But there will always be certain spots in a city that you feel deserve a little more love for what they do. The kind of place you wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to a friend not because they’re chasing Michelin success or food trends, but simply because you know they guarantee a fantastic feed.
From street food style pasta to vegan-friendly empire biscuits that steal the show, here are a few of my personal favourites who might have flown under your radar.
Seven21
721 Pollokshaws Road
This cosy little restaurant in Strathbungo is the perfect relaxed environment for a weeknight dinner date or catch-up.
It’s a tasting menu, but not the intimidating eight-course affair you might expect to drop £100 on at a Michelin-level joint.
Instead, expect the likes of red prawn and lemon grass curry, duck breast with cherry mostarda and tonka bean custard with raspberry sorbet priced at £45 for five courses.
If you can make it for lunchtime, they serve a £20 for four courses menu which is even better value for your money. Be sure to keep an eye out for special pasta night events too.
Yiamas
16-20 Bath Street
The Gyro has to be one of the world’s greatest street food creations, and in Glasgow, few do it better than Yiamas on Bath Street.
Make your choice of chicken thighs, pork neck, plant-based seitan, or a mix of the above served in a soft pita with thin, crispy chips and tzatziki.
For a more substantial meal, add some sides of Spanakopitas, Saganaki feta or Keftedes in red sauce.
Toshie’s Community Cafe
846 Garscube Road
There will be days in life when you’re craving nothing fancier than homemade soup and a sandwich for lunch.
When the urge strikes, consider a trip to Maryhill in search of Toshie’s Community Cafe, a welcoming spot serving great food in aid of an even better cause.
Toshie’s is part of an overarching charity named the Courtyard Pantry Enterprise which works to tackle food poverty in the city.
The team provides affordable meals and snacks, bringing together members of the community, particularly those who are at risk of isolation or disadvantage.
As well as this, they offer volunteering, training and work experience opportunities for people in the local community who experience barriers to secure employment.
Grab a seat by the window, order yourself a toastie or slice of home baking and this is a fabulous place to spend an afternoon.
Read more: The community cafe on a mission to become your new go-to brunch spot
Pakistani Street Food
412 Victoria Road
You could easily walk past this tiny place surrounded by the hustle and bustle of Victoria Road in the Southside, and what a shame that would be.
The chicken kebab wrap served with mint and tamarind sauce, spicy biryanis, and aloo naan stuffed heavily with potato and chilli are particular highlights at this award-winning spot.
Especially when taken for a picnic in Queen’s Park during long summer nights.
Non-Viet
534 Sauchiehall Street
Most will already know Non-Viet for their multiple locations in Glasgow including a fully vegan operation in Partick.
But I’m including the city centre branch here because it can sometimes be overlooked amongst the To Let signs and construction works on Sauchiehall Street.
Get past the setting and you’ll be rewarded with friendly service and a menu bursting with Vietnamese flavour.
Don’t skip the tofu summer rolls with thick, peanutty satay sauce before moving on to a fresh chicken and mango salad or a deep bowl of Pho noodle soup.
It’s also a handy pre-theatre venue for any shows at The King’s on Bath Street.
The Prancing Stag
1A Ashwood Gardens
The Prancing Stag is tucked away in the upstairs level of a strange little building in Jordanhill.
It adds greatly to the experience, feeling almost as if you’ve been invited to a dinner party where the chef really knows his onions.
The menu has a fine dining approach to good, hearty Scottish fare like Cairngorm venison with turnip fondant, Loch Fyne scallops, or monkfish tail with curried mussels.
It’s a little on the pricey side in comparison to some of the others on the list, but a real showstopper for any special occasion dinner.
Piatto
44 Skirving Street
Such is my love for the pasta from Piatto on Skirving Street that I almost considered leaving it out of this list to avoid creating queues any longer than they are. Which on a weekend is already pretty long thanks to their reputation in the neighbourhood.
My order of choice is the Rustica sauce made from sundried tomatoes, roasted peppers and fresh chicken chunks but other bestsellers include the parmigiana chicken cutlet, pollo nduja, and carbonara.
Sister venue Sotto Deli also serves a fantastic range of sandwiches next door.
Plant Blonde
61-63 Hyndland Street
Nicola Sturgeon once said that the empire biscuits from this West End bakery were the ‘best she had ever tasted’. It’s a bold statement, but one that I fully agree with.
Don’t ask me how, but these clever cookies have managed to create a rich, buttery biscuit with just the right amount of sweetness in the icing that just so happens to be totally plant-based too. I’ve tried many others, and they simply don’t compare.
You can also find the team serving vegan-friendly cakes and coffees within Lush on Buchanan Street in the city centre.
Damasqino
94 Saltmarket
I know that Shawarma King is often said to hold the crown for the best in the area, but I’ll go out on a limb here and say I think Damasqino does a chicken shawarma wrap better.
It’s salty, spicy and packed with thinly sliced meat, pickles and garlic sauce.
Sit in for the full experience here and get ready for a Lebanese food feast starting with houmous and tabouleh all the way through to knafeh for dessert.
