Windows bills itself as 'Glasgow's only rooftop restaurant', but to be honest it's more 'top floor' than 'rooftop' as the view is good but not quite knock-out impressive. Located on the seventh level of the Carlton George, it feels just like many…

The downstairs bar at Metropolitan has been on the city’s 'places to be seen' list since it opened in 2002 and still caters to a highly coiffed, middle-aged Glasgow crowd. The upstairs restaurant is a suitably swish, glam and surprisingly huge. The…

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…

You’d think Arisaig’s location around that climate-free covered-style courtyard would pull in weather-beaten punters all day long, but although evening crowds throng, the cobbled delights of Merchant Square are a tad more sedate around lunchtime which…

The quiet assuredness and sensible prices of Seumas MacInnes’s fish venture mean it does more than just bask in the nearby glory of its much older brother, Café Gandolfi. Scotland’s waters provide the produce but it’s the continental ‘fritto misto’ that…

With its handsome interior, chunky Tim Stead furniture and globe lights, Café Gandolfi is the granddaddy of Merchant City bohemianism. Serving a mix of clientele from shoppers to concert-goers, it’s been dishing out high-end bistro food for more than 30…

Eating at the Green Room is a rare treat – quite literally as it is only open on performance days. Attached to the Royal Concert Hall (with direct access to the auditorium for concert-goers), the restaurant’s limited and unpredictable opening hours mean…

This unique venue has the right formula for success – its trendy location, eco ‘Grand Designs’ sky-lit interior, food with thought and provenance paired with sophisticated, copious wines and whiskies ensure a cultured following. Food is weighted to…

Set in the heart of Candleriggs, Guy's is an unusual find, it has the feeling of a place where something extraordinary could happen. Eclectic décor reflecting the owners fun-loving tastes – film posters, white wood paneling hung with paintings, china…

Entering Rogano – one of Glasgow’s best-known restaurants – is like stepping onto a Cunard liner circa 1930. This 80-year-old institution and its Art Deco stylings are well documented but there’s nowhere else in the city remotely like it. The experience…

The Willow Tea Rooms have been part of Sauchiehall St for over 100 years, ever since they were run by Charles Rennie Mackintosh's most loyal patron (and queen of the Victorian tea room) Kate Cranston. At the time of going to print, the future of that…

Dining at the Grill Room at the Square is certainly an elegant experience. Housed in the same building as 29 Private Member’s Club, this upmarket steak specialist overlooks the twinkling lights of Royal Exchange Square and has a distinct air of…

With two City Centre venues and a branch in the West End, Paperino’s has become a byword for quick and easy Italian food. The original Sauchiehall Street branch is most intimate, with wooden booths, dim lights and terracotta tiles, while the newer St…

The Doocot (or pigeon-loft for those not fluent in Scots) perches atop another Mackintosh building that is now Scotland's Centre for Design and Architecture: six floors of exhibition spaces, usually with something quirky on show. More conservative in…

The informality of the Mussel Inn is one of its principal attractions – a relaxed, almost café-esque atmosphere that’s enjoyably appropriate for the experience of tearing mussels from their shells, getting fingers dirty and dipping bread into the…

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…

Church conversions don’t come much classier than this chic and spacious bistro tucked beneath the St Andrews on the Square building. Moody glowing booths, dark leather seating and copper lined pillars break the large room into intimate zones while a…