The Gannet

We have been to The Gannet many times and it remains our favourite restaurant in Glasgow!
We went for the New Year’s Eve 2015 evening and the food was simply incredible! Peter and Ivan are doing a fantastic job and surely it’s only a matter of time before their Michelin Bib Gourmand gets an upgrade!!!
More recently, we went for lunch with our neighbours a couple of weekends ago and, yet again, had a brilliant standard of food and service.
I’ve had the Black Pudding Scotch Egg several times and it remains a firm favourite!
The Diamond Fillet is also cracking; never had anything sub-​par here before and really cannot recommend it enough!

I went when it first opened and my main concerns were with the service. This has completely changed and I’ve not seen any of the original serving staff for some time.
I’ve now been a few times and I think The Gannet is safely one of the top three restaurants in Glasgow. Top quality food with a relaxed, welcoming (and knowledgeable) service. It’s a superb venue for small groups or a romantic meal given it has three dining areas. It is also casual enough that it shouldn’t be considered just an event dining experience.
Highly recommended from someone who can be hard to please!

Oh. Ma. Gawd.
Came here with a group of other lovelies for their Christmas menu, and everything was just top notch!
The staff in particular were really great in my opinion, as they were attentive without being pushy or in-​your-​face, knowing just when to come and ask about drinks, etc.
I had the cured salmon confit to start and it was absolute perfection. I love fish dishes anyway, but the texture, flavour, everything about it was amazing. I’m actually drooling a wee bit right now just thinking about it, mmm. It wasn’t the biggest of portions, but a) I was glad because that reassured me I’d manage all of my food later on too and b) when dining in a classy establishment such as the Gannet, you don’t get big clunky portions.
For main, I went for the beef fillet with dripping potatoes and ohhh those potatoes. Now, I know probably everyone thinks their mum’s roast potatoes are the best, and I still do, but these are definitely second to hers now! The fillet itself was also delish and nicely cooked.
My dessert was an utter joy to behold. A chocolate feuilletine (also fun to say!) which was accompanied by peanut brittle and hazelnut ice cream. I’m not 100% sure what a feuilletine comprises of, but it was completely delicious, so that’s really all you need to know! It had differently-​textured layers which complemented each other well, and while I did admittedly struggle towards the end, I managed to finish it and was left very happy indeed.
Another thing the Gannet scores major points for is that they’re so generous with their bread! (And it was delicious, to boot.) I hate it when restaurants are really stingy with it, but they brought us so much! I’m not even joking, that’s how seriously I feel about bread.
I would definitely love to come back here at some point!

I have struggled to write this review for quite a while. This has the reputation of being one of the best restaurants in Glasgow and I was expecting big things from it. To be honest I left feeling a bit deflated as the meal did not meet my expectations. Clearly though plenty of other people who know loads about good food love it, so maybe it is just not my preferred type of place or cuisine. Anyway here goes…
Atmosphere is really «quiet» I would have to say there really ain’t one. I have been in a couple of times times now and on both occasions I have left thinking their is no «buzz» about the place whatsoever. We were in as a big group and sat at a long table up the stairs. I think because we were out the way a bit the service was a slower than it might have been if we were on the main part of the restaurant.
The food was all ok, but a bit plain in my opinion. I had the salmon to start, the plaice as a main and the chocolate tart (i think it was called that) for desserts it was all from the Christmas menu and it was all pretty average tasting. To be honest from a place with such a big reputation I was expecting interesting and far tastier food. What I think I got was pretty plain and unexciting dishes. Perhaps if I had ordered meat instead of fish it would have been better, but your getting charged the same amount (a lot) so you should still be getting really good tasty food.
I did have some lovely champagne and a nice bottle of Orkney red beer (although very over priced again at £6.50 for a bottle of Scottish beer) but it could not make up for the overall disappointment at the food. A sad 3 stars for me.

Second visit for a family birthday dinner so five stars immediately for having kept all six of us happy twice. The Sunday deal, three courses with a glass of champagne, is fantastic value for this quality of food even though this time they didn’t seem to be offering the a la carte dishes at a supplement.
The food is inventive and full of flavour. My red deer venison with crispy potato, brambles, spinach and other wee surprise flavours was delicious, served properly seared and pink, moist and tender. The salted caramel fondant and tonka bean icecream with a perfectly runny centre was a sweet salty dream and mine came garnished with a lit candle :) (I might have mentioned it was my birthday) which was a nice touch from friendly, attentive yet discreet serving staff.

