Central Belt
Date ideas in Glasgow
Updated
Glasgow is a cracking city for dates, and a surprising amount of the best of it is free. The big council museums cost nothing to get into, the parks are huge, and when it rains (it will) there's always somewhere dry and interesting within a short walk. These are our picks for a first date, a fiftieth, or a Saturday when neither of you can decide.
Our picks in Glasgow
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Argyle Street, West End, on the edge of Kelvingrove Park
Address: Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8AG- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Wander one of the UK's best-loved free museums, from Dalí's "Christ of Saint John of the Cross" to the hall of floating heads.
Why it's a good date: There's enough variety that you'll never run out of things to talk about, and it's made for a wet day. Finish with a walk through Kelvingrove Park if the weather clears.
Photo: Suicasmo, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Glasgow Botanic Gardens and the Kibble Palace
Great Western Road, at the top of Byres Road, West End
Address: Glasgow Botanic Gardens, 730 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 0UE- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Rainy day
Stroll the gardens, then warm up in the Kibble Palace, a Victorian glasshouse full of tree ferns and statues.
Why it's a good date: Half indoors, half out, so it works in most weather. Grab a coffee on Byres Road and follow the River Kelvin walkway from the gardens. Dogs are welcome in the gardens on a short lead, but not inside the glasshouses, so take turns in the Kibble Palace.
Photo: Pacifier, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
The Glasgow Necropolis
Cathedral Square, next to Glasgow Cathedral, East End
Address: Glasgow Necropolis, Castle Street, Glasgow G4 0UZ- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Romantic
Climb through the Victorian garden cemetery on the hill beside Glasgow Cathedral, crossing in over the Bridge of Sighs.
Why it's a good date: Atmospheric rather than morbid, with some of the best views over the city. Go near sunset on a clear evening and pop into the cathedral on the way. Dogs are allowed on a lead shorter than two metres, as in all the council's cemeteries.
Photo: TomZoy, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
Riverside Museum
Pointhouse Place, on the Clyde at Partick
Address: 100 Pointhouse Place, Glasgow G3 8RS- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Explore Glasgow's transport museum, with old trams, cars, bikes and a recreated Glasgow street, then step outside to the Tall Ship moored on the Clyde.
Why it's a good date: It's playful and properly nostalgic, and most people find something they remember. The zigzag building by Zaha Hadid is worth the trip on its own.
Photo: Leslie Barrie, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
The Barras
Gallowgate, East End
Address: The Barras Market, Moncur Street, Glasgow G40 2SL- Activity
- Cheap and cheerful
Rummage the East End's famous market for vintage finds, records and oddities, then look up at the Barrowland Ballroom sign next door.
Why it's a good date: A set budget and a challenge (find each other the best thing under a fiver) makes for a daft, fun date. Check which days traders are in before you go.
Photo: Richard Webb, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
A walk along the Clyde
Glasgow Green to Finnieston, along the river
Address: Glasgow Green, Templeton Street, Glasgow G40 1AT- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Active
Start at Glasgow Green and follow the Clyde Walkway west, under the city-centre bridges to the Finnieston Crane and the Armadillo.
Why it's a good date: A long, easy walk with a changing view, and plenty of places to stop for food at the Finnieston end. Good for talking side by side rather than face to face. Dogs are welcome on a short lead or kept close at heel, as in all of Glasgow's parks.
Photo: Rosser1954, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Pollok Country Park and the Burrell Collection
Pollokshaws Road, South Side
Address: The Burrell Collection, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow G43 1AT- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Culture
Walk the woodland paths, say hello to the Highland cattle, then head into the Burrell Collection, a free museum right in the park.
Why it's a good date: Feels like a day in the country without leaving the city. The Burrell makes it rain-proof, and the collection is as varied as the park. Dogs are welcome in the park on a short lead or close at heel (mind the cattle), but not inside the Burrell, so take turns going in.
