I was introduced to this place by a Soo'sider friend last week, and what a fantastic wee shop it…read moreis! Well worth the trawl(!) over from the West End. They have a wonderful selection of all sorts of seafood, including a couple of fish that I'd never heard of. Fresh or frozen, smoked, live, pre-cooked, filleted... you name it, they've probably got it. Each week's selection varies, depending on what the fishermen bring in, and they're only open on Fridays and Saturdays. The staff are really chatty and provide great advice if you're not sure what to do with your fish. It's run by a group of fishermen; everything comes straight off the boat and is very reasonably priced compared with other fishmongers (not that there's many on this side of the river). It's definitely worth making an effort to visit here, this is one of the best shops for seafood in town.

I love seafood and I was excited to discover this place totally by accident yesterday. I was…read moreparking my car on Springhill Gardens when I noticed it by the cycle shop. It opened in December and is a wee shop but with a lot of selection. I wasn't buying anything as I was off to meet a friend, but I had a bit of a nosey all the same. Whole monkfish, plaice, hake, skate as well as langoustines and scallops were out on display and all looked delicious. They also have a range of smoked products from Kintyre including salmon, haddock, clams and kippers. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and I promised to return soon to buy something. This shop is well worth a visit if you're looking for locally sourced fish and seafood.

I respect a business which is gallus enough to have a sign proclaiming "Best Steak Pies in Glasgow"…read morein their window. I was drawn in by that immediately and knew that a steak pie would be on the menu in our house that night. First up, this is probably one of the friendliest shops I've been in. And in Glasgow, where most people are super-friendly as standard, that's saying something. The butcher had loads of chat/banter and was really helpful and kind. He knew customers names (not mine, I've never been there before and I assume he isn't psychic) and generally had a really warm demeanour that would make me return just for the chat. Onto the pie. I ended up buying 2 individual steak pies and 2 chicken pies (he was a good up-seller, too) for just over £6 which I thought was a really good price. I forgot to ask him how long they needed in the oven but with the help of Chef Google, I stuck them in for 20 minutes at 180 which was perfect. And my, what delicious pies they were. Properly filled with nice chunky bits of steak and a delicious gravy, I'm not sure I can remember having a better pie. The pastry was lovely and they were a great size for dinner. Will I go on a mission to see if they really are the best steak pies in Glasgow? Probably not - now I've discovered here I'm not sure that I'd bother going anywhere else.

Though not my closest butchers, I do enjoy investigating new places in and around Glasgow -…read moreparticularly butchers. While, doing so I especially take pleasure in 'investigating' their steak pies. It's kinda a foodie fetish. In a nice, wholesome good girl way. Anyway, I was very pleasantly surprised with this butcher's (though admittedly it doesn't take all that much to win me over when I know I'll have a full belly within a couple of hours - if that). It is fairly small which gives it a cosy, friendly and homely feel reminiscent of my Grandma's kitchen when she used to rustle up mince and tatties. This buyer friendly atmosphere is really helped by the chatty staff who are more than happy to provide cooking tips for marinading cuts of meat or recommending the best cut choices and cooking methods/times. Indeed, if it wasn't for receiving this well founded advice, I am certain I could very simply ruin even a 'stick in the oven' steak pie. Just ask the boy... Now, onto the steak pie. Mmmm. It is delicious. There are a range of sizes so you can have a small one to do you for a tasty dinner treat or a massive one to do a traditional dinner party or pretend to the folks that you've actually learnt how to cook. Either way, it's a good idea. The meat is really tender; the sauce thick, savoury and most importantly not too salty and the crust just perfect. If steak pie isn't your thing (???) they also have a good range of other meat products as Eleanor mentions as well as poultry, seasonal game and fresh rolls.

I don't even like sandwiches and I loved this place!! Happened to walk by when thinking about lunch…read moreand this was perfect. They had me when I saw a sandwich named after Ottolenghi! Yes! Sign me up! I tried that one and the beet sandwich- both were delicious. A great lunch size and very filling. Would definitely go here again and feel lucky to have stumbled upon them!