I was chuffed to return to The Gannet for lunch and discover their amazing lunch time deal — £12 for three small plates from Tuesday-​Thursday 12pm-2.30pm. My friend was moving away from Glasgow and had always wanted to try here.
It’s really lovely to sit in the bar at lunch time as you can do a bit of people watching if you’re close enough to the window. A couple of the small plates have a supplement on them and we decided just to order a selection to share between us. The waiter was very helpful and suggested that he would bring them out two at time so nothing got cold while we were eating and chatting.
We tried: herring, warm confit of spruce cured salmon, west coast squid with confit chicken wing, Scotch beef «Diamond Fillet», lamb, and of course, the Scotch egg.
I’ve had the squid and Scotch egg before and they were both just as lovely. The fish dishes of herring and salmon were also excellent, and I loved the beef fillet. The only dish I didn’t like was the lamb but I don’t really like lamb anyway so I happily left that to my friend to eat.
I loved how the meal was served — two dishes at a time meant it felt like a very extravagant three course meal but of course, was actually really reasonably priced. The bill was around £40 with drinks and I would love to go back for this amazing deal again as it was just that good.
Note: if you’re looking for another good offer here, Champagne Sunday is worth a go as it’s £25 for three courses and a glass of fizz.

The Gannet has been on my hitlist for a while and it was worth the wait.
Food: — we shared Stornoway Black pudding scotch duck egg. This was absolutely sensational start to the meal. The crumbly texture of the pudding, complimented the the soft egg and crisp outer layer was perfect.
Mains I had Scotch beef diamond fillet dripping potatoes, artichoke, shallot and maderia sauce and Amanda had lamb. Both presented to a high standard and the taste was perfect. No improvements could be made.
Dessert we shared the caramel fondant and tibia bean ice cream. As someone who prefers a cheesecake or savoury dish this blew me away. Honestly my favourite ever dessert. Cooked to perfection it was firm and slightly crisp on outer layer but soft and gooey in the middle. WOW!
The cheeseboard we shared because well we felt like a pair of gannets, when in Rome!!! Was the only let down. It was a bit safe for my liking and the Camembert and Brie were a bit too similar for a board that contained only 4 small selections of cheese. The cheese was great particularly the Lanark blue. But a bit safe, could have been doing with a chutney and we both have a preference of grapes rather than Apple.
Service was top notch, relaxed and we were presented with a complimentary pre starter of pumpkin soup and fresh baked bread, also the chef served our desserts which was a nice touch.
The cost for one starter, 2 mains, 2 desserts a bottle of red and 2 glasses of red was £92. Which was good value for the quality of meal and service.
Ambience in the back area was a little too loud for my liking but I think that’s due to the boxy area which means noise is locked in. I’d prefer to sit on the upper terrace or at the back of front area of restaurant.
Toilets were immaculate although tiny with a rather large full length mirror which results in anyone being able to have a cheeky glance at your member.
We had cocktails afterwards In the bar, wasn’t too impressed with them. But I wouldn’t let it detract from an otherwise outstanding evening. We will 100% be back.

We came here for a date which our babysitter cancelled but we went anyway. They had a highchair and made some kids specific items. We did the small plates and the herring was absolutely fabulous-​I would just come back for that! The cocktail menu looked great too but I just got ginger beer (fever tree). We definitely will come back here for the set menu. Lovely ambience which reminded me of Porter & Rye.

I love Finneston! I lived there juuuust as the majority of the empty retail lots started getting hipster makeovers by inspired restaurateurs, so I relish any opportunity to return.
Now a hubbub of activity, Finneston is the lucky home of The Gannet. Sandwiched between its fierce competitors (although I like to think of it as a friendly alliance) The Finneston and The Kelvingrove Café, The Gannet still has something unique to offer in terms of atmosphere, staff and food.
We went for a family meal to celebrate my sister and brother’s joint birthday. On arrival we were seated by our server for the evening; an intimidatingly cool but very smiley woman who had extensive knowledge about the menu and was determined to educate you.
Our table was in the back corner of the restaurant, usually a placement I take offence at as it’s generally the darkest, dingiest and least atmospheric part of the floor. On this occasion, however, our table was bright and airy, with still enough space for everyone to sit comfortably. After surveying the restaurant I concluded that it would be nice to be sat anywhere, which is rare and valuable.
(I know I’m rambling a lot about seating, but it’s ruined so many dining experiences for me through the years. I’m looking at you, Ubiquitous Chip…)
The wine was brought promptly, opened and poured by our server, as was the endless supply of iced water we enjoyed throughout the meal. I like touches like that, so much nicer than having a jug cluttering up the table.
We all ordered from the set menu as the selection of dishes on offer that evening sounded incredible; if the menu had been any bigger I would’ve been too spoilt for choice to have made a decision!
I started with a confit of salmon with crispy capers and puréed cauliflower. The salmon wasn’t too smoky and just melted in the mouth, while the capers added a bite which cut through the creamy cauliflower. I could’ve eaten three servings, however that’s not to say the portion was mean — I’m just very greedy.
For my main I had a smoked cod fillet with crispy skin, buttered baby potatoes and a seaweed broth. Although I found the seaweed broth surplus to requirement, the cod was beautifully cooked and the vegetables which came with it still had a crunch to them. My only criticism of this dish is that the rock salted crispy skin pushed the entire dish into «too salty» territory, but I’m aware that I’m particularly sensitive to the taste of salt and it may very well have been some people’s idea of heaven.
For dessert I ordered the milk chocolate feuilletine, which came with THE most deliciously delicate mint ice cream I’ve ever had the pleasure of greedily throwing at my face. The feuilletine was so rich and satisfying that the fresh wild mint brought you right back down to earth. I’d go back for that goddamn ice cream alone.
Although the evening was a complete success and we left fat and happy, the end of the meal had been soured slightly by the party in the private dining mezzanine above us screaming their way through «happy birthday». Usually the loudest table in the restaurant, they put us to shame by proceeding to scream at each other, scream at staff, and scream at the ceiling. There was a lot of screaming is the point I’m trying to make.
Not to worry, I’m sure when you go (as you surely must) there won’t be any screaming people, and all you’ll have to worry about is whether or not you want the fresh scallop tartar or the black pudding and duck egg scotch egg. The struggle is real, trust me.

