A food and drink writer’s calendar is studded with all manner of supposed national food days and celebrations.
Some of the most tenuous so far have included Egg Week, National Toast Day and a suggested global celebration of pepperoni pizza.
They are of course thinly veiled marketing gimmicks, and yet it seemed a missed opportunity to let World Pasta Day on Wednesday, October 25 pass us by without a round-up of some of the best restaurants in a city that’s known for its strong links to Italian culture and food.
Here are ten places in Glasgow where you can find a bowl of carb-heavy comfort this week.
Eusebi Deli
152 Park Road
It’s one of the West End’s most popular restaurants which has this year celebrated its eighth birthday on Park Road.
The enduring success of Eusbei Deli is perhaps due to a dedication to using only the best ingredients for a menu that evolves with each changing season.
Let’s just hope they never lose the crab ravioli with samphire.
Sugo Pasta
70 Mitchell Street
When Sugo opened in the Lighthouse building on Mitchell Street, many wondered if they could emulate the roaring success of their sister Paesano pizza restaurants.
It turns out the no-bookings system and simple menu formula was a winner, lending itself wonderfully to a kitchen that specialises in fresh pasta.
Service is fast, prices are reasonable and as we head into the season of Christmas shopping the location makes for a welcome escape from the city centre streets.
Gloriosa
1321 Argyle Street
A much brighter and larger space than many of the entries on this week’s top ten is Gloriosa in the West End.
Simplicity and high-quality ingredients are the cornerstones of their menu which features flavourful small plates designed to be shared.
Make sure that at least one of your group orders a pasta dish.
Bar Vini
80 Victoria Road
At the very end of Victoria Road, where traffic rattles past on its way to the city centre, lies Bar Vini.
The location used to be a bar for bus drivers called The Depot, but these days houses a cosy Italian restaurant that’s hosted many a date night or weeknight catch-up with friends.
They know their way around a cocktail list too.
Celino’s
235 Dumbarton Road/620 Alexandra Parade
A family-run business first founded as an Italian delicatessen in 1982, Celino’s now operates two restaurants on opposite sides of the city.
At both locations, you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to pasta whether you’re in search of a simple arrabbiata with sausage or a seafood feast with fresh clams, scallops, calamari and langoustine.
Celentano’s
Cathedral House, 28-32 Cathedral Square
In the month of Halloween, there’s perhaps no better day out than a stroll around the city’s Gothic Necropolis followed by a plate of pasta and Negroni made with Celentano’s made in-house vermouth.
A vegetarian-friendly Agnolotti with Mossgiel dairy farm ricotta and purple sprouting broccoli holds its own alongside their rich beef pappardelle.
Eighty Eight
88 Dumbarton Road
If you’ve passed by this tiny restaurant on Dumbarton Road you’ll likely have stopped to marvel at the long, golden ribbons of freshly made pasta which hang on in its kitchen window.
Keep an eye out for their regular pasta night events which are known for selling out in rapid time.
Caprese Don Costanzo
13 Woodside Crescent
There’s a sense of old-school glamour surrounding this West End restaurant likely enhanced by its many celebrity visitors.
A quick flick through their social media page provides evidence of the hundreds of famous faces, including Brendan Fraser and Rupert Everett, who have stopped by for a plate of hearty lasagne alla caprese or carbonara over the years.
Santa Lucia Pasta
4 Byres Road
This newcomer on the list opened on Byres Road just last month.
An offshoot of the popular Merchant City Santa Lucia restaurant, the new location focuses solely on pasta which is made by hand in an impressive range of shapes and sizes.
From black ink spaghetti with Shetland mussels to tagliatelle with slow-cooked lamb shoulder ragout, it’s any carb lover's dream dinner destination.
Piatto
44 Skirving Street
You’ll find Piatto nestled amongst the tenements of Skirving Street, with just a few outdoor tables that are often fully occupied.
They lean into a street food set up, with a simple yet diverse menu that’s served in cardboard takeaway boxes.
No faff, no frills, just great pasta.
Piccolo Mondo
344 Argyle Street
The original Piccolo Mondo was established in 1974, just over a decade after its owners moved to Scotland from Barga in the hills of Tuscany.
The award-winning Argyle Street restaurant was opened in 2005 and ever since has been serving traditional dishes that are steeped in family history.
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