Photo: David Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA)
Royal Exchange Square, city centre
Address: Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow G1 3AH- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
See what's on at GoMA, then take the obligatory photo with the Duke of Wellington statue and his traffic cone outside.
Why it's a good date: A short, easy visit that slots into a city-centre afternoon. Contemporary art gives you plenty to agree or (better) disagree about over a drink afterwards.
Photo: Raymond McCrae from Glasgow, UK, CC BY 2.0 (cropped and resized)
The Hunterian
University of Glasgow, Gilmorehill, West End
Address: Gilbert Scott Building, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8QQ- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Visit Scotland's oldest public museum, inside the University of Glasgow's Gothic main building, then wander the cloisters.
Why it's a good date: Curious, quiet and a wee bit unexpected. The university's cloisters and quadrangles are a lovely walk in their own right.
Photo: David Hawgood, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Ashton Lane
Off Byres Road, Hillhead, West End
Address: Ubiquitous Chip, 12 Ashton Lane, Glasgow G12 8SJ- Bar
- Mid-price
- Big night
- Romantic
Spend an evening on the cobbled lane off Byres Road, with its strings of lights, bars, restaurants and the Grosvenor cinema.
Why it's a good date: The classic Glasgow date night for a reason: dinner, a film and a drink without moving more than a few steps. Go midweek if you want a quieter table.
Photo: Richard Sutcliffe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
WEST on the Green
Templeton Building, Glasgow Green, East End
Address: 15 Binnie Place, Glasgow G40 1AW- Bar
- Mid-price
- Dog friendly
- Cosy
- Outdoors
Share a pint brewed on site at WEST, in the old Templeton carpet factory on Glasgow Green, a red-brick building made to look like a Venetian palace.
Why it's a good date: WEST says its beer hall and beer garden are both dog friendly, right up to closing time, so nobody has to wait outside. Walk the dog round Glasgow Green first, then take a garden table if it's dry or a seat in the beer hall if it isn't.
Photo: Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Drygate Brewery
Drygate, below the Necropolis, East End
Address: 85 Drygate, Glasgow G4 0UT- Bar
- Mid-price
- Dog friendly
- Foodie
- Cosy
Try beers brewed on the premises at Drygate, a converted factory at the foot of the Necropolis, with a kitchen inside and the Yard and the Terrace outside.
Why it's a good date: Drygate says dogs are welcome inside and out, and there's a dog menu. Pair it with the Necropolis next door: climb up for the view, then come down for dinner and a pint.
Photo: David Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Saint Luke's and the Winged Ox
Bain Street, by the Barras, East End
Address: 17 Bain Street, Glasgow G40 2JZ- Bar
- Rain-proof ☔
- Mid-price
- Dog friendly
- Cosy
- Big night
Eat and drink at the Winged Ox, the bar inside Saint Luke's, a converted church by the Barras that also puts on gigs.
Why it's a good date: Saint Luke's invites you to bring your four-legged friends to the Winged Ox, and shares a dog of the day. It's the bar that's dog friendly, so ask before taking a dog to a gig. Make a day of it with a rummage at the Barras round the corner.
Photo: Drkirstyross, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
A walk along the Forth and Clyde Canal
Speirs Wharf, Port Dundas, to Maryhill
Address: Speirs Wharf, Port Dundas, Glasgow G4 9TG- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Active
Follow the towpath from the old grain mills at Speirs Wharf out through north Glasgow to the flight of locks and the Kelvin Aqueduct at Maryhill.
Why it's a good date: Scottish Canals welcomes dogs on the towpath as long as they're under control and you clean up after them. Bikes share the path, so a short lead helps. It's flat, quiet and greener than you'd expect, with narrowboats at the start and wide views from the locks.
Photo: William Starkey, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Inn Deep and the Kelvin Walkway
Great Western Road, Kelvinbridge, West End
Address: 445 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 8HH- Bar
- Cheap and cheerful
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Outdoors
Walk the River Kelvin up through Kelvingrove Park to Kelvinbridge, then settle in at Inn Deep, a craft beer bar in the arches under the bridge, with tables by the water.
