Elià

Authentic, warm and relaxed, with good views over George Square, Elia serves up hearty plates of Greek cuisine and delicious wines.

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Authentic, warm and relaxed, Elia has a prime location on George Square, featuring stacks of wine bottles, original brickwork, and postcard-style pictures of Greece. Light fluffy bread before the meal comes with intense olive oil and olives – both from the owner’s farm in Greece. Starters are plentiful and delicious. Prawns baked with feta and tomato is an unusual combination – the sweet, rich sauce and tangy cheese passionately marry together but the prawns feel like a bit of a spare part. Go for the deep-fried Cretian cheese, which is indulgently good, or try one of the many Greek dips – though with all these gorgeous mezze morsels, be wary of filling up too fast. Mains include grilled meats, a few pasta options and lots of slow-cooked meaty dishes – moussaka, or lamb cooked on the bone in tomato sauce. The baked beef burgers (more like sausages) come with rich tomato sauce, and are full of fragrant garlic, cumin and herbs. There are few desserts on offer – no doubt because of the enormous portion sizes – but options such as baklava are very tasty.

• High point: Genuine Greek food, warm atmosphere
• Low point: Overcooked seafood in pasta dish
• Notable dish: Kefalotyri – a cheese from Crete, lightly fried