Whether it's a gritty drama from an up-and-coming playwright at The Tron, a toe-tapping musical at The King's or even a Christmas Panto at the Pavilion, Glasgow's theatre scene caters to all tastes.
So too, do the many city restaurants offering mutli-course, pre-showtime menus at a tempting fixed price.
From Middle Eastern delights to classic Italian dishes, here are 10 restaurants that are sure to add extra excitement to any night out on the town.
Red Onion
257 West Campbell Street
A city centre restaurant from former chef to the stars, John Quiqley.
The Red Onion’s long-established pre-theatre offering kicks off with French onion soup, bang bang chicken salad with spicy peanut dressing followed by smoked haddock fish cakes and char-grilled lemon chicken with korma sauce.
There are options for fully vegan, gluten-free or dairy-free alternatives too, making this a fantastic choice for any party with mixed dietary requirements.
Two courses are priced at £22.50, or £27.50 for three.
Roya
59 Elmbank Street
A stone’s throw away from the King’s Theatre sits Roya, where you're guaranteed a ‘warm inviting atmosphere’ as well as a selection of authentic Middle Eastern fare.
Priced at £19.95 for two courses and a dip, dishes like harissa and garlic prawns, spicy Fattoush, Joojeh kebab and Lahmacun flatbreads are all featured on their pre-theatre menu.
Swadish
www.swadish.co.uk
33 Ingram Street
If you’ve got tickets booked for The Tron, it’s well worth taking the short walk to Merchant City in search of a pre-theatre feast at this 2 AA Rosette restaurant which marries the flavours of Scottish and Indian cuisine.
Here two courses are offered for the purse-friendly sum of £15.95 or £17.95 for three.
Expect highlights including tandoori mushrooms, paneer tossed in South Indian spices, butter chicken and masala dosa.
The Buttery
twofatladiesrestaurant.com/buttery
652-654 Argyle Street
A true culinary institution first established in 1870, The Buttery stands on Argyle Street as one of Scotland’s oldest restaurants.
Ideal for a pre-theatre pitstop with a touch of class, their lunchtime menu ranges from starters like duck leg braised in soy sesame and ginger with black pudding through to mains of Coast Coley or chicken and haggis and desserts of chocolate gateaux or apple crumble.
Two courses will set you back £32 or add an extra dish for £39.50.
Gamba
www.gamba.co.uk
225A West George Street
A glass of Cotes de Gascogne Blanc or Cabernet Sauvignon is included in the pre-theatre menu at Gamba which costs £28 for two courses.
Known for their skill with seafood, the team serves Shetland Cod with capers and orzo pasta, crispy fried sea bream and crayfish and basil pate at a West George Street location that’s handy for all city centre theatres.
Gost
Gost.uk
77 Bothwell Street
For steak and cocktails before the curtain rises, head to Gost for a taste of their Market Menu.
With two courses for £25 or three for £30, this city centre restaurant serves truffled chicken liver pate, heirloom tomato salad, a signature ‘double crust’ smashed burger with crispy bacon and beer-infused cheese sauce, or foraged mushroom risotto catering for any veggie diners.
La Bonne Auberge
www.labonneauberge.co.uk
161 West Nile Street
Proudly situated in the ‘heart of Glasgow’s theatreland’, La Bonne Auberge is the city’s original Mediterranean brasserie.
A dinner menu served between 5 pm and 9 pm Monday to Sunday costs £22.95 for two courses and £29.95 with dishes including moules marinière, chicken schnitzel with café de paris butter and goats cheese salad with dressed leaves and walnuts.
This entry is also worth considering if you’ve booked cinema tickets rather than a theatre show, with Cineworld just over the road and the Glasgow Film Theatre a few streets away.
Òran Mór
oran-mor.co.uk
Byres Road, Glasgow
The Òran Mór is home to one of Glasgow’s most celebrated theatre experiences, A Play, A Pie and A Pint, which introduces the city to around 30 new plays every year.
Shows take place over lunchtime with a drink and savoury pastry included in the ticket price, but if that’s not enough to satisfy your appetite, the venue’s restaurant also runs a pre or post-performance set menu.
On it, you’ll find two courses for £18 with options including Cullen skink, bangers and mash and a hearty sticky toffee pudding for dessert.
Kelp
kelp-restaurant.com
114 Cowcaddens Road
Kelp is just a short walk away from both the Theatre Royal and Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow city centre and serves dishes which showcase the best of Scottish seafood.
On the market menu, priced at £22.95 for two dishes and a side, is a plethora of local produce from Tobermory Fish Co. smoked trout to hand-dived Barra scallops or Shetland coley served with mussels and smoked beurre blanc.
You can also add a dessert of burnt Basque cheesecake or tonka bean panna cotta to your order for an extra £7.50.
Sannio
sannio.co.uk
61A Elmbank Street
Another spot that’s close enough to the King’s Theatre to put to rest any fears of making it to your seat in time after dinner.
Sannio is a quirky basement space which specialises in relaxed, Italian cuisine, picture-perfect cocktails and a pre-theatre menu which costs £24 for a starter and main.
Think bruschetta pomodoro, polpette al sugo or minestrone soup followed by spaghetti alla carbonara, pizza rustica and a classic lasagne.
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