Why it's a good date: Inn Deep gives the dogs that drink there their own page on its website, and the walkway is park path, so dogs are fine on a short lead or close at heel. The riverside tables are the ones to get.
Photo: Tbatb, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Queen's Park and the flagpole view
Queen's Park, Victoria Road, South Side
Address: Queen's Park, Victoria Road, Glasgow G42 8LU- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Romantic
Climb to the flagpole at the top of Queen's Park for a view right across Glasgow, then wander down past the pond to the cafés on Victoria Road.
Why it's a good date: Glasgow's parks welcome dogs on a short lead or kept close at heel, so it's an easy one to bring them on. Go on a clear evening: on a good day you can pick out the University tower and the hills beyond.
Photo: John Lindie, CC BY 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Paesano Pizza
Miller Street, Merchant City
Address: Paesano Pizza, 94 Miller Street, Glasgow G1 1DT- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Foodie
Share wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas at long tables in a busy, buzzy Merchant City pizzeria.
Why it's a good date: Quick, lively and one of the best-value dinners in the city centre. It's walk-in, so expect a short queue at busy times.
Sugo Pasta
Mitchell Street, City Centre
Address: Sugo Pasta, 70 Mitchell Street, Glasgow G1 3LX- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Foodie
Twirl bowls of fresh pasta at a busy, good-value pasta bar just off Argyle Street.
Why it's a good date: From the Paesano team, with the same quick, lively feel. Order a couple of plates to share. It's walk-in, so go early or late at weekends.
Ranjit's Kitchen
Pollokshaws Road, Strathbungo
Address: Ranjit's Kitchen, 607 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow G41 2QG- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Foodie
Share home-style Punjabi vegetarian cooking at a family-run canteen on Pollokshaws Road.
Why it's a good date: Simple, warm and very good value, run by a family who cook like they would at home. Pair it with a walk in Queen's Park, a few minutes up the road.
Mono
King's Court, Merchant City
Address: Mono, 12 Kings Court, Glasgow G1 5RB- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
Eat vegan comfort food at a laid-back cafe bar that's also a record shop, tucked into King's Court.
Why it's a good date: Relaxed and a bit offbeat, with records to flick through after you eat. Good for a slow lunch or an easy weeknight dinner near the Barras.
Mother India's Cafe
Argyle Street, Finnieston
Address: Mother India's Cafe, 1355 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8AD- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Foodie
Order a spread of Indian small plates to share at Mother India's casual cafe across from Kelvingrove.
Why it's a good date: Small plates mean you can try lots between you without spending much. It's right by Kelvingrove Art Gallery, so make an afternoon of it.
Dockyard Social
Haugh Road, Finnieston
Address: Dockyard Social, 95-107 Haugh Road, Glasgow G3 8TX- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Foodie
Graze your way round a weekend street-food yard in Finnieston, with independent traders, a bar and events most weekends.
Why it's a good date: Each of you picks a different kitchen and you share at the long tables. It's open at weekends with a small entry ticket, so buy ahead on busy nights.
The 78
Kelvinhaugh Street, Finnieston
Address: The 78, 14 Kelvinhaugh Street, Glasgow G3 8NU- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
- Best in Autumn, Winter, Spring
- Cosy
Tuck into vegan comfort food at a cosy, easy-going cafe bar just off Argyle Street.
Why it's a good date: Relaxed and friendly, with a homely, lived-in feel that suits a cold night. Handy for Kelvingrove and the Hydro.
Bread Meats Bread
St Vincent Street, City Centre
Address: Bread Meats Bread, 65 St Vincent Street, Glasgow G2 5TF- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- Cheap and cheerful
Share burgers and loaded fries at a busy, no-fuss burger joint in the city centre.
