AS Glasgow strides towards springtime, we start February with a menu of bars and restaurants worthy of your immediate attention.
If you have tried to book a table for this weekend then you realise that the city is in the mood for a night out.
Competition is fierce for the best tables. The relative calm of January has been discarded. Preparations are being made for St Valentine’s Day.
So here’s a starter guide to finding a new favourite neighbourhood hangout or returning to a cherished stalwart of the local food scene.
Ho Wong
56 Waterloo St, G2 6HQ
A culinary comeback. Ho Wong was one of the most popular Chinese restaurants in the city until it was displaced by a redevelopment in June 2019.
The Chung family have brought favourites from the original menu to a new location on Waterloo Street with the same respect for traditional recipes, attention to detail and a sense of fun. It’s rare that a restaurant enjoys the sense of connection that Ho Wong has with its enthusiastic customers. Put some dim sum into your week.
The Prancing Stag
1a Ashwood Gardens, G13 1NX, theprancing stag.co.uk
Rory Cox, formerly of Fanny Trollope’s on Argyle Street, and his family have this cosy neighbourhood place in Jordanhill.
It’s a family-friendly restaurant that champions Scottish produce. Stornoway black pudding is served with crispy hens’ egg, pea puree and Parma ham. You can order their own kiln smoked salmon or a lightly curried Cullen skink. Visit as there winter menu moves into the fresh flavours of a Scottish spring.
Dapper Mongoose
248 Kilmarnock Road
Readers of Glasgowist.com tell me that The Dapper Mongoose is one of their local favourites.
Order burrata, chicken thigh coq au vin and baked hake fillet to share with slow cooked lamb nuggets and hand cut truffle and parmesan chips on the side.
Mackintosh at the Willow
215-217 Sauchiehall St, G2 3EX, mackintoshatthewillow.com
The only building where Charles Rennie Mackintosh had total control over the architecture and interior decorations, including the design of furniture, cutlery and the waitress’s uniforms, these beautiful tearooms opened in 1903.
After a £10 million restoration, Mackintosh at the Willow now serves as a popular point of respite for busy Sauchiehall Street shoppers.
Seating is across three floors including the Gallery and Salon de Luxe. Enjoy a cooked breakfast, light lunches, winter warmers and classic afternoon tea.
Kothel
300 Crow Rd, Glasgow G11 7HS, kothel.co.uk
A coffee shop and deli with a touch of the Mediterranean, Kothel serves a range of soups, salads, sandwiches and lots of homemade cakes.
The interior is eclectic with mix-and-match chairs and bric-a-brac adding to the homely feel. Outdoor seating under the awning is ideal for anyone wanting to watch the world go by on the Crow Road.
Two Fat Ladies at The Buttery
652-654 Argyle Street, G3 8UF, twofatladiesrestaurant.com/buttery
One of the grand old restaurants of the city where modern hospitality meets old fashioned Scottish traditions.
Exceptional seafood served in a dining room of oak and mahogany with stained glass and tartan carpets.
Always order the scallops.
If you have some friends with a sweet tooth, the Grand Dessert platter is a spectacular.
Beirut Star
450 Paisley Rd West, G51 1PX, beirutstarglasgow.co.uk
Middle Eastern dishes and mezze are a big food trend for this year and Beirut Star are way ahead of the curve.
Locals are besotted with their confident Lebanese dishes.
They’ve won over more falafel fans over the past 18 months and have a bright spring ahead of them.
Ardnamurchan
325 Hope Street, G2 3PT, ardnamurchan.biz
A taste of the highlands and islands opposite the Theatre Royal.
Visit for grilled Tarbert landed langoustines with garlic and chive butter, to be enjoyed with a large glass of crisp, dry white wine.
The Citizen
24 St Vincent Place, G1 2EU, thecitizenglasgow.co.uk
A city centre bar and restaurant with a great sense of occasion yet a relaxing place to settle in for an afternoon.
Get a booth by the window when the sun is shining. The imposing red brick building features high ceilings and local artwork. Order a whisky cocktail.
Eighty Eight
88 Dumbarton Rd, G11 6NX, 88glasgow.co.uk
Look for the handmade pasta in the window and you will know you have made it to the right place.
An everchanging rota of small plates with a particular focus on vegetable dishes. You might enjoy portobello mushroom, polenta and gouda or salt baked celeriac with hazelnut truffle ragu.
This week, you can order a taste of spring with a zing for dessert – rhubarb, stem ginger and meringue. They have a fine selection of natural wine.
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here