Gandolfi Fish

Sleek seafood restaurant slap bang in the Merchant City offering fresh catch classics and paired wines in a modern setting.

The 2019 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

The slick sister of Café Gandolfi, this stalwart spot’s been serving the city since 2007. The décor is sleek and swaps the wood next door for glass, tiles and colourful artwork. There’s a simple respect for quality ingredients that makes the place stand out. Cumbrae oysters taste as though plucked straight from the ocean – all marine lick of the sea with splashes of vinegar, shallots and lemon. Salt and pepper calamari tastes textured and crispy next to a Thai dipping sauce, while grilled lobsters are pillowy, moist, and cut through with the caper and gherkin tang of salsa verde. Mains are heartier – sea trout Wellington or fish pie. Fish choice changes depending on catch and season – such as sea bass with crispy potatoes, sautéed greens and caper butter. It’s best not to skip the desserts here, either – the chocolate brownie is rich and cacao-laden, with a moreish scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Wines are clever, too. Each main comes with a recommended glass, taking complication out the equation. It’s a welcomely stripped-back and beautifully refined menu across the board.

Listed in the Glasgow Larder – order a print copy (free + p&p).