From Gamba to Lychee Oriental: The Glasgowist picks his best of 2019 places to eat in the city

AS we approach the end of 2019, it’s time to look back at some of the food and drink highlights.

It’s been a year that’s brought a wave of new openings to the city, enlivening neighbourhoods and bringing exciting flavours to our streets.

At the same time, established food big-hitters have gained renewed attention for their creative cooking.

For the full story on local breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, and chips on the way home, pick up your copy of Glasgow’s 100 Best Restaurants book from glasgowtimes.co.uk/100best.

Here’s my Boxing Day list of the places that have led the way in 2019.

Best Brunch: Café Strange Brew

Best Bar: Kelvingrove Cafe

Best Fine Dining: The Gannet

Best Casual Dining: A’Challtainn

Best Wine List: Stravaigin

Best Set Menu: Bilson Eleven

Best Cafe: Cafezique

Best Seafood: Gamba

Best Chinese: Lychee Oriental

Best Indian: Madha

Best Italian: La Lanterna

Best Venue: Saint Luke’s

Best Cocktails: The Gate

Best Craft Beer: Drygate

Best Brownie: Cake Bar

Best Burger: El Perro Negro

Best Pizza: Baffo

Best Ice Cream: Loop & Scoop

Best Ramen: Ramen Dayo

Best Chips: Partick Duck Club

Best Kebab: Shawarma King

Best Bagels: Where the Monkey Sleeps

Best Breakfast Rolls: Comet Pieces

Best Vegan: The 78

Best Sunday Lunch: The Hebridean

Best Street Food: Platform at Argyle St Arches

Talk of the Town

New taste of Japan?

What once was Rumours Kopitiam on the junction of Bath Street and West Nile Street will soon be a new Japanese-inspired restaurant.

The people behind Maki & Ramen in Edinburgh are making a move west, opening their first restaurant in Glasgow.

Expect large bowls of hot noodle broth, gyoza, sushi and takoyaki dishes.

We’re expecting Ramen Ramen to be one of the first big restaurant launches of 2020.

Dennistoun Place to be?

Interesting developments around Dennistoun.

There’s been a flurry of activity in recent months, with new arrivals joining established names like Redmond’s, Coia’s, Tibo and East Coffee Company.

No Mean Dogs is a new hot dog place that’s opened on Garthland Drive.

Rawnchy Cakes, who already have a cafe in Maryhill, are developing a wee place on Belgrove Street.

Meanwhile, The East End Cafe will open on Duke Street in the new year.

Naturally unique wine...

Vin-Cru, a new casual wine bar, is the latest addition to the Merchant City.

Spearheaded by friends and fellow musicians Colin Campbell and John Baillie Jnr – owners of The Hug and Pint and Dennistoun Bar-B-Que respectively – Vin-Cru will focus on natural, biodynamic wines alongside a collaborative menu presented by both kitchens. Natural wines are made without the addition of chemicals, preservatives, added sugars or artificial yeasts.

Baillie explains: “Each wine is unique and lively, with bold flavours and made by producers who are passionate, independent and have to be sourced through a small, dedicated network.”

Having been introduced to natural wine by a friend while on tour in Berlin a few years ago, Baillie was a new convert: “My pal was running a bar and sat me down and really opened up this world for me. I’ve loved conventional wine forever, but once you’ve been exposed to that soulfulness and depth of flavour, it’s difficult to go back. It’s all I’ve drank since."