I moved to Dennistoun in July 2016 from Shawlands, thinking I would miss much of the lovely food scene in the Southside – but glad to say, the east end of the city proved me wrong.

Dennistoun has changed much in the past few years, and quickly. The streets of Duke Street, Alexandra Parade and the in-between ‘drives’ have witnessed the opening of quick-to-become popular cafes, spots for a lush brunch and unique independent shops. No longer it’s that place only known for Celino’s!

I have enjoyed the positive change in the area and certainly embraced it by supporting new local shops and going for some delicious food.

Without further ado, here’s my selection of 8 of the best places to eat in Dennistoun, as it stands now in 2019 – because who knows what will happen in the coming years, as I said, the change has been quick!

1. Scran

Occupying quite a small space in Alexandra Parade, Scran is the ideal café for a very nice, unexpensive breakfast or lunch.

It opened its doors in 2018 and became popular almost instantly, loved by foodies and everyone in the area. There aren’t too many options on the menu, but there are always some carefully crafted specials that will make you forget the idea of having a light brunch.

Top score for ingredients, flavours, service and presentation – everything here is a joy to experience. I personally love their Stornoway black pudding with poached egg and hollandaise, pictured here.

2. Pizza East [CLOSED]

Don’t we all love a good pizza? And with Pizza East in the area, east enders don’t have to go to town or the west end to get a lovely and genuine Napolitan pizza.

The place has only a few tables but the service is usually very quick, and you can order for take away. Italian beers are available in bottle to go with your pizza – boom.

3. Mesa

A more recent addition to the expanding brunching scene in Dennistoun – Mesa on Duke Street is the sister venue to the widely popular Café Strange Brew in the southside.

With a menu full of interesting combinations for your brunch, whether it is something savoury or sweet you’re after, Mesa is sure to offer something to cater for everyone’s taste.

4. Dennistoun Bar-B-Que

When the burger cravings strike, nothing beats the east end burger joint Dennistoun Bar-B-Que with its massive burgers. Check out their burgers on Instagram, seriously; not for the faint hearted!

Slightly obscene portions! But I think the place is fantastic and totally get the hype over it – delicious food with some very interesting options on the menu.

You can also have Brooklyn lager (in a can), which just happens to be one of my favourite beers ever!

5. East Coffee Company

Before the brunching scene in Dennistoun stepped up the game with Scran and Mesa – East was stealing all the attention, and if you ask me, it should continue to do so!

When you step into this rustic, charming little place, you can immediately notice the busy staff preparing lovely coffee and awesome food in their exposed kitchen.

When you read their menu you get a feeling that every dish has been thoughtfully designed, and when your food arrives you can easily appreciate the quality of the ingredients, and the talent behind its preparation. Yum.

6. The Palais Bar

With a rather sudden and quick refurb, The Palais replaced the Duchess on Duke Street and it’s been quickly attracting the locals. A nice new menu and a fantastic range of beers and drinks make of this place a fine choice for a good night out.

There’s options for lunch and dinner, vegetarian, burgers, seafood (thumbs up to the delicious mussels cooked in whisky sauce!) and more.

Together with Redmond’s, the Palais Bar is a top choice for drinks & pub grub in Duke street.

7. Tibo

Tibo Bistro has been around for a good number of years and continues to impress. The place is lovely inside and they pride themselves on their eclectic menu. Every dish seems to offer something unique, and there’s often changes and specials to spice it up.

They do a ‘Black and blue burger’ which is a beef burger topped with Stornoway black pudding, duck and blue cheese fritter – an absolute taste sensation.

8. Nakodar Grill

Glasgow city has so many options when it comes to Indian restaurants, but I could very easily place Nakodar amongst the best.

The food is simply delicious, and service is always spot-on. This is a restaurant we have been in several times and have also used for the occasional take-away, and it’s never disappointed.

Any more places worth mentioning?

Certainly: Celino’s and Coia’s Cafe may have not made it to my list, but they are real institutions in the area and continue to be so for a reason – they are fantastic.

Italian food will forever be amazing, and these two old school Italian restaurants have all the expertise to deliver genuine recipes and great quality food.