Image by Julia Forrest

One of the best kept shopping secrets in Glasgow, Saratoga Trunk is an excellent vintage clothing and costume hire store located near the city centre, at Anderson. They have by far the widest range of vintage clothes in Scotland, possibly even the UK! There is everything here from classy to funky to flashy in all forms (clothing, accessories, and shoes) to suit all everyone!They have an amazing collection of vintage clothes from every era for hire or purchase. 

The selection of dresses is mind boggling; I have honestly never seen so many in the one place. 1950′s polka dot dresses with flirty little ruffles, 1930′s flapper dresses, trouser suits from the 70′s and full bloomers! Most pieces are from the 40′s to the 60′s and there are some very special fragile items from the 1920′s too. Due to the vast collection, Saratoga Trunk is my go to place for an evening gown or a dress for a special event. It is not organised by size, but you will definitely see something you like. Make no mistake, everything here is very special and although not fragile, this is certainly not your average vintage store

It’s appointment only, so make sure to phone first to book. The owner is on hand to advise what pieces are from which period, and if you phone first with your sizes and decade/style preferences Mr McLay will be able to pick out some items that you might be interested in.

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Saratonga Trunks | Shopping | Dress hire £ 30
61 Hydepark Street, G3 8BW | City Centre | +441412214433
Mon – Fri 10:30 – 17:00

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Image by Julia Forrest

The Stand Comedy Club is a bit of an institution in Scotland. It was first established in in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket, before setting up its sister venue in the basement of an old Victorian School in the west end of Glasgow.

Tables in a good spot are quite hard to come by if you arrive late, so it’s worth coming early and getting a drink first. It’s all quite dark and dingy inside, but the atmosphere is always great.

Many top comedians including Frankie Boyle and Stewart Lee have performed at the Stand. You could be lucky enough to see “The Next Big Thing” or maybe just cringe your way through someone’s 5 minutes of fame, but the one thing you can be guaranteed of, is that there’s something new every night! It’s a great place to go out on a date or with friends, just don’t sit too near the front if you are not too comfortable with being part of the act.

Comedy lovers can get their fix of laughs every night of the week, and with tickets starting from as low as £2 it’s a great alternative to pubs or clubs. It’s presence as Glasgow’s only full-time comedy club has helped The Stand be one of the key venues at the Magners Comedy Festival (held in March every year).

Tuesday nights host “Red Raw” show with around 10 beginner acts getting the chance to showcase their talents (or lack thereof), and a seasoned headliner act to finish off the evening.

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The Stand | Bars, Theaters | Show from £ 2.00
333 Woodlands Road | West End
19:30 – 23:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Glasgow

Image by julia forrest

With the smell of sweet somethings in the air and a look at the daily specials, as soon as you enter Heart Buchanan you know right away that this place could be the death of you. Everything looks so inviting.

The relaxed atmosphere at Heart Buchanan, is immediately welcoming. The menu, which offers seasonal and local produce with some nice gourmet ingredients, is equally inviting. The restaurant is well conceived, with great care taken to prepare a limited menu of the best offerings, updating ingredients every month, and supplemented with a tasting menu, and cookery classes.

Some items, such as pea pistachio pilaf with pomegranate and rose petals, are clearly the inspiration of a talented chef. Others are takes on classics, such as chicken and tarragon pie. It may be tough to score a table in this joint, but head next door to the deli where there are more tables on the mezzanine, and you can look down and admire all the beautiful cakes before treating yourself to one!

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Heart Buchanan | Restaurants (Scottish) | Main meal £ 13
380 Byres Rd | West End | +441413347626
Mon – Fri 08:30 – 21:30, Sat 09:00 – 21:30, Sun 12:00 – 19:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Glasgow

Image by Julia Forrest

Bar 10 has been around for more than twenty years and is one of a number of bars in the area to carve out a niche in the post-work dinner and drink fare.