Booked well in advance to go to the gannet as it is so popular just now! However we went before 7 oclock and their small plates menu was still available so we decided to sit at the bar and order from there as it was a bit less formal than the restaurant area. The restaurant is very nice though. quite bare and modern looking.
The waiter and bar staff were very nice and we ordered some lovely cocktails (amaretto sour and bloody marys) as we the price of prosecco was £30.50 a bottle. a bit too pricey for my liking!
For food I got the black pudding scotch duck egg which was amazing! I also got the scallop dish which was lovely however I got only 1 scallop (it was huge though).My friend got smoked salmon and the cod dish which she said was good. We also shared chips which were tasty. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to order dessert but il be back to try the caramel fondant!
The bar got very busy and had a great atmosphere. The bill was actually not as expensive as I expected as the cocktail were very reasonably price for the area.
Im hoping to be back soon to dine on the normal menu!

I finally got around to trying The Gannet last night and was impressed! My visit coincided with the recent Bib Gourment recommendation (part of the Michellin Star Guide for 2015) for the restaurant, so my expectations for my visit were high.
This review is actually based on eating here as part of a food tour around Finnieston, with The Gannet being our first stop for ‘starters’. When we walked in I loved the look of the place, the décor is modern yet inviting thanks to the lighting and seating arrangements and the bar area showcases their drinks selection well. After reading the drinks menu, which included glasses of Laurent Perrier champagne for £8.50, I picked a New Zealand Sauvingnon Blanc. It arrived it it was delicious and a sign of things to come.
I had three small plates and thoroughly enjoyed them all. The food was cooked well and the flavour combinations were perfect. I choose lamb cooked with wild mushrooms and served in mash, lamb sweetbreads and mallard served with beetroot. I’m not sure I could pick a favourite as they were all so good! I can’t wait to go back here for a full meal.
The staff were pleasant and happy to help and make our group feel very welcome, thanks guys!

The first time we went to the gannet there was a booking mix-​up (if you’ve read my blog you’ll have seen it) so we went back for lunch today.
It’s up there with my favourite meals in Glasgow!
The lunch menu is reasonable for the standard you are getting at £15 for two courses. We had pickled herring, black pudding scotch egg, pork belly & loin for main and then caramel fondant and lemon posset for main. The dessert wine I had (can’t remember the name but it was first on the list) was a lip licking pineapple number, I’d go back for this alone.
Service was friendly, non presumptuous and all round ace.
We were about to leave when a guy walked in with practically a whole pig and eggs that I presume was straight from the farm. Made me love the place even more!

My parents and I popped in for a quick drink before heading to a wine tasting (yes, that really is as middle class as that sounds: P)
I was impressed with the service; we were offered a table straight away (on a busy Friday night no less) but we opted to perch at the bar since we were only having a drink. We ordered a bottle of wine to share, which was very reasonably priced in my opinion (most of their wines are c.£20 for a bottle). Our server was very chatty and friendly; he kept us topped up and was happy to listen to my dad’s mini history lesson about the Finnieston area!
We didn’t try the food, although it looked and sounded amazing from what we could see and judging by the menu. My only niggle with the Gannet was the atmosphere, everything felt very formal and… I don’t really know how else to describe it, it felt as though people just come here to be seen at the latest «It» venue. I know that isn’t the fault of the staff and it’s probably just my own insecurities at play but I felt a little out of place (I should point out I had gone out straight from work so I was casually dressed) next to the classy-​looking clientele. As I say, this is probably my own issues playing with me so you can take that how you like!
Overall I’d love to go back and try some of the food and chat to the staff, I enjoyed our lovely, if short, visit to the Gannet!

