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ATTRACTIONS Eat & Drink in Merchant City
■ THE NECROPOLIS Literally a city of the dead, this vast burial ground behind Glasgow Cathedral is a monument to Glasgow’s wealthier 19th- Century inhabitants. Established with a view to being a kind of Scottish equivalent of Père Lachaise in Paris, it may not have the likes of Jim Morrison, but memorials include a 62m high obelisk to John Knox and plenty of spectacularly ornate gravestones and mausoleums. 50 Cathedral Square, 0141 552 3145. ■ PEOPLE’S PALACE Alongside temporary exhibitions, this Clydeside museum relates the story of Glasgow and its citizens from 1750 to the present day, a richly evocative social portrait of a tough, humorous city surviving poverty and war to emerge as a forward-thinking European conurbation of culture and opportunity. The photographs, artefacts and interactive displays pull few punches about darker chapters in the city’s history, but overall it’s a fun educational experience. Attached are the Winter Gardens, an elegant Victorian glasshouse of tropical plants. Glasgow Green, 0141 271 2962
■ GLASGOW CATHEDRAL A stone-built church has stood on this site since 1136 and the lower church contains the shrine of St Mungo, who died around 612; however most of the present building dates from the 13th or 15th centuries, the most notable exception being the stained-glass windows, renowned as one of the finest post-war collections in the country. Sunday services take place at 11am and 6.30pm and there are daily prayers at noon. Castle Street, 0141 552 8198. 16 THE LIST 23 Jul –6 Aug 2009
City Merchant 97–99 Candleriggs, 0141 553 1577 The City Merchant, as the name suggests, was well ahead of the curve in predicting Merchant City’s rise as a top eating and drinking hotspot, setting up shop in 1988 as one of the first upscale outlets in the neighbourhood. 21 years on, it’s surrounded on Candleriggs by an array of similarly smart establishments, but still holds up as one of the best Scottish restaurants in town. Babbity Bowsters 16–18 Blackfriars Street, 0141 552 5055 Housed in a historic building designed by the Adam brothers in the 1790s and tucked away in a cobbled lane just off the High Street, Babbity Bowsters pub and hotel is a Merchant City treasure. Upstairs you’ll find Scottish-French restaurant Schottische, which serves quality, rustic Celtic-Gallic cuisine. Live folk sessions and ceilidhs sometimes run on late into the night.
Corinthian 191 Ingram Street, 0141 552 1101 The jewel in the G1 Group crown, Corinthian’s reputation as an exclusive haunt for Glasgow’s glamourati has dwindled somewhat since opening in 1999 – you’ll find more young professionals than movie stars – but there’s still plenty of reason to be cheerful here. The main restaurant and the adjoining Lite Bar are both stunning examples of Victorian grandeur, with glass domes and towering archways.
Bar Gandolfi 64 Albion Street, 0141 552 4462 This tiny charmer of a place, tucked away under the eaves of a former warehouse and crammed with gorgeously carved, hobbit-sized furniture, does much more than just function as an overspill bar for the hugely popular restaurant downstairs. The wine list is extensive, but the dinner menu is simple, short, and mostly composed of honest old- fashioned bar staples.
Rab Ha’s 83 Hutcheson Street, 0141 572 0400 Who ate all the pies? Robert Hall did – or Rab Ha, the ‘The Glesca Glutton’, a Merchant City resident whose appetite was so famed he became the subject of nursery rhymes. And had an independent bar, restaurant and boutique hotel operation named in his honour. Rab Ha’s is no simple filling station, though – eagerly trumpeting its traditional-yet-contemporary, smart- yet-soulful credentials. Arta The Old Cheesemarket, 62 Albion Street, 0141 552 2101 Arta does well to bracket itself as the ultimate leisure suite for an aspirational generation weaned on Ready Steady Cook and Grand Designs. A cavernous, opulent venue for eating, drinking, disco dancing and live music, its menu accordingly hedges its bets, throwing a beach towel by the Mediterranean and hoping for the best.
SHOPPING Brazen
As a shopping mecca, Glasgow seldom disappoints with its range of high street emporiums and vintage hangouts. Straddling the divide between old and new, Merchant City encompasses the city’s ethos for boasting something for everyone. Fifi & Ally’s Princes Square branch continues to cater to the more discerning lady who lunches with choice labels and delicious cakes, while over on Ingram Street, fashionistas can head for Boudiche for exotic lingerie before a swift trip to Niche Optical Tailors to make sure their eyewear is as stylish as their knickers. Away from the gloss of Ingram Street, Brazen will indulge all your self indulgent whims with quality but quirky jewellery and accessories, while GOOD:D on James Morrison Street should, y’know, come good on all your homeware wants. Finishing off, Sloan’s Market lines the alley linking Buchanan and Argyle Streets with top notch independent local traders hawking everything from silk-screened T-shirts to artisan sausages on the weekends. Lest we forget, a quick walk up the road will take you to the mighty Barras, a fine old Glasgow institution and a refreshing change of scene for those who’ve had their fill of the bank-busting designer outlets in the city centre.