Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
well-equipped
SYHA Hostel
is located in a wonderful
townhouse in one of the West End's grandest terraces. All
the dorms are en suite, and there's a large apartment with
park views for families. It's a ten-minute walk south of
Kelvinbridge underground station and bus #44 from the
city centre le
aves
you with
a sho
rt stroll west up Woodlands
Road. Dorms
£15
; doubles
£44
pp.184-185.
Useful one- to six-person self-catering
apartments and rooms in locations near Byres R
oad a
nd at
Kelvinbridge. Available to rent on a nightly basis.
£70
Ì
Queensgate Apartments
T
0141 339 1615,
W
queensgateapartments.com; map pp.184-185.
Two
attractive and cosy flats in traditional West End tenement
buildings. One sleeps four in two bedrooms and has a
gleaming wood-panelled hall and a lovely patio garden;
the other sleeps tw
o and
also has a patio garden. Four-
perso
n apartment
£690/
week, two-person apartment
£490
/week
5
SELF
CATERING
Embassy Apartments
8 Kelvin Drive
T
0141 946 6698,
W
glasgowhotelsandapartments.co.uk; map p.182 &
EATING
Glasgow's restaurant scene is a dynamic one, helped by the culinary skills of the long-established
Italian
community and
later waves of
Indian
and
Chinese
immigrants. In recent times there's been a move towards taking advantage of great
Scottish produce
- game, fresh fish and soft fruits. Many menus now contain a seasonal and modern Scottish
component, offering a new take on the country's culinary traditions. Glasgow is rated as one of the UK's top cities for
vegetarians
and
vegans
: try
Mono
(see p.208),
The 13th Note Café
(see p.207) or the café at the CCA (see p.211), which
serves vegan haggis fritters. If you're travelling on a budget, note that many restaurants have excellent
set lunch
, pre-
theatre or early dining deals.
Tron Theatre
Chisholm St, off Trongate
T
0141 552 8587,
W
tron.co.uk; map pp.188-189.
A rather arty hangout (see
p.186), particularly with writers and theatrical types, who
adore both the contemporary street-side café-bar and the
Victorian pub dining room further inside. Mains start at £7.
Mon 10am-6pm, Tues-Sat 10am-late, Sun noon-6pm.
Where the Monkey Sleeps
182 West Regent St
T
0141 226 3406,
W
monkeysleeps.com; map pp.188-
189.
Owned by graduates of the nearby Glasgow School of
Art who acquired their barista skills between classes, this
hip home-grown café features freshly prepared sandwiches
and salads, and the espressos are superb.
Mon-Fri
10am-5pm.
Willow Tea Rooms
217 Sauchiehall St
T
0141 332
0521,
W
willowtearooms.co.uk; map pp.188-189.
A
semi-authentic bit of architectural heritage on the Charles
Rennie Mackintosh trail, the first-floor dining room here
offers tea with scones and midday meals.
Mon-Sat
9am-5pm, Sun 11am-5pm.
CITY CENTRE AND THE MERCHANT CITY
CAFÉS
Ì
Café Gandolfi and Bar Gandolfi
64 Albion St
T
0141 552 6813,
W
cafegandolfi.com; map pp.188-
189.
Gandolfi
was one of the first to test the waters in the
revived Merchant City in the 1980s and today it's a landmark.
Designed with distinctive wooden furniture from the Tim
Stead workshop,
Gandolfi
serves up coffee and snacks, plus
Scottish staples (including great black pudding), soups,
salads, fish dishes and Continental cuisine, with mains
around £12-18. The bar upstairs is more contemporary in
feel but the food's equally good.
Daily 9am-11.30pm.
Café Source
1 St Andrew's Square
T
0141 548 6020,
W
cafesource.co.uk; map pp.184-185.
In the basement
of St Andrew's, an eighteenth-century church that is now a
folk music and Scottish dance centre, this café serves up
inexpensive Scottish favourites featuring local produce.
Also hosts frequent live jam sessions and a monthly jazz
supper club.
Daily 10am-11pm.
Tinderbox Merchant City
14 Ingram St
T
0141 552
6907; map pp.188-189.
Following on after the success of
its West End outlet (see pp.184-185), this branch features
the same cutting-edge design and strong espresso coffees,
as well as good fresh sarnies and cakes.
Mon-Sat
7.15am-10pm, Sun 8am-10pm.
Ì
Trans-Europe Café
25 Parnie St
T
0141 552 7999,
W
transeuropecafe.co.uk; map pp.188-189.
A fun and
somewhat studenty railway-style diner that takes culinary
inspiration from various European capitals, and dishes up
excellent soup and gourmet sandwiches; handy for a visit
to Trongate 103 (see p.186). On weekend evenings they
serve bistro mains like venison stew (£10.95).
Mon-Wed &
Sun 10am-5pm, Thurs- Sat 10am-10pm.
RESTAURANTS
The 13th Note Café
50-60 King St
T
0141 553 1638,
W
13thnote.co.uk; map pp.188-189.
Vegetarian and
vegan food with Greek and other Mediterranean influences
in one of Glasgow's hipper restaurants and experimental
indie music haunts on arty King St. All mains are under a
tenner.
Daily noon-midnight.
Brian Maule at Le Chardon d'Or
176 West Regent St
T
0141 248 3801,
W
brianmaule.com; map pp.188-
189.
Owner-chef Maule, who worked with the Roux
brothers at
Le Gavroche
restaurant in London, turns out
fancy but unpretentious French-influenced food along the
lines of grilled sea bass with fennel and broad beans in a