Serving up Mediterranean food at a reasonable price, Bar 10 offers a laid back spot for eating and drinking, and friendly service. Among various types of draft and bottled beer, Bar 10 offers a great mid week deal of £8.50 for a bottle of wine.

The crowd includes a mix of patrons that vary in age and intention, but students and young locals are the norm. For drinking, Bar 10 functions as a jump-off point, a barhop stop or just a place to wind down. There’s something different on each night, from poker to acoustic night, and the weekends you’ll usually find DJ’s play a mix of funk and soul.

The bar’s retro and cool sort of atmosphere is great, but the location is the main winner for me without a doubt. It’s inexplicably secluded despite being right in the middle of Glasgow, and perfect during the day for a book and a bowl of soup as it is for drinks with friends in the evening.

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Bar 10 | Bars, Restaurants (Mediterranean) | Main meal £ 12
10 Mitchell Lane | City Centre
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 00:00, Sun 12:00 – 00:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Glasgow

Image by Julia Forrest

I go to The Lighthouse all the time, to pay homage to one of the best views of Glasgow and to browse the amazing gift shop. Located just off the heart of Glasgow’s shopping street – Buchanan Street – The Lighthouse is Scotland’s Centre for Architecture and Design. The former Glasgow Herald Building is impressive and inside is even better.

If you are in the city centre and in need of an escape, then the hidden Lighthouse is definitely worth a stroll around. It’s completely free admission and very peaceful and well arranged. Each of the different levels is brimming with art, projects, workshops and exhibits all year-round. It is also home to the Mackintosh Centre, and if you are a Charles Rennie Mackintosh nut like myself, then it’s a must see, as it plots Mackintosh’s contribution to the history of architecture and design in a timeline wall.

The best way to burn off all those weekend calories and to get one of the best views of Glasgow city centre is to head up the 134 steps to the top of Mackintosh tower. You might be exhausted afterwards, but at least you’ll get to treat yourself to a spectacular view of the city.

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The Lighthouse | Art & culture | Free
11 Mitchell Lane | City Centre | +441412216362
Mon, Wed – Sat 10:30 – 17:00, Tue 11:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Glasgow

Image by Julia Forrest

If you are craving great, fresh seafood with excellent service, Crabshakk is the place! It’s a really down to earth restaurant, with very limited seating, and all the staff are really friendly. The best thing about this restaurant is the freshness of the food.

A pot of black shelled mussels is large enough to share for a starter, and the creamy white broth is perfect for dipping your bread in. The mains range from inexpensive Fish Club Sandwich to a blow-out £60 Fruits de Mer platter to share. You can’t go to the Crabshakk without trying the crab -try the crab claws or the simple but delicious crab-cakes.

As this establishment is small it gets busy quickly, I would advise dining early. I love having early dinners here around 17:00 – 18:00 during the weekdays. Also, make sure to check out the daily specials. They’re always a treat, and almost never repeated twice.

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Crabshakk | Restaurants (Seafood) | Dinner £ 18
1114 Argyle St | West End | +441413346127
Mon – Sat 09:00 – 12:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Glasgow

Image by Julia Forrest

This once vegetarian cafe has been a long established part of the West End (since 1960), but I only recently discovered how great it is! With a large dining space in which wide windows overlook the Great Western Road, the Bay Tree is a airy cafe by day and a romantic spot at night.

The food is excellent, Mediterranean-inspired fare, with quality, locally sourced ingredients and simple recipes the order of the day. There’s a wide range including some excellent mezze plates which are perfect for sharing. You can generally count on being served up some of tasty hummus out there, as well as stuffed vine leaves, couscous and kebabs.

The coffee is good too, and there is free WIFI so it’s a perfect place to sit and relax. At night, the resturant is softly lit and the Bay Tree is also BYOB with no corkage charge so it’s a great place to come for a date or a catch up with friends. There are often lunchtime specials, with starters and main courses from just £7.95.

