MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN Glasgow
‘Unchanged in decor and spirit since the 1960s,
The Laurieston is a proper pub. Clipped obits on the
walls offer a memento mori, but the spirits of drouthy aesthetes lift at the sight of the vintage pie-warmer and a cheery word from the avuncular
landlord.’
PETER ROSS
AUTHOR, DAUNDERLUST: DISPATCHES FROM
UNREPORTED SCOTLAND
(SANDSTONE)
MERCHANT SQUARE CRAFT & DESIGN FAIR Merchant Square, 71–73 Albion Street, Merchant City, G1 1NY, 0141 552 3038, merchantsquareglasgow.com Every Saturday and Sunday, this fair under the protective roof of the attractive Merchant Square courtyard showcases the work of some of Glasgow’s best crafters. Stalls range from handmade jewellery and cupcakes through to artworks, clothes and gifts.
inside Sloans provides space for burgeoning new traders every Saturday.
INDEPENDENT SHOPS Boutiques to satisfy your senses
GOOD SPIRITS CO. 23 Bath Street, City Centre, G2 1HW, 0141 258 8427, thegoodspiritsco.com With staff whose passion for all things alcohol covers the whole spectrum, this spirits-, champagne-, sometimes beer- and generally alcohol-focused shop is as much an education as a place to grab an exciting bottle. A 30-seater custom- made tasting room hosts regular samplings of anything with an ABV.
LOVEMUSIC 34 Dundas Street, City Centre, G1 2AQ, 0141 332 2099, lovemusicglasgow.com Near-legendary record shop specialising in new and used indie and alternative vinyl and CDs. An essential part of the Glasgow muso experience, with a great selection of local acts. They specialise in indie, rock, punk and Americana, but are good for 1960s and 70s reissues too. Look out for in-store live appearances (Moby played here once).
SLOANS MARKET 62 Argyll Arcade, City Centre, G2 8BG, 0141 221 8886, www.sloansglasgow.com/ market Well-heeled weekend outdoor shopping market tucked just off Buchanan Street, with stalls stuffed full of gourmet treats, vintage one-offs and classy crafty things. The upstairs grand ballroom THE SHOP OF INTEREST 1058 Argyle Street, West End, G3 8LY, 0141 221 7316, theshopofinterest.co.uk An integral part of the Finnieston revival over recent years, this gallery and shop sells artworks (often Glasgow-themed), prints, homewares, unique gifts and jewellery from local artists and designers.
GLASGOW 2014 CITY GUIDE
VINTAGE GURU 195 Byres Road, West End, G12 8TN, 0141 339 4750, vintageguru.co.uk With an eye-catching canopy and ever-changing window display, this compact but packed shop offers quality vintage goods for men and women. There’s a good supply of shoes, racks of coats, dresses and suit jackets, plus the occasional designer gem to be unearthed. VOLTAIRE & ROUSSEAU 12–14 Otago Lane, West End, G12 8PB, 0141 339 1811, voltaire-rousseau.co.uk A silent, dusty, temple to the pleasures of reading, Voltaire and Rousseau represents second-hand book-shopping in its most perfect form. Piles upon piles upon piles of books, arranged in a vague order, fill every corner and nook, spilling out from the shelves into the secretive lane.
BARS
Our pick of the city’s finest drinking venues DRYGATE BREWING CO. 85 Drygate, East End, G4 0UT, 0141 212 8810, drygate.com This vibrant tie-up between Williams Bros, one of Scotland’s foremost crafters, and mass-market lager- makers Tennent’s is a keenly branded, media savvy ‘experiential’ brewery housed in a renovated box factory. Enticing food comes courtesy of V at Drygate, sister to Edinburgh’s successful The Vintage. A roof terrace beer garden, 24 taps in the bar, and brewery shop add to the enticement.
MEAT BAR 142 West Regent Street, City
Meat Bar
Centre, G2 2RQ, 0141 204 3605, themeatbar.co.uk Meat is key here – burgers are a stacked gravitational marvel, while flash skirt steak or smoky ribs will have carnivores howling at the moon. The bar stocks lots of bottled world beers and serves expertly made cocktails featuring meaty garnishes. THE POT STILL 154 Hope Street, City Centre, G2 2TH, 0141 333 0980, thepotstill.co.uk A fine selection of beers, ales and wines at this traditional pub are surpassed by a whisky collection that would make Johnny Walker himself weak at the knees. First-time punters gawp at the whisky bottles that loom spectacularly over the bar, served up by knowledgeable staff along with plenty of Glasgow patter.
THE TIKI BAR 214 Bath Street, City Centre, G2 4HW, 0141 332 1341, tikibarglasgow.com Predominantly grey and rainy Glasgow may seem an unlikely place for this retro-funky Hawaiian beach hut with killer cocktails. Amid the 1950s surf chic décor, mixologists focus on rum classics and contemporary twists utilising homemade creations such as Irn Bru syrup.
WEST BREWERY Building 4 Templeton Building, Glasgow Green, G40 1AW, 0141 550 0135, westbeer.com Set in a Venetian-inspired former carpet factory on Glasgow Green, WEST Brewery’s excellent Bavarian beers are served across the city and beyond. The vast, wood-heavy interior, huge bar and views of the on-site brewery create a beguiling venue, with Germanic food to match the excellent beverages on offer. 10 Jul–21 Aug 2014 THE LIST 37