Glasgow, International Restaurant Guide

Original hand-made furniture (by Tim Stead) and a characterful, panelled interior add to the enduring appeal of this 40-year-old favourite in the Merchant City – one of Glasgow’s stalwart culinary institutions. The food (served from breakfast) is wholesome, but un-fancy: burger, risotto, rarebit, Arbroath Smokies and so on.

“Gutsy flavours” from an “eclectic, ever-changing and high-quality” menu of “varied and creative” dishes “never fail to impress” at Jonathan MacDonald’s Kelvingrove gastropub, which regularly hits the heights. Its chilled and lively atmosphere is “brilliant” too.

As it approaches its 30th anniversary, Colin Clydesdale and Carol Wright’s bar/restaurant remains a well-known local icon for Glasgow foodies, but has never inspired matching interest in our annual diners’ poll. Its motto of ‘Think Global, Eat Local’ has held up very well over the years, with its eclectic mixture of ‘world food’ from Scottish ingredients having proved well ahead of its time.

“Such amazing value for a six-course, themed, tasting menu” that changes every six weeks – that’s the USP of Nico Simeone’s national chain, which, over five years, has grown from its Glasgow base to number nine in total (with London having two: in Fitzrovia and Canary Wharf). Of course it’s “slightly gimmicky”, but on the whole it’s “a good effort at a budget experience”: “you get what you pay for, and while not all dishes hit the mark, and service can be a bit hit ’n’ miss (particularly at busy times), it is innovative, has a great buzz and is a lot of fun”.