There are some really excellent places to eat in Glasgow. My top recommendations include:
Café Gandolfi: I enjoyed lunch at this restaurant, at 64 Albion Street, which has been a Glasgow institution for 30 years and features fresh ingredients from all over Scotland. It has a great interior with furniture and stained-glass windows designed by former Glasgow School of Art Graduates.
Ubiquitous Chip: This is a popular restaurant in the West End neighborhood, at 12 Ashton Lane, known for its inventive Scottish cuisine since 1971. This is a small cobblestoned alley with several traditional Scottish bars and restaurants. I enjoyed dinner in the more casual bistro upstairs with a malt whiskey, their well-known venison haggis with neeps and tatties, or turnips and potatoes, and a great fish and mussel entrée. The service was excellent. They also have three bars including The Wee Whisky Bar.
Stravaigin: This well-known restaurant offering fresh Scottish specialties with an international twist. It just received a Michelin Bibb Gourmand listing for 2012. I had a wonderful grouse entrée (the buckshot added to the freshness) in the attractive dining room downstairs. There is a more casual café on the first floor. It is at 28 Gibson Street in Kelvinbridge.
Rogano: At 11 Exchange Place, this is a famous fish restaurant. The interior is in the style of an art deco cruise ship, as the men who did it worked on the design of the RMS Queen Mary in 1935. I enjoyed a great meal and talking to locals at the next table. There is also an Oyster Bar downstairs and a café with outdoor seating.
Chicago friends, who loved my recommendation for Rogano also loved The Anchor Line Bar and Restaurant. This fine dining spot, is located at 12-16 St. Vincent Place and was named after an historic ship builder from 1838.
Mackintosh at the Willow: Don’t miss afternoon tea at the Willow Tea Room which is now known as Mackintosh at the Willow. I booked my reservation months in advance for tea to make sure I had a chance to see this famous building designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. I was fortunate to be in the deluxe room aor Salon de Luxe upstairs with many of his original details, including stained glass. He is known for his tea rooms where he designed the furniture as well. If you can go upstairs to the room where you can see more of his architectural details and a great fireplace. It has recently reopened after an extensive renovation. Tours are now available along with an exhibition on Mackintosh. 217 Sauchiehall St.
Good friends just returned and highly recommend Hutchesons City Grill located in an early-nineteenth century building at 158 Ingram St.