The Gannet is part of the new cool emergence of Finniston and fits in very nicely with all the usual suspects — Kelvingrove Café, Old Saltys, The Finniston, Crabshak… etc. Inside is exactly what you would expect of a trendy Finniston bar — exposed brick walls, wooden tables and chairs, a smart back lit bar and cool original art work. It has a really nice, laid back chilled feel to everything and thankfully doesn’t come over as trying too hard. The designers have got the feel in the bar just right I think.
The staff were fantastic, attentive without being over powering, smiley, chatty, and more than happy to make recommendations and offer opinion on dishes. Absolutely no complaints, which always makes me happy.
So the menu at The Gannet I think is best described as local Scottish flair with a twist. After being seated at the table and ordering a glass of perfectly chilled Laurent Perrier (they sell it by the glass — clever clever manager) I perused the menu and decided to shun the delicious looking festive menu in favour of the regular menu. To start with I choose the Pig’s head croquette served with green sauce, which when arrived were 5 small little bites of perfection — crunchy on the outside and soft and succulent in the middle. They were amazingly good.
For my main I decided to be brave and try the pheasant special — having never tried it before I was both excited and slightly terrified in equal measure. When the dish arrived the pheasant was served with mash and root vegetables, just the 1 word is needed to describe the dish — perfection. Everything on the plate was well portioned and cooked impeccably. I have nothing else to add over and above Perfection!
For dessert I made yet another bold move by going for the Hot chocolate fondant with salted caramel, sesame wafer and tonka bean ice cream. Anyone who watches any of the masterchefs (Australia being my personal favourite) knows that it is near impossible to cook a fondant right. Well take a bow the dessert chef at The Gannet, it was Sensational! I cut into my hot soft sponge and the inside flowed like hot molten deliciously chocolately lava… it was heaven on a plate.
The Gannet produced as good a meal as I have eaten (outside of a Michelin star restaurant) it was a perfectly proportioned 3 course meal with every course outstanding. Absolutely no flaws or niggles.
Well deserved 5 Stars!

This had been hyped up by some folk in the know as the potential next great place to eat in Glasgow. It’s definitely up there with some of the best food I’ve had here, and hopefully the wee teething issues will be sorted soon to get it that missing star.
Firstly, I was kind of surprised about the layout of the place. I had expected it to have a standard restaurant feel about it, but it’s more of a bar with a wee eating space tacked onto it. The bar itself looks very nice (very much if the area though), and the bar snacks look interesting if expensive — will definitely be giving the croquettes a go!
We ate off the a la carte menu — the pre theatre didn’t really have anything threat jumped out at me (part of the reason for the missing star). I had the smoked salmon, fennel & horseradish starter, which was amazing — perfectly smoked, and the salady stuff was a perfect accompaniment.
My main course was brilliant, although possibly not quite as good as the starter. Lovely lamb, cooked a little on the pink side, with a great mash to go with it. Dessert was a chocolate fondant with tonka bean ice cream (basically a slightly funky vanilla) — again, really excellent.
This is definitely a place you want to go if you are wanting to impress — at £70 for a three course meal, a 2 course meal and a couple of soft drinks it might not be the cheapest, but it certainly is good quality food. A good celebratory dinner for two location, or if you want to show off to your parents. It isn’t quite perfect: see the pre theatre above, and it could have definitely done with being a couple of degrees warmer, but I think this will easily earn its place on the list of «treat yourself» restaurants in Glasgow, and I certainly think in time it will earn the fifth star…

On paper this could have been disastrous. Originally my partner had booked for Tuesday, but then she was told the restaurant had changed opening hours so we were moved to the following evening (!). A complimentary bottle of wine for the inconvenience was a nice touch. We arrived, were seated, and the wine was poured. After we ordered there followed a lengthy delay, giving the impression that our order had been misplaced. By the time staff realised this one of our choices (venison) was no longer available, but the replacement (pheasant) coupled with a free glass of red wine meant we (eventually) had a lovely meal.
Much of this didn’t bother us because the staff were very pleasant and did their best to smooth things over. Events of the day gave us much to talk about, so that a few snafus just seemed part of the day’s drama. In other circumstances we might have felt differently.
This restaurant looks great, has nice food, and friendly staff. But it is clearly having teething troubles. When/​if they are sorted out I’d happily give four stars.