The 11 Best Restaurants in Glasgow
Glasgow is home to some of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to in my life. A worker’s city, Glasgow is not really the place for sightseeing. Their motto is “People Make Glasgow” and that’s so true. When Michael and I visited, we met some of the kindest, funniest people we’ve ever met in our lives. And the food. THE FOOD. Seriously, as you can see on my Scotland Itinerary, we mostly just ate and drank during our three days there. And now, I’m going to list the 11 Best Restaurants in Glasgow for you to enjoy. Seriously. Go to these places. You won’t regret it.
*All photos are from the restaurant websites unless stated otherwise. Because I’m an idiot who got too excited about the food to take a good photo.
Here Are My Top Picks for the 11 Best Restaurants in Glasgow:
The Crafty Pig
508 Great Western Rd, Glasgow G12 8EL, UK
Type of Food: Pub Fair with a Twist
Price: $
Menu
Photo Courtesy Of The Crafty Pig
After a long day of driving, we arrived at The Crafty Pig right at the start of dinnertime and were not disappointed. Part of a good collective owned by Kained Holdings, The Crafty Pig is where fine-dining meets dive bar. Serving up burgers, po’boys, and hot dogs, this restaurant puts a twist on pub fare with their homemade BBQ sauce, freshly made brioche buns, and melt-in-your-mouth Scottish beef. Michael got the pulled pork burger and I had the Classic Burger with cheese and oh my god. I think that was literally one of my top ten burgers of all time. Seriously. If meat isn’t your thing, they’ve also got an amazing smoked tofu burger that the waitress told me is super popular with vegans and non-vegans alike.
They’ve also got an extensive beer list, with craft brews from local breweries and a guest beer that changes monthly. Our waitress was so lovely and talked to us about New York, Glasgow, and just life in general. I’d highly recommend you go here on your stay. Oh, and apparently the milkshakes are insane. I didn’t have one because I wanted to be able to go out afterward but I saw a few go by and yum!
Porter & Rye
1131 Argyle St, Glasgow G3 8ND, UK
Type of Food: Fancy Steakhouse
Price: $$$
Menu
Photo Courtesy of Porter & Rye
Owned by the same people who own Crafty Pig, Porter & Rye is an upscale steak restaurant with certified Scottish beef and wild game. This is farm to table in the best way. The owners work closely with local farmers to ensure the best cut of meat every time. Even the ketchup is made in-house!
How it works: pick your cut of beef, one side per person, and the sauce of your choice. The food comes out on a communal plate for everyone at the table to share. It reminded me a bit of Peter Lugers in NYC. And OMG, it was delicious. We got the Porterhouse Cut for Two with a side of bone marrow mac-n’-cheese, skinny truffle fries, and the broccoli rocket pesto. This was a birthday trip so we definitely splurged. And it was worth it. I paired my meal with the Scotch & Rye and Michael got a seasonal IPA. Everything was so perfect. This was truly one of the best restaurants in Glasgow.
Also, funnily enough, since the restaurant is owned by the same people as Crafty Pig, we ended up having the same waitress! She was so excited to see us again (and vice versa) and she gave us a free dessert. Speaking of dessert, you must save room for it! The Dark Chocolate Cremeux was so creamy and chocolatey. I’m drooling just thinking about it. This place is definitely more expensive, but if you’re in Glasgow for a birthday or a special event, I’d definitely recommend eating here.
Drygate Brewery
85 Drygate, Glasgow G4 0UT, UK
Type of Food: European, Craft Beer, Pub Fare
Price: $$
Menu
I actually remembered to take a photo
About a ten minute Uber drive from Glasgow city center lies the Drygate Brewery. You can go here for lunch or dinner. I’d recommend booking the Behind the Glass tour, which is every weekend at either 5 or 7 PM. Sadly, we were only in Glasgow during the week so we missed this but you shouldn’t. You can also book a Through the Glass tour which is on weekdays during lunchtime. During this tour, a craft beer expert will give you a flight of seven beers to taste while teaching you about the brewing process! Both seem like experiences that can’t be missed. You can book a tour here.