Fast service with a range of really delicious vegetarian options. If you like spice, get the veggie…read morebanh mi!

Kimbles is a family business that has been in the St Enoch Centre since 2002. They sell pre-boxed…read morechocolates and single chocolates that can be boxed to your specifications. A couple of years ago, their shop expanded to include a little café, where you can enjoy their chocolates with a hot drink. My favourite combination has to be tablet and a tea with no sugar, so you can get the contrast in the two. I bought a box of the chocolates for Maw once and she said they were fantastic, although they're the kind of ones you can only eat 2 or 3 of at a time. For it being such a small, quality business, prices actually aren't that bad.

I am a romantic man…read more Being Finnish, my missus has a sweet tooth to rival any Scot, whilst managing not to be obese. It's a mystery. Anyhow, I recall her excitement at finding this place a while back but never having been in. I took it upon myself to do all the work and pick her up some chocolates for a mini-celebration. They might have been better than the ones I have just worked through from Marks and Spencers I got from Christmas, and were certainly better than Thorntons. Everything in Thorntons sort of tastes the same, in the same way everything in McDonalds also tastes the same. The staff were friendly and chatty and more or less done the work on my behalf to be fair with regards to buying the chocolates, all I done was actually pay for them. Didn't pay as much as I was prepared to either so I treated myself to a cup of coffee, which was also above average. I am a romantic man. Who knows how to treat himself as well.

It's getting to that time of year again, when the queues stretch literally for two blocks outside…read moreJ. Mellis. You won't find a better cheesemonger in town, and doesn't Mr Mellis know it. I never really noticed just how big a deal cheese becomes at Xmas until I saw the queues here, and it prompted me to give it a try myself. I went for the unusual combination of French saucisson and a nice bit of Wensleydale, and after it I can safely say that despite the sometimes stomach turning smell, I'll definitely be back.

You can smell it before you even get in the door, but don't let that stop you!…read more I love cheese, and, I should probably put that on my CV somewhere. I. LOVE. CHEESE. Even the stinky ones. Here's a few tips about Mellis's. First, be sure to talk to the staff and tell them what you're looking for. There's a couple of benefits of doing this. First of all, they'll help you find something suited to your taste. Secondly, they'll help you find something that goes with the meal or wine you'll be having. They're very knowledgeable about their cheeses, so trust them. If they suggest something you're not used to, don't say no just because you don't like blue cheese (or whatever). They won't have you try something they don't think you'll like. Which brings me to my second point: If you're going to dinner at a friend's (which I often do); tell them what's for dinner, or if you're not sure, tell them what wine you're bringing as well. The staff will ask some questions to get a better idea of what you want. Do you want something melty? Something soft? Or maybe a cheddar? Then, not only will they help you pick a cheese which will go with your meal, but they'll help you pick a second cheese that will go with the first. If you tell them where you're going, or what you're planning to have the cheese with, they'll get out their little pear knife, and have you taste different ones until you find the ones you like. You'll never choose blindly, and that's a good thing. Here's another tip: If you're just wanting to buy something for the sake of having it and not a special occasion, look behind you. There's a little display of discounts there, which are usually on sale. I once bought a pot of really melty, stinky stuff and it was divine. And cheap. And once, when I went in with my gift certificate (they won't give you change, so you have to use it all), they gave me a half a dozen eggs for 20p just so that I could use my gift certificate up to the penny. Now that's service! Parma ham and other meats are sliced right in front of you, so that you can choose the thickness and amount that you want, which is way way wayyyy better than buying a pre-packaged selection from the supermarket. And hand-made oatcakes? Pretty cheap for oatcakes and so delish they can be eaten on their own. I love cheese. And I also love I J Mellis.

great selection of fresh produce, prices are consistently fair, open/close times are the most…read moreconvenient in the area for busy schedules & the staff are always friendly and helpful! my favorite place to shop.

