It is established that the city of Glasgow has quite a few restaurants that serve some of the best food in Scotland. The city might not be filled with Michelin-starred restaurants like London, but Glasgow has done very well for itself when it comes to culinary diversity. Never has this been more obvious than in the city’s Italian restaurant. From fine dining to dishes that feel like a home-cooked meal, Glasgow has a rich and intricate Italian dining scene.
Best Italian Restaurants in Glasgow
1. Santa Lucia
2. Sarti
3. Celinos
4. The Italian Kitchen
5. Oro
5 Best Italian Restaurants in Glasgow
Here are some of the best Italian restaurants to visit if you are ever in Glasgow. Locals swear by it.
1. Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia is known for its reputation for bringing the real taste of Southern Italy to Glasgow. The family-run trattoria is all about recreating the same rustic dishes made with fresh, high-quality ingredients and the same amount of passion as a bona fide Italian cuisine would have. Its dining option is divided into a breakfast, lunch and dinner set with both vegan and a sweet snack options available to guests.
The menu is a combination of Italian dishes with ingredients that are fiercely tailored to meet seasonal requirements. So as to be as fresh and of the best quality as possible. Dishes featured include Neapolitan-style pizzas like marinara, homemade pastas such as ravioli, linguine and risotto, paired with seasonal seafood dishes. Guests particularly love classics like spaghetti alle vongole, slow-cooked ragù, and the wood-fired pizzas. Every meal comes with a starter like lasagne and burrata, and dessert delights like gelato or affogato.
Like any self-respecting Italian restaurant, Santa Lucia’s wine list is extensive. Filled with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, from cocktails and wines to mocktails and soft drinks. Although its beer, whisky and spirit options are impressive, its true gem is in its red and white wine.
The atmosphere inside the restaurant is warm, relaxed, and distinctly Italian. A space that encourages large and communal dining, friendly service, and a focus on hospitality that makes you feel like part of the family. The interiors are stylish and unpretentious, and with multiple locations in Glasgow’s finest locations, Santa Lucia is a popular choice for everything from long, leisurely lunches to pre-theatre suppers.
On a side note, don’t forget to try out their cafe with its own collection of dolci (sweets) and coffee. It is great for an after-meal settler or a simple brunch.
Location: 68 Ingram Street, Merchant City, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
4 – 6 Byres Road, Patrick, West End, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Price Range: £20- £50
2. Sarti Italian Restaurant
An oldie but a goodie, Sarti has been at the heart of the city’s Italian dining scene for more than 30 years. With two bustling locations, one on Wellington Street and the other on Bath Street, the restaurant is one of the first mentioned when referring to Italian in Glasgow. Its foods are served with the same warmth, consistency, and charm as in the beginning so the locals attest.
Sarti’s game plan is simple: combine the finest ingredients imported from Italy with the best of local Scottish produce. The result is a menu that is both traditional and new, with options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can start your meal with either a vegetarian, meat or seafood antipasti; prosciutto di parma e burrata, bruschetta, a bowl of ribollita,or gamberoni alla griglia. Then, you move on to the mains; risotto allo scorpio, ravioli ragu, spaghetti alla carbonara or a simple vegetarian lasagne. They have mastered making handmade pastas and creamy risottos into hearty meat and seafood dishes.
Other than the pasta, they also make a mean collection of pizza: margherita, napolitan, dolci vita, funghi, and many more. Paired with a bottle of rosé or sparkling and you understand why guests keep coming back.
As a plus, the trattoria is always filled with the lively, convivial energy of a classic Italian eatery. Guests are encouraged to discuss with friendly staff and with one another, and the restaurant remains enduringly popular with locals and visitors alike. Beyond the main dining room, Sarti is equally famous for its coffee. Once a cafe and deli, the restaurant is often cited as one of the best in Glasgow, and its deli counter showcases high-quality Italian products.
Location: 133 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
121 Bath Street, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Price Range: £30- £60
3. Celino’s
Celino is a family-run Italian restaurant with outposts in both the East End and West End of Glasgow. The restaurant is not just a simple diner as it combines deli, café, and trattoria under one roof. As you walk through the doors, the first thing you notice is that you are immediately surrounded by the best of Italy food and snacks. Shelves lined with pasta, sauces, wines, cured meats, and other imported delights make the space as much a market as a dining room.