Now, about the food. Just like The Crafty Pig, Drygate offers an elevated beer hall/pub fare menu. One of the highlights on the menu, though, is Ox Cheek. I tried this and it was sweet and savory. It didn’t taste gamey at all. It reminded me a bit of the haggis that I had in Fort William. Extremely juicy and delicious. You can also get an artisanal sandwich board or brick oven pizza. Not the healthiest of meals but definitely delicious. On request, your server will pair you with a beer that goes perfectly with your meal. Or, you can just get a beer flight like I did!
The Finnieston
1125 Argyle St, Glasgow G3 8ND, UK
Type of Food: Seafood
Price: $$
Menu
Photo Courtesy of The Finnieston
Coincidentally, The Finnieston is ALSO owned by the same people who own Porter and The Crafty Pig. I guess I have a type.
We actually just went here for cocktails and dessert because they’re right next to Porter and Rye. And I know we’re talking about the best restaurants in Glasgow, but holy hell, the cocktails here were amazing. Any cocktail with dry ice basically has me sold. I have a thing for smoke. But, I know friends who have actually eaten here and they literally couldn’t stop raving about the Halibut and the Beer Battered Haddock. They also have a smoked mackerel scotch egg listed as a side so sign me the F up!
If you’re looking for a cocktail rec, I highly recommend the Penicillin. It doesn’t taste like medicine but it definitely was a cure for something. It was beautiful. It was perfect. It looked like Linda Evangelista. It had liquid smoke. What else could you ask for?
me @ that cocktail
Oh! And the homemade bread? Legendary.
Doghouse Merchant City
99 Hutcheson St, Glasgow G1 1SN, UK
Type of Food: Pub Fair
Price: $
Menu
Photo Courtesy of Brewdog
Ok, I’m realizing a lot of food on this list is very meat-based but I promise we’ll get to some healthier, veggie options down below. But! There is a cauliflower burger at Doghouse. I looked it up online and it looks delicious so there is hope for you yet, vegetarians. And there’s a vegan burger called Hail Satan. So. V important stuff.
Anyway, Doghouse is definitely more of a bar than a restaurant but it’s a great place for a late night bite or a quick lunch before hopping to the Kelvingrove Museum (which is right across the street). If you’re not familiar, Doghouse is a famous brewery located in Glasgow but they sell the beers all over the world. The Doghouse Punk IPA is even sold at COOP in Switzerland, and it’s one of my favorite beers.
There’s obviously tons of craft beer to try here and you don’t have to eat anything to try them. But since we were here for brunch, I had the Eggs Bun-Addict which was a cool twist on eggs benny, which was more like a sandwich with black pudding instead of ham. Delicious! Michael had a hot dog, I think it was called the Patriot Dog. Each menu item has a specific beer pairing as well, and who am I to go against the experts? I’d definitely recommend going here for brunch before you head off the to museum. It’s worth it.
Brel
37-43 Ashton Ln, Glasgow G12 8SJ, UK
Type of Food: Belgian, Seafood
Price: $$
Menu
Photo Courtesy of Brel
Sadly, I’m deathly allergic to shellfish so I couldn’t have the best dish at Brel, which is their Moules Frites (aka mussels and fries). Everyone I’ve ever known who has been to Brel has recommended the Moules Frites to me and I’m like, “Sounds good, but I don’t want to die.” So, if you’re not cursed with a shellfish allergy like I am, definitely get these. If you show up before 6 PM, they’re only 6 quid! They’re apparently to-die-for (get it? Cause if I ate them, I would die).
Photo Courtesy of Brel
For me, the biggest pull for going to Brel is the location. It’s part of BAAD, which is a huge art collective in Glasgow. Converted lofts were turned into shops and restaurants. The lofts are covered in graffiti and art from local Scottish artists. It’s a really cool place to be and there’s so much to explore! Even if you’re not hungry, you could grab a beer or a coffee here and just enjoy the atmosphere.
