Restaurant Glasgow

Gastro Pub

Opening Times:

Mon - Sun: 11am till late

Average price of meal: £13.00

Situated just off of the bustling Byres Road Booly Mardys is perfect for one of those lazy Sundays eating yummy foods and reading the newspapers.

If you’re lucky enough to be out and about on the rare occasion that the sun decides to put his hat on Booly Mardys has a wonderful outdoor seating area that gives perfect views of Byres Road but far enough away from the bustle to let you enjoy your meal/drink. Booly Mardys is in fact a cocktail bar, originally named Bloody Marys after the drink which they were then forced to change through a trades mark dispute, but during the day they do in fact serve food.

The food in fact is delicious, I had the Cajun Chicken Burger with Fries and a bottle of wine (not to myself I might add, there were others at the table!), the chicken was perfectly cooked with a nice spicy kick to it and it was accompanied with a dressed salad and chips. The portion was perfect, unlike many gastro pubs that swamp your plate with mountains of chips I was served a nicely dressed salad and a modest pile of fries- after all a lady has to watch her waist! The others at my table ordered the haddock risotto from the specials board and good old sausages and mash- both of which I am told were very satisfying. All of this was washed down with a bottle of the house white, the name of which I have unfortunately forgotten nevertheless it was divine.

With it being a Sunday lunch time, and having ordered a bottle of white I did stay away from the cocktails but having cast my eye over the menu I was very impressed, the Blueberry Margarita and Parma Violet Martini looking very enticing, and I have made a mental note to return.

Being a comedy club I visited the Stand with a few expectations and it did not disappoint. The club its self was fairly small in size, which on a Thursday night wasn’t a problem, but on a busy Saturday night I could image many people left standing, or even worse being forced to sit in the front row of tables within the scrutinising range of the comedian.

On the whole the drinks were cheap and laughs were a plenty, yet given the bar is small and a bit non-descript I feel your enjoyment of the night rests on who you are going to see, there are acts on almost every night of the week but it is worth checking out the line-up before turning up and for popular acts it is advised to buy your tickets in advanced.

- Check out the line up on The Stand..

Italian, American

Opening Times:
Mon – Fri: 12:00 – 22:00
Sat – Sun: 10:00 – 22:00

Average Price of Meal Including soft drinks: £11

Situated in the fashionable Ashton Lane, The Loft is a popular haunt for students and young professionals alike, however, upon turning up late on a Saturday afternoon I was faced with a gaggle of families and screaming children. After waiting at the bar for 20 minutes we finally secure ourselves a table, yet it was another 15 minutes or so before we get a waitress to clean away the leftover dishes. The fashionable low level leather seating and table found in many of these pub restaurants usually provides for a comfortable place to lounge whilst waiting for food- but amidst all the untidiness and children running riot it made our table uncomfortable and struggling to hear one another.

The menu, however, provides some comfort, offering favourites such as Fish and Chips alongside more contemporary options such as the Polenta and Aubergine Stack. Choosing the Homemade Burger I realise why The Loft is as busy as it is, the burger is deliciously filling- home made and not overcooked like many ‘gastropubs’ often make the mistake of doing, and as the afternoon wears on and the crowds of families thin out the appeal of The Loft can finally be seen- it is in fact very spacious and tastefully decorated- paying homage to the classic Grosvenor Cinema that can be located below it.

Although serving good food The Loft perhaps struggles with its popularity and fashionable location- becoming over-crowed by the young families that are out in hordes at the weekend. However, the food is good and if you are willing to wait for a table then it is worth it, and come night-time the restaurant becomes a stylish pub with a certain ‘cool’ vibe that reverberates throughout most of Ashton Lane.

Indian Cuisine

Opening Times: 12:30 – 24:00

Average Price of Meal (excluding drinks): £14.00

Fixed Menu Prices

Fixed Lunch: £6.95

Fixed Dinner: £10.95

A funky and stylish restaurant nestled in the West End, Ashoka serves up a heady selection of Indian dishes deserved of their British Curry Award 2006. The large menu ensures that every palate is appeased, impressively including an Abpaz Parsee menu (cuisine from North India and Pakistan), and providing helpful guide notes for curry beginners, and if you have any further queries the staff are polite and happy to help. P

rices are reasonable and the fixed menu option is recommended to those looking for a quick bite at lunch.

Moving away from award winning cuisine and reasonable prices, what else separates Ashoka from the other curry houses in Glasgow has to be its infamous Curry Karaoke- providing parties and large groups with the perfect mix of karaoke, fancy dress, alcohol and, of course, curry. No doubt guaranteed to be a hilarious night out.

To book a table or check the menu online check out the Ashoka website.

Italian- Pizza & Pasta

Opening Times: 10:30am – 24:00 Mon-Sun

Average Price of 2 Course Meal & Soft Drinks: £15.00

Being Pizza Express typically the pizza takes centre stage, however pastas and salads are also available.

There is a varied selection of starters, yet the recommended- and perhaps the most popular is from the sides menu, the Baked Dough Balls. As the name suggests they are simply balls of dough baked served with garlic butter, a delicious alternative to the routine garlic bread.

There are is an array of pizzas to choose from; from the basic Margherita to the adventurous Parmense topped with asparagus, parma ham, grana padano finished off with a poached egg. Opting for the ‘devilishly hot’ Diavolo I was presented with a fresh pizza generous in toppings- although it lacked the ‘extra fire’ I was promised in the menu the pizza was still full of flavour and it was thoroughly enjoyed.

The Queen Street restaurant retains many of the features seen in Pizza Express’s across the country, and its open kitchen being an authentic Italian touch to what is already a modern yet welcoming restaurant.

Having ate at many Pizza Express’s in my time, the Queen Street branch served up exactly what the brand stands for; brilliant pizza’s topped with the finest ingredients within a modern and vibrant environment. The only complaint I have about this particular restaurant is the lack of service we received, we were left constantly waiting to be served, being a Sunday perhaps they were not prepared for the onslaught of weary shoppers turning up after a busy day of spending. Regardless of this, what it lacked in service Pizza Express most definitely made up for in taste and style.