Best Places for Brunch in Glasgow

Move over breakfast – brunch is now the most important meal of the day. And Glasgow, a city full of cafés, has plenty of spots to indulge. Some are for a champagne and caviar morning, others for nursing a raucous Saturday night. These are some of the best spots for brunch in the city.

Promising the ‘best brunch in the South’, this Shawlands spot has earned its reputation with a classic menu complemented by speciality coffees. Its specials board changes daily and is the best place to find some brunch experimentation – think crispy fried duck eggs or a pancake stack with Nutella panna cotta.

Suggestion: Pancake stacks and/or French Toast

With a cool, industrial vibe, Kilmurry and Co brings a gorgeous bistro setting to the Shawlands brunch scene. On the menu, you can have your eggs nine ways, tuck into a stack of flavoured buttermilk pancakes or enjoy one of their breakfast ciabattas – from classic eggs and bacon to Greek-inspired halloumi and pepper.

Suggestion: Kilmurry Stack or Bangin Biscoff Pancakes

Made fresh and served fast – that’s the motto of Canteen 58. Their home on Ingram Street is set up to encourage communal dining, serving breakfast until 1.30 pm. Alongside their ‘Brunchy Bits’ of bagels, avocado toast and French toast, their extensive breakfast menu means you can have your eggs however you like.

Suggestion: Traditional Breakfast

Over to Fraserburgh where pastel colours and boho vibes wait to satisfy the senses at Lister Coffee Co.

You’ve heard of people marrying the Eiffel Tower, Berlin Wall, sandwiches (don’t ask) but I may soon add to the list after catching a glimpse of the cups here. Obviously I’m kidding – I’m in no financial position to book a wedding – but I’m a firm believer that a good mug is an essential ingredient to a vibing coffee. Its handleless, two-tone and matt selection of crockery are right up my street.

If you’re not on my level of cuppy love, its selection of bakes will seal the deal. The vegan Ultimate Carrot Cake looks tempting with just the right thickness of frosting and topped with a scattering of petals and pumpkin seeds. Keep your eye out for the wonders of the From Bakery Lane kitchen making an appearance too.

An Italian restaurant and deli on Duke Street, Coia’s is a local secret for the best brunch in the city. Found in the East End, they were named by The Scotsman as one of the best places to get breakfast in the whole of Glasgow.

A TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice for 2021, Scran in Dennistoun makes its brunches with ingredients from the local area, and locals keep coming back weekend after weekend.

Whether visiting their Merchant City or Garnet Hill location, Singl-end is a great place for vegans and dog-lovers to enjoy brunch (though it’s not exclusive to them). Also a café and bakehouse, all the bread served here is made here, from gluten-free and vegan focaccia to sourdough and traditional Italian durum wheat loaf.

Named by Glasgow Live as one of the city’s most ‘Instagrammable Cafes’, the gorgeous floral and pink interiors have made it a popular brunch spot in trendy Finnieston. Their menu focuses on savoury brunch staples, open sandwiches and Japanese-inspired pancakes that you’ll want to take photos of more than you’ll want to eat.

Ocho Café is a quiet spot on the canal at Spiers Wharf, a short walk from the city centre. The brunch menu runs from open-faced toasts to full Scottish breakfasts, and the indecisive can choose the Build Your Own Brunch option.

The sister café of Café Strange Brew, Mesa is a cosy spot for around twenty diners to enjoy brunch in. The menu sets itself apart from the other brunch spots around Glasgow’s East End, particularly inspired by the flavours of the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

Epicures, in Hyndland in the West End, serves a standard and a champagne brunch at the weekend. The drinks menu is long, from cocktails to kombucha.

Morning Glory on Great Western Road opened in 2021 as a speciality coffee and brunch spot, with a farm shop alongside. The menu is a handful of dishes, none of them traditional brunch fare, and the baked goods come fresh from nearby Freedom Bakery.

Kothel has several branches, but its ‘dream brunch’ is served only in Bearsden. The rustic Bearsden café pairs Mediterranean flavours with a relatively traditional brunch menu featuring pastries, cooked breakfasts and, of course, high-quality coffee.

Available Friday to Sunday in three different locations across Glasgow, Bar Soba’s Boozy Brunches are a firm favourite among locals. Not only is their cocktail menu inventive and full of flavour, but they don’t scrimp on the food either, with dishes inspired by Asian fusion street food.

Pairing the charm of a French brasserie with a British inspired menu, Browns has been serving seasonal, delicious food for more than fifty years. Their weekend bottomless brunch is perfect for large groups – not only will you have plenty of food to choose from, but the champagne, mimosas, bellinis and Bloody Marys are free-flowing too.

Serving brunch all day, the Partick Duck Club is all about bringing high-quality comfort food to its guests. Its homestead building dates back to the 1800s – where it was a former inn and alehouse for members of Glasgow’s merchants and bankers. The restaurant is now named after the preferred dish they served – Partick duck.

A 2021 TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice in Merchant City, Wilson Street Pantry serves brunch every day. Its laid-back café is the perfect spot at the weekends – and they’re particularly proud of their brunch options, whether it’s eggs benedict, locally baked sourdough or coffee from nearby brewers, Papercup.

Serving breakfast all day, plant-based foodies can pop into Rawnchy in the East End for a brunch fix. All of the dishes here are dairy-free and vegan, with many also being gluten-free. The pancake flavours change week-to-week – and the Big Rawnchy Breakfast, complete with plant-based bacon is a favourite with the locals.

The first Scottish location of this England favourite, the Braehead Centre is home to Jamaica Blue. Serving their breakfast and brunch dishes throughout the day, their collection of traditional brunch fare is best complemented by their signature coffees, luxury hot chocolates or smoothies made in-house.

The sister café of the West End’s Morning Glory, Guid Egg near Kelvingrove Park is open for guests to enjoy a curated menu of delicious treats. Serving breakfast and brunch from 7 am to 2 pm, their menu differs from traditional brunch fare, including dishes like bone broth, vegetarian haggis, toasties and potatoes with curry mayo.

Urban West has always been about brunch. The West End café won the 2019 Best Café Award at the Scotland Business Awards, and its team makes as much as it can in-house, with artisan coffees alongside.

Saint Judes serves a brunch menu at the weekends. This Bath Street staple is usually best known for its creative cocktails, and the creativity continues with its brunch menu. Look out for incredible pancakes and French toast, or the halloumi or black pudding stack made with toasted sourdough.

Hamptons Brunch opened on the South Side in 2021. The menu is familiar brunch fare, from eggs to brioche French toast, made with local ingredients. Customers with allergies, gluten and dairy especially, have praised it as a good place to eat.

Serving brunch daily from 10.15 am – 4 pm, The Bungo Bar and Kitchen mixes familiar Scottish flavours with touches of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Found in Pollokshields, the brunch menu is curated with contemporary dishes, including vegan full breakfasts, southern fried chicken and waffles and eggs any way you like them – from baked to bhurji masala.