5 Best Restaurants in East End, Glasgow

A welcome addition for East End diners, BAaD occupies a sprawling campus of spaces, including a stylish glass-roofed courtyard, a large beer garden split over two levels, several refurbished shipping containers, and a central courtyard space within the heart of Glasgow's original flea market, the Barras. The fashionable space hosts a series of pop-up kitchens, bringing various street food options to a crowd of trendy East End residents and visitors alike. The hipness of the venue is a reflection of the area's changing personality. With its long tables and airy atmosphere, the space was designed with sharing in mind, but there is also a more intimate balcony dining area.

This Michelin Bib Gourmand-restaurant is located at the foot of Glasgow Cathedral, with amazing views of the imposing Gothic church. Set up by a married couple who both trained as chefs in some of London’s most competitive professional kitchens, rich Italian food graces the menu, with options such as deep-fried lasagna bites, chicken liver parfait on sourdough, and traditional pasta dishes—all done extremely well. The beef pappardelle is surely the best in the city. An astute selection of cocktails and wines is also available.

This amazing Italian delicatessen and restaurant is located on Alexandra Parade, one of the East End's busiest thoroughfares. The beloved spot has been family-run since 1982, when it first opened in the heart of Dennistoun. It can be difficult to get a table because the place is so popular, especially on Sundays.

An iconic burger restaurant on Duke Street in Dennistoun, this independent spot has quickly become a cult favorite in the area, with tables filling up most nights of the week. The no-frills burger joint serves huge topped burgers (with vegan and vegetarian options too) and delicious ribs. They even serve Mexican Coca Cola, which still sticks to the 1980s recipe and is made with raw cane sugar. 

This microbrewery serves beer brewed "according to German purity laws of 1516"—in other words, no additives to muddy the flavor. The German theme is continued with the slightly cavernous dining space dotted with large wooden tables, and the food, which includes wursts, Wiener schnitzel, and goulash. A more limited bar menu is served in the very popular beer garden. West is in the famous Templeton Carpet Factory on Glasgow Green, built to resemble the Doge's Palace in Venice. You can tour the brewery Friday through Sunday with four tasters as part of the price.