This area was once home to Glasgow’s biggest railway station, with a grandiose hotel attached. After demolition in the 1970s, today’s shopping centre (also earmarked for the chop) appeared, partly obscuring some great dining and drinking options in the older, peripheral streets.

It’s shawarma central here, with great examples of the popular Levantine food. Howard Street has a branch of Hajar Shawarma, one of several in town, plus the excellent Lazord Syrian Street Food. In a King Street railway arch sits the virally popular Shawarma King, an early player in Glasgow’s shawarma craze. You’ll also find two of Glasgow’s most venerable pubs. The Scotia Bar is as historic as it gets, going back to 1792, with live music and a left-leaning vibe. There are daily gigs at The Clutha Bar nearby, with a rollcall of famous appearances, and an admirable recovery from the 2013 tragedy. 

Music is also big at Mono, a founding father of Glasgow’s vegan-friendly reputation, with enticing plant-based food and live gigs plus resident record shop, Monorail Music. Bakery-café TheDorkyFrench on Parnie Street is also vegan, specialising in croissants and other delectable pastries. Nearby, Daddy Marmalades serves pizzas with serious cocktails, while Super Bario has arcade and pinball machines alongside interesting beers.

Classy curry-houses include Namaste By Delhi Darbar in the shopping centre, with a flamboyant interior, familiar dishes and spiced-up afternoon tea featuring ‘grandad’s masala chai’, a three-star Great Taste winner in its own right. On Howard Street is award-winning Madras Café, skilfully blending regional food, with sister restaurant Kinara By Shabu Natarajan on King Street doing sophisticated seafood, tandoori and slow-cooked dum pukht dishes.