Unlike the other restaurants on this list, Celino’s lunch and dinner menus are not as extensive, but the food is very generous in size and authenticity. The menu still spans a range of pizza options; davioli or burrata and comforting pastas that taste like home. With enduring favourites like spaghetti bolognese, carbonara, lasagne, ravioli and several rich seafood platters. The portions are famously large and are largely designed for sharing and lingering over a bottle of wine. For desserts, you can choose between a gelato or any of the freshly made patisserie of the day.
The restaurant is not very big, but the atmosphere is warm, bustling, and family-friendly. It is filled with the chatter of regulars, the smell of pastries and the aroma of slow-cooked sauces. Celino’s is an Italian village market, making it equally suited for a casual coffee, a deli stop, or a full celebratory dinner. It is the kind of place you go to for a meal and leave with an armload of Italian groceries to stock up on at home.
Location: 235 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
620 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Price Range: £25- £50
4. The Italian Kitchen
Every dish at the Italian Kitchen is rooted in Italian tradition and made with authentic recipes and classic cooking techniques. With a simple or not-so-simple goal of being likened to restaurants in Italy, not just in Glasgow, The Italian Kitchen’s menu celebrates Italian simplicity and flavour from fresh, handmade pasta and wood-fired pizzas.
The menu is pretty extensive, with each plate generous and made with a focus on quality ingredients. There is arrabiata and rigatoni and fettuccine gamberoni or nduja, and bolognese. They also have a pretty impressive collection of pizza; margherita or salcissia, pepperoni and caprino made in an open fire. It can be eaten in the house with family and friends or carried out as takeout. Paired with a simple gelato or affogato at the end of the meal, and a great wine list. You can be sure that with the Italian Kitchen, it is the taste that keeps people coming back.
The restaurant itself was refurbished not that long ago, with its new style balancing warmth with style. The result is an atmosphere that is both cosy and elegant, perfect for everything from a relaxed lunch to a special evening out. The Italian Kitchen is a standout destination for people seeking a genuine Italian dining experience in Glasgow.
Location: 64 Ingram Street, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Price Range: £25- £40
5. Oro Restaurant
Oro is the Italian restaurant that you go to when you want great taste, beautiful ambience and big portions without spending too much. Located in Glasgow’s Southside, the award-winning Italian restaurant is known for its refined atmosphere and consistently excellent food. The name of the restaurant means “gold” in Italian, and it has become a standout destination for high-quality Italian dining.
The menu combines traditional Italian recipes with modern ingredients. Its wood-fired pizzas are consistently the highlight, served with crisp, blistered bases and rich toppings. Napoli and BBQ chicken and inferno are a go-to for many. You can also design your own pizza with your preferred toppings. You are allowed to select your base: traditional, thin crusts or garlic knots and add as many toppings as you prefer. Rather than going the typical set menu route, it keeps guests creative and open to trying new things. Alongside them are fresh pasta dishes, risottos, seafood, and meats prepared with precision and care. The focus is on quality ingredients, a mix of Italian imports and Scottish produce, especially for the meat and seafood options, which ensures the menu’s great flavours.
Other than the mix of wine, starters, and sides to go with an extensive collection of meals, there is the Dolce. A menu filled with sweets, desserts and snacks; there are doughnuts and Nutella cheesecake and tiramisu and a pretty impressive stack of a trio of gelato in different flavours. If you are not the wine or soft drinks type, you will also be glad for Oro’s hot drinks collection, which features everything. Hot cocoa, caffe latte, mocha, cappuccino, espresso, herbal teas and liqueur coffee.
The setting is stylish yet relaxed, making it suitable for both everyday meals and special occasions. Oro’s service is professional and welcoming, and that just adds to the restaurant’s strong reputation as one of the best Italian dining spots in the city.
Location: 85 Kilmarnock Road, Shawlands, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Price Range: £28- £50
Conclusion
Glasgow has an impressive collection of Italian restaurants and trattorias that are dedicated to recreating the taste of Italy within their walls. Every pizza bite or pasta swallow is not just another simply done dish, but a trip to Italy right in the middle of Glasgow.
