Things to do at night in Glasgow

Glasgow has long had one of the UK’s most exciting music scenes - indeed, it has produced some of the finest UK bands, such as Franz Ferdinand, Primal Scream and Mogwai - and on any given night you can catch a raft of top-class gigs at some of the best live music venues in Scotland. Major rock bands appear at Hampden Park and the SSE Hydro. It is said that Oasis were discovered in King Tut’s Wah Wah Club, an excellent cellar club which is still a fantastic place to see up-and- coming bands. Other main venues for music in Glasgow are Òran Mór and the Barrowland Ballroom. The Glasgow International Jazz Festival in June brings in jazz musicians from all over the world. TRNSMT is a three-day music festival attracting the world’s best indie and rock bands to its stages in July each year.

Glasgow’s first-rate theatres put on high-quality productions all year round. The Citizens’ Theatre presents serious drama, with more avant-garde shows at the Tramway and the Tron. More mainstream and family-oriented productions can be seen at King’s Theatre, while Theatre Royal is also known for its musicals. Slightly off the beaten path, Cottiers Theatre is also worth checking out.

The liveliest area for nightlife remains the West End, with students mixing with locals around Byres Rd, as well as in the nearby Woodlands and Kelvingrove districts. Argyle Street is also a great choice for a night out, with a broad selection of excellent pubs, restaurants and cafés. There are countless good pubs dotted throughout the city, in fact, with the whisky bars being a particularly worthwhile jaunt. On Hope Street near Glasgow Central Station, The Pot Still is a great option, boasting a bar packed with a couple of hundred bottles of single malt whisky. For those who aren’t connoisseurs, the staff are happy to give recommendations.

One of the best things to do in Glasgow at night is to enjoy a comforting evening meal. You have plenty of choices laid out in the city. Head to The Bothy for a wonderful dining experience. Set in a lovely 1870s stone mansion, this place has a cosy interior and bench seating in the cobbled yard outside. The emphasis here is firmly on Scottish flavours, for example Isle of Arran haggis and beer-battered Scrabster haddock with hand-cut chips and mushy peas. It’s open daily for dinner. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, head to The 13th Note. It serves vegetarian and vegan food with Greek and other Mediterranean influences in one of Glasgow’s hippest restaurants on arty King St. Mains include pan-fried lemongrass and ginger rice cakes in red Thai curry sauce, and a veggie haggis with neeps and tatties.