Ox and Finch

Creative, contemporary cooking in Finnieston's bustling food scene, serving sharing plates with Michelin Bib Gourmand status.

The 2018 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £7.95 (+p&p).

Such is the culinary influence it holds, it’s now difficult to imagine Glasgow’s food scene without this Finnieston heavyweight and the punchy palate of flavours it brings. Since opening in 2014, former F1 chef Jonathan MacDonald has carved out its place as an exciting and vibrant bastion of modern Scottish cuisine. An early advocate of small-plates, the open kitchen continues to smash out a smorgasbord of colourful dishes, mixing up the freshest Scottish ingredients with lesser known delights like halkidiki, zhug and harrisa. Try octopus as never before – pulpo à la plancha with zingy sambal, the kick of galangal and wilted pak choi, or the oily slick of mackerel fillet with the lift of burnt orange and braised fennel. With an intriguing wine list, and cocktails such as the Harvest Moon (Botanist gin, late harvest riesling, egg white, honey and lime), there’s much to slake a thirst in the drinks department too. Now in its fourth year of service, Ox and Finch still manages to be fresh and exciting – no mean feat.

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

Straight up fresh natural ingredients, creativity and precision in flavours and textures of all elements has earned, Ox and Finch a Michelin ‘Bib Gourmand’ star for good value food – one of only three held in Glasgow. This unpretentious place is buzzing with open kitchen and bar exuding efficiency through to the chattering diners cooing over sharing plates. Packed utilitarian style shelves tagged with an array of regional continental wines reinforce provenance all the way to the wide choice of craft beers, ales and cider. Scanning the placemat menu (noticeably free of fluffy descriptions) it’s hard to resist wanting it all in one sitting. Dishes speak for themselves. Apple-cured mackerel is exquisite and sensitively balanced in flavours accompanied by wasabi yoghurt and spiced granny smith. Colours are important too – salt and pepper squid with blood orange, chiili and saffron aioli is sunshine captured. Oh my! Lemon and earl grey baked alaska is like diving headfirst into a big cloud of squishy meringue and finding subtle citrus treasures with every spoonful. Decadent flavour depth unfolds in the layered torte – zingy blackcurrant and bitter dark chocolate the ideal bedfellows for silky smooth honeycomb ice-cream and scattering of crunch sweet cornflakes.