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The Bay Tree | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Middle Eastern ) | Main Meal £ 12
403 Great Western Road | West End | +441413345898
Mon – Sat 09:00 – 22:00, Sun 09:00 – 21:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Glasgow

Image by Julia Forrest

Hidden in the hustle and bustle of Byres Road, you could not be blamed for walking past La Vallee Blance’s doors without ever suspecting that a little treasure laid upstairs.

French by name and nature, these guys have definitely got the joi de vivre going on. As soon as you walk in, you are transported to the French Alps. The waiters are prompt and knowledgeable, and it’s the small thoughtful gestures that they do for you throughout your meal that make all the difference.

For lunch and dinner, La Vallee Blanche offer a prix fixe and a la carte menu – two courses for £13.95, three courses for £16.95. You can also opt in for the cheaper weekend brunch menu, but if your time and budget extends to it, I would recommend treating yourself to a two/three course meal.

The menu provides a mouth watering selection of starters, mains and desserts. The dishes are not huge servings, which happily leaves you with room for dessert. The food is classically French, with a good proportion of lighter elements more suited to the Scottish palette.

With the inclusion of wine, you are looking on the pricer side for a meal here. However, if you are wanting to dine at an intimate restaurant where the food and wine is excellent, and the staff genuinely do their best to make you feel special, then I think La Vallee Blanche is worth getting excited about.

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La Vallee Blanche | Restaurants (French/Scottish) | Dinner £ 25.00
360 Byres Road | West End | +441413343333
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 23:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Glasgow

Image by Julia Forrest

Taking its name from an area in SoHo, New York, Tribeca promises to deliver “a little slice of the big apple in the heart of the Westend”.

Situated on Dumbarton Road, just look for the NYC taxi and NYPD cop car to find this great cafe. The cafe itself is very little and very lovely, all distressed wooden floors, chalk boards and chirpy chat from the staff. With only a handful of tables, get here early at the weekend as it’s get very busy.

If the sun is out, there are a handful of tables at the front of the restaurant, where you can try and replicate the chilled out NY sidewalk cafe atmosphere with your Americano. But if it’s a hangover cure you are after, then the big portions of American style breakfasts hit the spot.

When it comes to food, Tribeca’s speciality is New York style brunch – think eggs, pancakes, bagels and waffles. However, the star of the show is the Manhattan – carbtastic full American breakfast. It’s not the cheapest brunch in town, at around £8.50 for a signature omelette, but the atmosphere and friendly, local feeling welcome me back time and time again.

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Tribeca | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (American ) | Lunch £ 10
102 Dumbarton Road | West End | +441415760122
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 19:00, Sat – Sun 09:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Glasgow

Image by Julia Forrest

This restaurant opened in 2010 but it feels like old New York inside. Described as Glasgow’s first boutique steakhouse and cocktail bar, this venue is a great place to go out to at the weekend. The Butchershop is located at the corner of Sauchiehall street, making it very convenient for anyone in the West End. It’s warm, opulent interior with low lighting and chic staff make it a great place to see in the evenings.

The food is certainly inspired by the name with the menu focusing predominately on steaks and burgers, but there are other less meaty options available for vegetarian and fish eaters. Carnivores especially will enjoy the deliciously tender 28 day aged Scottish Sirloin and thick, hand cut chips. And you can grab yourself a bargain with the pre-theatre menu, offering a choice of 2 or 3 courses for a very reasonable £12.95 or £15.95.

The Butchershop also prides itself on their rather delicious cocktails. At around £8(ish) a drink, it’s not cheap, but in my opinion, it’s worth it. If you want to learn how to mix your own cocktails then it’s worth considering the Cocktail Master classes that the Butchershop put on. You get to drink the drink you make, plus you get a two course meal thrown in for good measure!

If you love your steaks and cocktails a little more grown up than the usual chain restaurants that pop up all over the city, this one is definitely for you.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
The Butchershop | Bars, Restaurants (Steakhouse) | Dinner £ 25
1055 Sauchiehall Street | West End | +441412293999
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 00:00; Fri – Sat 12:00 – 01:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Glasgow