Nearby Food and Drink

By 'nearby' we mean approximately a 0.6 mile / 1km distance.

Finnieston, the area immediately to the north of the conference centre across the footbridge, has become Glasgow's most up and coming area for food and drink. There is a wide selection of places to get food, ranging from grab and go sandwiches and drinks, to some of the best restaurants in the city.

The link for each place leads to a page showing its contact details, web site and a location map.

Sit-down options are limited at the Conference Centre itself. The only choice is Clydebuilt Bar and Kitchen, which serves a small range of meals, focussing on several types of burger. There are vegetarian and vegan options. Reservations are available on their website and are recommended for the duration of the convention.

McColls sells a wide range of confectionery, newspapers and sandwiches, soft drinks and other iems for take-away.

Deli & Bakery is a small unit in the SEC, selling coffee and (slightly overpriced but good quality) sandwiches, hot takeaway food (both vegan and non-vegan) and baked goods.

Next closest is the Crowne Plaza Hotel, which has a full-service resturant with a wide range of standard hotel meals. It has the advantage of also being open for breakfast.

Slightly further away (650m, crossing one road) on Lancefield Quay is Cranside Kitchen. Inside this building originally a means to access a tunnel taking you to the other side of the river it now contains four restaurants: Romano's: Italian dishes and pizza; Xi'an: predominantly Cantonese; Chang: Thai; Pokebowl: Haiwaiian style poke bowls, Yuzu: Japanese. It is open from 1200 to 2300.

Booking: https://www.cransidekitchen.co.uk/booking.html Sample Menus: Romanos: https://www.cransidekitchen.co.uk/romanos.html, Xi'an: https://www.cransidekitchen.co.uk/xian.html, Chang: https://www.cransidekitchen.co.uk/chang.html, Pokebowl: https://www.cransidekitchen.co.uk/pokebowl.html, Yuzu: https://www.cransidekitchen.co.uk/yuzu.html

OUIBar & KITCHN at the Radisson Red Hotel

The modern and popular variation of the Radisson hotel chain, with a rooftop terrace bar for warmer nights. The OUIBar and KITCHN (sic) serves a pretty standard modern international menu of burgers, pizzas, caesar salad etc.

Booking will be essential during the convention.

The Recess Terrace at the Hilton Garden Inn is another terrace bar and restaurant for the better weather. No menu on website. Will require booking.

India Quay is a contemporary Indian restaurant serving a range of standard British Indian food, with a handy to-go menu for food collection. Booking recommended if you wish to dine in the restaurant.

The closest Starbucks is on the other side of the river, on the ground floor of the Village Hotel. There are better options for an actual coffee in the city, but sometimes an iced latte or similar is what’s going to hit the spot.

Getting to any of the following involves crossing over the footbridge at the northern limit of the SEC, that passes over the Clydeside Expressway. This is step-free but has cycle gates at the southern entrance and a steep incline from south to north.

Sometimes we crave it. Sometimes, we hate ourselves. Sometimes, these times are the same. In saying that, it's a known quantity for many people, and brand standards pretty much mean you will get what you expect.

McDonalds is definitely one of your choices.

Ice cream and desserts are the focus at Big Licks, but there are also burgers and savoury choices too.

Lidl, a German chain supermarket, is the closest basic–range supermarket to the SEC. By 'basic range' we mean that it will have fresh fruit and vegetables, a bakery, staple foods, beers, wines and spirits and pharmacy items — but not with a range of brands for the same item and less breadth of choice than you would expect in a full–range supermarket. For the duration of the convention, it may well suffice for your needs.

Coffee and huge stuffed cookies, open Friday — Sunday only. If you absolutely want a cookie-based sugar hit with caffeine on the side, Chulo’s is the place for you.

Pickled Ginger is evening meal territory: authentic Japanese and Korean food, including ramen, sushi and bento. Booking recommended, ordering for collection or delivery available too.

Strip Joint is a family-friendly (Kids Make Your Own Pizza!) pizza and drinks place, incorporating a vinyl record store! 2 for 1 pizzas every day until 2100, tank-fresh lager. Food available for collection, bookings for tables highly recommended.

Meat is the only choice at Chateau-X - specifically beef. Highlights are the Sunday Roast and Steak Frites Mondays. Open evenings.

Wonderful Moroccan coffee shop. Finnieston Fez serves strong and spiced coffee (as well as regular) along with a range of lunchtime regulars and North African specialities. Only 20 seats and no booking, so be prepared to queue for a bit. Worth it, though.

Wings, burgers and pub classics are the focus at Lebowski’s since opening in 2007. Oh, and 30 variations on a White Russian Ukrainian cocktail if Angry Milk is your tipple of choice.

An Italian restaurant with a short and modern menu (though we’ve not been brave enough to try the pizza made with activated charcoal in the dough!) Joia Resturant is great for a big lunch or dinner.

There is little as traditional as Fish and Chips for a quick meal in Scotland. The Kent Fish and Chip Bar serves up all the standards¹⁾, and has online ordering for collection.

A ‘Piece’²⁾, in the local dialect of central Scotland, is better known as a sandwich, and that’s exactly what you’ll get at Piece. The choices range widely over the culinary map. and several can be converted into salad bowls, Call to order for collection and they’re available for delivery by the food apps too.

Fanny Trollope’s was here at the time of the last Glasgow Worldcon so it’s a long-stayer in the fast changing local dining scene. Now, as then, it serves up Scottish-sourced fine dining. Open evenings, reservations are essential.

Open only on Friday — Sunday afternoons and evenings for walk-ins only, you’ll need to queue for Rafa’s. It’s well worth it though as it serves the best Mexican tacos in Glasgow.

Included because it just squeaks in under the distance rule, and because the name³⁾ makes us laugh. The Doner Kebab is a late–night after–drinking meal of choice throughout the world where there has been culinary influence from the peoples of the former Ottoman Empire — and Glasgow is no different.