Merchant City, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

With the “lovely decor” replicated from the Theatreland icon for which they are branded, Richard Caring’s “always buzzy” spin-offs have found a gigantic audience nationally. But “these places live off the name for sure” and “it’s the ambience that keeps them going” – while fans say the food is “reliable”, more sceptical types dismiss it as “conveyor-belt cooking”; and say service is merely so-so. Some branches are better than others: best in London is ‘Chelsea Garden’, which has the same “distinctly average” standards as the others, but reliably offers an “uplifting” atmosphere and “great people watching” (and “on a sunny afternoon there is literally NO WHERE ELSE TO BE but its large garden. HEAVEN!!”). Also worth mentioning is the outlet by The Thames in SE1: “excellent views of Tower Bridge”, “even better if outside in summer and convenient for The Bridge Theatre”.

This two-year-old Finnieston venture is the debut as patron from Graeme Cheevers, winning instant acclaim for his “excellent cooking” – he’s a “fantastic chef, I’ve followed him from his days at Martin Wishart’s Cameron House” (he also ran the kitchen at the Isle of Eriska Hotel). “The fish courses are particularly good” and there’s a “generous and well chosen accompanying wine flight”.

“Tasty tapas-style food” to share at “very reasonable prices”, plus “laid-back and friendly service” draw a “great crowd” to Jonathan MacDonald’s “vibrant and funky venue” in Kelvingrove. Top Tip – “try ordering 2 or 3 dishes at a time, as they are brought out as soon as they are ready and arrive in a random order”.

“The Gannet is towards the top end of Glasgow’s gastronomy scene” – a chilled Scotch fine dining venture, in Finnieston, whose “superb food, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian” has won it a firm reputation over the past decade – although “it comes at a price of course” (tasting menu £90 per person, and multi-course lunch nudging £40 per person).

“Modou Diagne never ceases to amaze us” – “the strength of his cooking is unsurpassed” and the ‘Total Trust’ no-choice menu at £25 a head (served on Sunday and Monday nights) is an absolute bargain – even those who found the occasional dish “disappointing” reckon “the concept is good... We’ll be back to give it another try”. The story behind the chef’s rise brings tears to the eyes of hardened reviewers: Modou was a penniless and homeless refugee from Senegal, and worked his way up from kitchen porter under Glasgow chef Nico Simeone (of Six by Nico) to a level where Nico gave him his own restaurant to run.

2023 Review: This Southside newcomer opened in late 2021 on the site of Gnom (RIP) and serves up Mediterranean small plates (as well as a dedicated vegan menu) inspired by the cuisines of Spain, Italy and France. No feedback as yet in our annual diners’ poll, but in an August 2022 review, Rob Mackenna of The Herald hailed its “delicious small plates”: “short, sharp flavour bombs exploding all over the palate”.