Why it's a good date: Loud, quick and filling, with vegetarian and vegan options too. Handy before a gig or the cinema in town.
Cail Bruich
Great Western Road, West End
Address: Cail Bruich, 725 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 8QX- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book Lorna McNee's Michelin-starred tasting menu on Great Western Road.
Why it's a good date: Glasgow's big special-occasion booking: refined Scottish cooking in a calm, low-lit room. Book well ahead, and stroll through the Botanic Gardens beforehand.
Unalome by Graeme Cheevers
Kelvingrove Street, Finnieston
Address: Unalome by Graeme Cheevers, 36 Kelvingrove Street, Glasgow G3 7RZ- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book Graeme Cheevers's Michelin-starred modern Scottish cooking in a handsome room in Finnieston.
Why it's a good date: Polished and warm at once, with seasonal Scottish produce at the centre. It's a short walk from Kelvingrove Park for a stroll before or after. Book ahead.
Crabshakk
Argyle Street, Finnieston
Address: Crabshakk, 1114 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8TD- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Big night
Share a seafood platter and a bottle of something cold at Crabshakk's narrow, buzzy original on Argyle Street.
Why it's a good date: Tight, lively and all about Scottish seafood, the kind of place that turns dinner into a celebration. Book ahead, it's small.
The Restaurant at One Devonshire Gardens
Great Western Road, Hyndland
Address: Hotel du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens, 1 Devonshire Gardens, Glasgow G12 0UX- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Romantic
- Big night
Dress up for dinner in the wood-panelled dining room of a Victorian townhouse hotel in the West End.
Why it's a good date: Quiet, grand and tucked away from the city, it suits an anniversary or a proposal. Book ahead, and go early for a drink in the bar.
Brett
Great Western Road, Kelvinbridge
Address: Brett, 321 Great Western Road, Glasgow G4 9HR- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book a set dinner or tasting menu cooked over the grill at Brett, the Cail Bruich team's small restaurant by Kelvinbridge.
Why it's a good date: Relaxed and intimate, with a counter around the open kitchen and a good natural wine list. A special night out that doesn't feel formal. Book ahead.
Fallachan Kitchen
Eastvale Place, Finnieston
Address: Fallachan Kitchen, Arch 15, 8 Eastvale Place, Glasgow G3 8QG- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Big night
Sit at one shared table under a railway arch for Craig Grozier's seasonal Scottish tasting menu.
Why it's a good date: You face the open kitchen and the chefs serve you directly, so the night feels like a dinner party. Seats are few and menus open in seasons, so book early.
Eleven Fifty Five
Argyle Street, Finnieston
Address: Eleven Fifty Five, 1155 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8TB- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book dinner at the Finnieston bistro from the team behind The Gannet, cooking modern Scottish food on Argyle Street.
Why it's a good date: Serious cooking in a relaxed, neighbourhood room, a few minutes from Kelvingrove Park. Book ahead at weekends.
Dates in Glasgow: quick answers
What are good rainy-day dates in Glasgow?
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the Riverside Museum, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Hunterian and the Burrell Collection are all indoors and free to get into. The Kibble Palace glasshouse at the Botanic Gardens is another dry option.
Are there free date ideas in Glasgow?
Yes, lots. Glasgow's council museums are free to enter, and the Botanic Gardens, the Necropolis, Pollok Country Park and the Clyde Walkway cost nothing to explore.
Where should we go for a date night in Glasgow's West End?
Ashton Lane, just off Byres Road, is the West End's classic date night, with restaurants, bars and the Grosvenor cinema on one cobbled lane.
Where can we take the dog on a date in Glasgow?
The parks and the Necropolis welcome dogs on a short lead, and the Clyde and canal towpaths are easy walks. For a drink after, WEST on Glasgow Green, Drygate, Saint Luke's and Inn Deep all say dogs are welcome. Glasgow Life's museums, Kelvingrove and the Burrell included, don't allow pet dogs inside.
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