Glasgow has two Michelin stars, a four-time Curry Capital of Britain title, and a claim to having invented chicken tikka masala. It also has Neapolitan pizza from about £7 and a Punjabi kitchen that'll feed you for under £15.
The useful part for you: several of the city's best independent restaurants take student discount — including Paesano, Di Maggio's, Chaakoo and Topolabamba. And a few of the national chains you'd expect to work here don't apply in Scotland at all.
Here's where to eat, and where your student ID actually gets you something.
Key Facts
Michelin stars: Cail Bruich and Unalome, both one star
The food areas: Finnieston, the West End, the Southside and the Merchant City
Student discount: Di Maggio's, Chaakoo, Topolabamba and Cafe Andaluz at 20%; Paesano and Sugo at 10%
Watch out: the O'Neills student discount isn't valid in Scotland
Jump to:
Where To Eat By Neighbourhood
Finnieston is the epicentre. The Argyle Street strip packs Crabshakk, Ox and Finch, Porter & Rye, The Gannet and Unalome into about a ten-minute walk. If you've got one good night out, spend it here.
The West End is the student one — leafy, between Kelvingrove Park and Byres Road, and everything from Michelin-starred Cail Bruich to noodle bars in one navigable pocket. Ashton Lane is the obvious destination.
The Southside — Victoria Road, Shawlands and Strathbungo — is where things are cheaper and more experimental. Errol's Hot Pizza and Ranjit's Kitchen are here.
The Merchant City and city centre have the central independents, and this is where most of the student discounts land.
The Best Restaurants In Glasgow
Cail Bruich
Glasgow's flagship, on Great Western Road in the West End, holding one Michelin star under chef Lorna McNee. Modern Scottish tasting menu, and the only realistic student route in is lunch, which is considerably kinder than dinner. Book weeks ahead.
725 Great Western Road, G12 8QX
Unalome by Graeme Cheevers
Glasgow's other Michelin star, in Finnieston. Same advice: lunch, booked early.
36 Kelvingrove Street, G3 7RZ
Ox and Finch
The one everybody recommends and the one you need to book. Small plates on Sauchiehall Street, open since 2014, and it holds a Bib Gourmand — Michelin's marker for good cooking at reasonable prices. Friday and Saturday tables go fast.
920 Sauchiehall Street, G3 7TF
Crabshakk
Small, busy, Finnieston, and the city's seafood benchmark. Scottish shellfish handled with no fuss.
Ubiquitous Chip
On Ashton Lane in the West End and on the same site since the 1970s. A courtyard, a whisky bar and an upstairs brasserie, which is the affordable end. A genuine Glasgow institution.
12 Ashton Lane, Hillhead, G12 8SJ
Ka Pao
Southeast Asian sharing plates, another Bib Gourmand, and one of the livelier rooms in the city.
Where Your Student Discount Works
This is the part most Glasgow restaurant guides don't cover. Several proper Glasgow independents run student discount through Student Beans, and the terms are worth knowing before you book.
Di Maggio's — 20% student discount
A Glasgow institution doing Italian-American: pizza, pasta, burgers and gelato. 20% off food, valid for the student plus one guest, on both à la carte and set menus.
Chaakoo — 20% student discount
Bombay café-inspired Indian, and genuinely good. 20% off food, student plus one guest, à la carte and set menus. Excludes the £10 Naanwich menu.
Topolabamba — 20% student discount
Mexican small plates, tacos and tequila. 20% off food, student plus one guest. Excludes the £10 Burrito deal.
Cafe Andaluz — 20% student discount
Spanish tapas built for sharing. 20% off food, student plus one guest, à la carte and set menus. Participation can vary by location, so check your branch.
Paesano — 10% student discount
The Neapolitan pizza place, ten toppings, pizzas from around £7, and reliably named among the best value in Glasgow. 10% off food, student plus one guest, à la carte.
Worth knowing: it's walk-in only, so turn up early or expect a wait.
Sugo — 10% student discount
Fresh pasta made daily, from the same stable as Paesano. 10% off food, student plus one guest, à la carte.
One rule across all of these: the discount is food only and excludes drinks, and it can't be combined with any other offer.
Chains: What Works In Glasgow And What Doesn't
Some national student discounts are excellent. Some quietly don't apply up here, and finding that out at the till is annoying.
The good ones
Zizzi — 30% off food, Sunday 5pm through Friday, up to 6 people per code. Note the Glasgow Princess Square branch is excluded on certain event days.
ASK Italian — 30% off food Sunday to Friday, up to 8 people. There's also a 50% off mains deal running Monday to Thursday, 12pm–4pm, which is the best value lunch on this page.
Byron — 20% off, minimum spend £15.
Wildwood and dim t — 30% off food, Sunday to Thursday.
The ones to watch
O'Neills — 20% off your total bill. Genuinely good, and explicitly not valid in Scotland. Don't plan a Glasgow night around it.
YO! — 25% off your total bill, minimum £15. Valid at most UK branches but excludes Glasgow Braehead.
Cheap Eats
Paesano — pizza from around £7, and arguably the best value restaurant in the city
Errol's Hot Pizza, Govanhill — BYOB, and Time Out's pick for the best pizza in Glasgow. Hard to get a table.
Ranjit's Kitchen, Pollokshields — Punjabi vegetarian home cooking, under £15
Babu Bombay — Indian street food, roughly £5–8
The Barras — food stalls, £5–10
Top Tips
Book the big ones a week or two ahead. Cail Bruich, Unalome, Ox and Finch and Crabshakk all fill up, especially Friday and Saturday.
Use lunch menus. The Michelin restaurants are far more affordable at lunch, and ASK Italian does 50% off mains between 12 and 4.
Check your discount is valid in Scotland. O'Neills isn't. YO! excludes Braehead.
Student discounts here are food only. Budget for drinks separately.
Paesano is walk-in only. Go early.
Head to the Southside for value. Victoria Road and Shawlands are cheaper than Finnieston and often more interesting.
Unlock even more with Student Beans
All your favourite brands at your fingertips, from fashion and beauty to food and drink, available to college and uni students aged 16 and over. Dive into our blog to find tips and advice to help you navigate student life, from applying to uni to life after graduation.
- Sign up for a Student Beans account or log in to start saving on the biggest and best brands.
- Download the Student Beans app to unlock exclusive app-only discounts.
