In Glasgow, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to restaurants that know exactly how to make the most of Scottish produce and celebrate our national dishes.
Seafood from Atlantic waters, Highland venison and locally sourced game are all wonderful things.
And yet, it is also a city that is made great by its diversity, a simple fact that extends to our thriving food and drink scene.
If you’re left with no holidays on the horizon and hankering for a taste of a far-off land, here are ten restaurants that offer a culinary world tour without setting foot outside the city.
Gomo Kimchi
138 Allison Street
The story of Gomo Kimchi stretches back long before owner Eddie Kim began to sell his jars of spicy fermented veg at markets across the city.
When his family emigrated to the US from Seoul, they brought with them a recipe for Kimchi which evolved in line with the produce that was available to them in a new home.
Eddie has now carried on this legacy, and earlier this year opened the vibrant yellow Kimchi Deli and Poetry library in Govanhill which serves as a hub for his operation after years of pop-ups and outdoor stalls.
Roya
59 Elmbank Street
Fresh from an appearance on Come Dine with Me: The Professionals, Mehrab Fakouri opened the doors to Roya on Elmbank Street in late 2022.
Flavours from his original Persian restaurant, Saffron by Paradise in the West End, provide the backbone of the menu at Roya, but there is more variety to be found at the city centre restaurant with dishes that look across the Middle East for inspiration.
Ranjit’s Kitchen
607 Pollokshaws Road
There’s a homely feel at this family-run kitchen in the Southside which serves traditional food ‘exactly as it is eaten in Panjabi households across the world’.
On any given evening, customers pack into the space and sit shoulder to shoulder at long tables heaving with plates of paneer pakora, samosas or generous portions of Ranjt’s ‘Daal of the Day’.
La Lanterna
35 Hope Street and 447 Great Western Road
There’s stiff competition for Italian food in Glasgow and no shortage of restaurants that know their way around a decent bowl of pasta.
But there’s no escaping the charm of La Lanterna’s intimate, taverna-style space on Hope Street which has seen chef Luca Conreno welcome big-name stars from Micheal Keaton to Sir Alex Ferguson over the years. 
Ramen Dayo!
1126 Argyle Street and 31 Ashton Lane
Like many of the city’s best restaurants, Ramen Dayo! started out as a street food pop-up.
After returning from 12 years in Japan, owner Paul Beveridge found himself frustrated with a lack of places to find authentic Ramen and took matters into his own hands.
Years later he now operates two restaurants in Glasgow, located on Ashton Lane and in the former home of Alchemilla on Argyle Street serving ramen bowls, chicken karaage and gyoza dumplings.
Rafa’s
1103 Argyle Street
Just this week, the Hug and Pint announced a new collaboration with Rafa’s which will see them serve a veggie-friendly version of their hugely popular quesadillas, Birria tacos and burritos.
The original Rafa’s can be found within Finnieston’s Hidden Lane, where you’ll find a full menu inspired by the 'iconic fast food establishments' of America's Southwest alongside ever-changing specials.
Little Hoi An
26 Allison Street
Just along the road from the Gomo Kimchi Deli is Little Hoi An, proving that the Southside really is a hotspot for culinary adventures.
The Vietnamese restaurant itself may be tiny, but its food packs a huge punch of flavour with signature dishes like caramelised pork belly with jasmine rice or wok-fried prawns with lemongrass, garlic and chilli.
Calabash African Bar and Restaurant
57 Union Street
Hidden from the busy footfall of Union Street in the city centre is Calabash, another Come Dine with Me alumni that serves traditional fare from all over Africa.
Spicy main meals ‘just like mama makes them’ range from keema curry to jollof rice with pan-fried spinach with plantain and custard for dessert.
Look out for a range of imported African Beers, liqueurs and spirits.
Turkiye Efes
97-99 Candleriggs
Serkan Aydin is said to have had his heart set on opening a traditional Turkish restaurant in Glasgow since he first moved to the city in 1999.
Four years ago, he did just that with Turkieye efes, and now serves a selection of the dishes he had for years been missing such as traditional pides and chicken kulbasti cooked on a charcoal grill.
Le Petit Coq
121 Byres Road
If anyone knows the recipe for a great sandwich with a French twist it’s Jules Bal, the owner of Le Petit Coq on Byres Road.
His first business saw him selling homemade butter, made using techniques he had been passed down through generations of his family in France, under the name of ‘Oui Knob’.
At Le Petit Coq you’ll find the artisan dairy product spread liberally on fresh baguettes made daily with a bespoke recipe that has been developed to deliver the perfect texture.
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