Glasgow's Best Food Spots: Finnieston, Merchant City, South Asian Gems

Glasgow's food and drink scene has grown enormously in recent years, and eating out is now one of the highlights of a visit. The city combines a strong tradition of friendly, unpretentious pubs and cafes with a new wave of ambitious independent restaurants.

The Finnieston area, on the edge of the West End near the SEC and the Clyde, has become the city's best-known dining strip. Argyle Street here is lined with seafood restaurants, small plates specialists, craft-beer bars and coffee shops. It is a good place to start for anyone wanting to sample the contemporary Glasgow scene.

The Merchant City in the centre is another hub, with restaurants and bars filling its restored warehouses and outdoor tables spilling onto the streets in summer. The West End around Byres Road and Ashton Lane offers everything from long-established bistros to student-friendly cafes.

Glasgow also has a rich tradition of South Asian cooking, and its curry houses and Punjabi restaurants have a devoted following across the city. Vibrant, diverse Southside neighbourhoods such as Govanhill and Pollokshields are known for authentic international food, from Middle Eastern bakeries to South Asian sweet shops.

The city takes its drinks seriously too, with a thriving craft-beer scene, historic pubs and a growing number of independent coffee roasters. Sunday mornings often bring farmers' markets and street-food events. Because so many of these areas are close together, it is easy to combine a meal with a walk between neighbourhoods, and most are well served by the Subway.

Glasgow also has a strong cafe culture that dates back to the Victorian tearooms, and traditional bakeries and chip shops sit comfortably alongside newer arrivals. Booking ahead is wise for the most popular restaurants at weekends, but there are always casual options for those who prefer to eat on the move.