Since I couldn’t get the Moules Frites and I didn’t want to get the fondue because I live in Switzerland, where fondue is always best, I ended up going for the Poisson Frites, which were really incredible fish and chips. The batter was crispy and light, the fish was juicy. The fries were thick and crispy. It was a really great experience.
A’Challtain
54 Calton Entry, Glasgow G40 2SB, UK
Type of Food: Seafood, European
Price: $$
Menu
Photo Courtesy of A’Challtain
Also located in the BAAD, A’Challtain was truly one of the best restaurants in Glasgow. On weekends, you can sit out on the courtyard and gaze at all the incredible art.
The cashew nut and ricotta spiced mullet was incredible and so was the pan seared cod!
Cafe Gandolfi
64 Albion St, Glasgow G1 1NY, UK
Type of Food: Breakfast
Price: $$
Menu
Photo Courtesy of Trip Advisor
Breakfast with a side of history. Cafe Gandolfi has been open since 1979 and is one of the oldest long-standing restaurants in Glasgow. It was once part of an old cheese market, but now, they serve up some of the best brunches in town.
I tried the Eggs Benedict, which had a really savory hollandaise with a slight kick. The eggs were poached to perfection and it tasted homemade. Michael had the full Scottish breakfast and he said the black pudding was some of the best he’s ever had.
They also have a fish market, so you can pop over for lunch! Trip Advisor reviewers say you must try the salmon!
TriBECa
102 Dumbarton Rd, Glasgow G11 6NX, UK
Type of Food: American, Breakfast
Price: $$
Menu
Photo Courtesy of TriBECa
Living in Switzerland, sometimes I truly miss a real American breakfast that won’t cost me a million dollars and my first born child (#swisslife, am I right?). So, when I travel to the UK I always try to seek out at least one place that’ll serve me American style pancakes.
TriBECa met that need and more. The restaurant was a nostalgia-fest for any New Yorker, as the walls are covered floor to ceiling with iconic black and white pictures of New York. And the pancakes did not disappoint. They were fluffy, sweet, with a blueberry compote on top that tasted like carb-loaded heaven. It had the typical diner feel so I was right at home. They also serve bagels but I don’t trust a bagel that’s not from New York. It’s in my DNA as a New Yorker to be extremely biased against bagels.
If you’re brave and not a bagel snob like me, though, try the bagels and let me know how they are! Perfect breakfast spot.
Piece
1056 Argyle St, Glasgow G3 8LY, UK
Type of Food: Light Lunch, Sandwich
Price: $
Menu
Photo Courtesy of Trip Advisor
If you’re looking for a light lunch or a sandwich for the road, Piece is the place to go! My friend Ian, who lived in Glasgow for a while, recommended this place to me and I’m so happy I paid Piece a visit! Their menu is simple, just sandwiches and paninis but the place smells incredible and the sandwiches taste even better. I had the Cubano and Michael had the Bahn Mi. Both were great. The perfect place for a quick lunch!
The Hanoi Bike Shop
8 Ruthven Ln, Glasgow G12 9BG, UK
Type of Food: Vietnamese
Price: $$
Menu
Photo Courtesy of Hanoi Bike Shop
The Hanoi Bike Shop was the first ever Vietnamese restaurant in Glasgow. With its canteen-style decor and trendy bar stools, this place is perfect for a night out.
I LOVE Vietnamese food, so stopping in here was one of the best decisions I made while in Glasgow. And it’s absolutely one of the best restaurants in Glasgow, hands down. The crispy tofu spring rolls melted in my mouth, and the Make Your Own Pho was just what I needed on a slightly chilly spring night. I had the Chicken Pho, which had the perfect balance of spicy and savory.
They also deliver if you just feel like eating spring rolls and rice cakes in your hotel room (I don’t judge. I almost did that, too).
So there you go! My top picks for the 11 Best Restaurants in Glasgow! Check Out My 10 Day Scotland Itinerary.
Did your favorite restaurant show up here? If not, tell me your favorite place to eat in Glasgow in the comments!
Want more FemaleHemingway? Follow me on Twitter and Instagram.
