6 dishes to eat in Glasgow, from chunky noodles to smoked tomatoes

Glasgow’s food scene, like its denizens, is convivial, generous and bold. While the city’s fine dining restaurants once lived in the shadow of Scotland’s capital, today Glasgow is home to Michelin-starred opulence, stripped-back Mediterranean modernism and cheap eats alike. You can sample everything from ornate plated curries and kebabs cooked over coals, seek out Kurdish falafel, award-winning lamb shawarma or Punjabi thali, and choose between vegan tacos, regional Chinese cuisine and some bright contemporary Scottish fare. Come for the food, stay for the atmosphere.

(On the trail of Scotland's Arbroath smokies)

1. Sylvan: smoked tomatoes with yogurt & chilli butter

Glasgow has no shortage of vegetarian restaurants, and this is one of the best, with an impressive low-intervention wine list and a menu of small plates that’s every bit as inspired, riffing on both Middle Eastern and pan-Asian influences. A deceptively simple dish of smoked tomatoes, roasted just-so, sits pleasingly upon yoghurt drizzled with chilli butter. Sprouts with pickled chillies and aubergines in a hot and sweet sauce are also a must.

2. Celentano's: ricotta agnolotti

Much of Celentano’s menu — including the sourdough, pickles and vermouth — is made on site, and this stuffed pasta dish is emblematic of the restaurant's Italian-inspired, seasonal, minimal-waste ethos. The agnolotti are plump with fresh ricotta made using milk from Ayrshire’s Mossgiel Organic Farm, and served with tender purple sprouting broccoli and toasted sourdough breadcrumbs. Husband-and-wife duo Anna and Dean Parker lead the venue from within the baronial grandeur of the Cathedral House hotel.

3. Gloriosa: paccheri with pork & fennel ragu

Scottish chef-proprietor Rosie Healey, formerly of now-closed Alchemilla in Finnieston, as well as London’s Ottolenghi, Padella and Rochelle Canteen, helms the Mediterranean-inspired kitchen at Gloriosa. Here, she whips up dishes defined by rusticity and finesse, such as al dente tubes of paccheri pasta in a rich pork and fennel ragu, topped with olive oil and parmesan. The focaccia, all golden crust and chewy interior, is the most delicious vehicle with which to scoop up the sauce.

4. Ranjit's Kitchen: samosa channa special

The samosas served at this bustling Southside spot are some of Glasgow’s best. Crisp triangles of fresh pastry, burnished in the fryer, give way to soft cushions of potato inside, with a jolt of green chilli to awaken the senses. They’re the perfect foil for a side of chickpea and paneer curry in a mellow, moreish sauce. The tamarind chutney and fresh mint yoghurt is, like everything, made fresh daily by Ranjit Kaur and team. The vegetarian kitchen channels the spirit of Sikh langar community dining, offering affordable food showcasing the bold flavours of the Punjab.

5. The Real Wan: geda chunky noodles

Much to do with the Real Wan is unassuming. The food is anything but. A tiny kitchen produces everything from noodles to fermented chilli sauces and oils, made by chef Lea Wu who champions the cuisine of her native Guiyang in southwest China. The geda noodles are thick, authentically irregular-shaped and al dente, and come in a heady, tangy garlic sauce with smoky beef ragu (or spicy aubergine). Guizhou, like neighbouring Szechuan and Hunan, is a province famed for its tongue-numbing flavours, and Lea’s spicy sour noodles certainly live up to this.

6. Shawarma King: lamb shawarma

“Döner is really famous in the UK, but now shawarma is taking its place — sorry!” Shawarma King’s owner Majed Badrekhan says. The Springfield Quay branch is one of the most decorated kebab houses Scotland has to offer — including top spot at the British Kebab Awards in 2022 and 2023. Lamb for the shawarma is marinated a day in advance, then built into a tower over the course of two laborious hours. The flatbread wraps are rolled out fresh then cooked in the tandoor over coals, blistering the dough and finishing it with more than a lick of smoke. The salads, sauces and pickles are made fresh, an attention to detail that ensures this takeaway spot stands out in a crowded market.