Garden Fresh Exotics is genuinely my idea of heaven. An endless supply of fresh produce, weird and…read morewonderful herbs and spices, and any sort of Afro Caribbean ingredients you'll ever need can all be found under this roof. And the best part about it? It's all criminally cheap. I went in today and left with fenugreek seeds, star anise, cardamom, caraway seeds, rose syrup and nutmeg. For a tenner. That may not sound overly cheap, but these were massssssive bags, and I swear the amount of star anise in the bag will last me about 5 years. I will definitely be back here again and again. The staff are helpful, they know where anything you need is, and the plethora of fresh fruit and veg available will benefit me greatly!

Fantastic waitstaff! Vegan breakfast was great! Loved the sausages and beans and sourdough. The…read morehuevos rancheros were good too.

Definitely one of my favourite place to go in the west end, also because it was right in front of…read morewhere I lived. I really enjoyed their food, always fresh, warm and tasty. By I mean tasty, they put some twists into the dishes, they would add some different species. However, I was never disappointed, not even once. I sometimes go to buy bread from them, also quite good, always fresh too. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars: depending who's behind the counter, the service highly varies. Sometimes it's the really nice and courteous girl who brights up my day, but sometimes I get unlucky with some person without a smile :(

Love Whittard of Chelsea! They have an amazing variety of drinks and teas, my favorite being the…read moresalted caramel hot chocolate. The service was fine but they weren't rude. And I really like the inside's decoration and things that you can have, all of the different tea samples and they have a lot of different ones. I would say that this place is great for a morning cup of tea or coffee.

After taking the train to Glasgow, our first stop was Whittard in the shopping mall for some tea…read moreand coffee. This cafe was so clean and I loved the layout and display of products throughout the store. There was a separate counter to sample some of the teas while waiting for our drinks to be made. The barista was so sweet and brought our drinks out to our table. Since we were traveling, my dad asked the barista to fill his new water bottle with water and she cleaned it and filled it with ice cold water for him. It's the little things! My mocha was very rich and tasty. I loved the presentation as well. Overall, a beautiful tea shop to visit while shopping.

I really enjoy shopping in in independent stores, I was surprised to find this little gem with a…read morebig display of their finest selected cuts of meats, displayed in an eye catching way that complimented the foods on offer. I buy my Stornaway black pudding here all the time when I'm passing through, at the side there is a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, potatoes and fresh eggs. You can order any items that they don't usually stock like turkey's for Christmas & venison. Definitely a place to stop by for all your fresh meats.

Folk coming over for lunch. I fancied cooking some lamb shanks. How hard can it be? Find a good…read morelocal butcher on Yelp, call to order, pick up, pay, cook & serve. Stymied at step 2 when I called a highly-rated establishment in Clarkston. Me: "Hi, I'd like to order some lamb shanks for Friday (3 days away)." Butcher: "Oh sorry, someone else has already ordered lamb shanks." Me: "OK....do you only have one lamb??" Next call Thomson Brothers; Me: "Hi, could I order some lamb shanks please?" Butcher: "No problem, sir. How many? For Friday? See you then." On the day, a cheery welcome, some good banter and some superb shanks, all wrapped and ready to go. In terms of quality & size, more like lion shanks than lamb. The shop looks small from outside but is extremely well appointed.has a fantastic selection of meat, including steaks, beef olives, sausages, black pudding...you name it, they've got it. I'm going to be eating more meat, for an excuse to visit my not-so-local butcher.

This is a great supermarket! I shopped here every day recently when we were in the area. A…read morewonderful array of fresh vegetables and fruit, lots of choice in frozen and chilled foods, all the packet and tinned food you could ever need and lovely fresh bread, rolls and cakes too. So much more besides, including alcohol, newspapers and magazines. There's a fair sized car park at the side which was never full when we visited. The Co-op is found just around the corner at the top of the main shopping street and on the Oban (north) road.