Not-to-be-missed Glasgow restaurants for solo visitor?

[Kyliemo]

Can anyone recommend say top 5 Glasgow restaurants/cafes that should BY NO MEANS be missed on a first visit to Glasgow? I'm staying there over four days this summer and there looks to be a great selection. Oh yes, and I'll be eating alone - so places where you can feel comfortable with a book or people watching?!

[butterchicken2nan]

Tried to go to Asia Style last night - it is closed for two weeks for vacation.
Instead headed back to my fave curry house in Glasgow - Panjea - beside the Mitchell library. Unfortunately this gem could be in big trouble - and not because of its food - which is in IMHO the very best curry in Glasgow. Trouble is the restaurant next door - Cafe India - burned to the ground last year and now the scaffolding and construction erected on the site threaten to completely hide Panjea from view.
Thats a real shame because since it opened a few years ago I have not found the need to eat curries anywhere else. The lamb in my kurti korma melted like butter, and my wife's apricot lamb curry was from another planet. I only get hoem to the UK once or twice a year - but a visit to Panjea is always one of the highlights. It even made the top 100 in the UK BIBA (Best in Britain Awards) last year.

[nsalt]

See what UK food bloggers have to say about Glasgow restaurants at http://tinyurl.com/2ra7u6

[donnaaries]

I would also agree with the rec for Stravaigin. That was definitely my most memorable meal in Glasgow (and Scotland, at that). Order small plates from the cafe upstairs and skip the formal restaurant downstairs. Don't miss those fantastic steamed mussels! For a full photo review, see: http://donnacooks.wordpress.com/2007/...

[Joan Kureczka]

Ah yes -- the thai-ish chili mussles. I concur, they sure were good.

[rekha]

My top five would be
stravaigin
mother india cafe
asia style
fanny trollopes
michael caines at abode..

[spyke23]

agree with asia style, disagree with mother india, can very inconsistent.
would recommend the village in tradeston over mother india every time.
not sure about eating there alone though...
argan cafe is quite decent middle eastern food and worth the trip, and coittiers is also good when on form.

[Joan Kureczka]

Definitely agree with Stravaigin, which was our favorite on our last trip to Glasgow. Forget the downstairs restaurant, just eat in the terrific cafe (you can order from either menu)

We also would recommend Cafe Gandolfi and the Ubiquitous Chip (which has the pub as well as the restaurant).

[rekha]

Hi I would just like to make the distinction between mother india and mother india cafe, which is way better. There are lots of smaller tables and I have seen solo diners there before..

[potterstreet]

we just ate last saturday night at mother india on westminster terrace and and had a wonderful experience. definitely do it. my british husband was at first dismayed because it wasn't "an old school british curry house with flocked red wallpaper" but the food was so good he forgot that!