Merchant City is the stylish district where many of Glasgow’s bars, cafes and restaurants are located within beautiful old buildings. It’s a good place to wander around – just remember to look up!

You’ll find some great Merchant City hotels too which are in the perfect location for you to enjoy the nightlife and have a convenient, cosy place to stay.

Restaurants

Merchant City is one of the busiest areas in Glasgow with lots of stylish bars and restaurants. Some of the highlights are repurposed buildings such as the old fruit market, which is now a vibrant enclosed quarter for bars and restaurants.

Spectacular Victorian buildings house some of the city’s best-loved eateries. Whether you’re after Indian, Italian or something more casual, Merchant City has it all.

Mharsanta is a new addition to the area on Bell Street, serving up classic comfort dishes alongside Scottish seafood and signature cocktails. It’s a smart minimalist space with windows prettily lit up with fairy lights at night.

Bars

A new generation has taken the reins of this once-glitzy area and now it’s a thriving cultural hub. Streets are filled with cool bars and classy restaurants, ranging from cheap student haunts to top-notch dining.

There are some impressive buildings too – the corinthian club is jaw-droppingly beautiful, whereas Hutchesons’ Hall (Robert Adam, 1791-2) is plush and ornate. Other architectural highlights include the city chambers with its glass dome and the old fruit market, now a roofed courtyard with even more bars and restaurants.

The slick, modern Glad is a lively music bar and restaurant on Mitchell Lane, while Tabac offers a stylish wine bar vibe, dimmed lights, funky art on the walls and some seriously tasty cocktails. 

Shopping

A great district for shopping, the Merchant City boasts many of Glasgow’s best shops. Whether you’re looking for high end designer shops like the original House of Fraser or the more contemporary brands, you’ll find them all here.

The upscale retail centres and impressive shopping arcades are the main drawcards but there is also plenty of independent boutique shops to explore too. Argyll Arcade is one of Europe’s oldest and houses a stunning selection of jewellery retailers and boutique brands like Sweaty Betty and Glasgow fashion brand Forty Clothing.

Nightlife

Whether you want a wee dram in a cozy pub, a swanky cocktail with friends or a night filled with loud live music and dancing, this area has it all. The bars are also a great place to try some of the local Scottish cuisine such as haggis, neeps and tatties or Cullen skink.

There are some very stylish bar and restaurant spaces to be found here too, including Green Gates on Candleriggs which serves home-style, regional Indian cuisine in a candlelit space with splashes of tartan. Many of the buildings here are also handsome, from Hutchesons Hall (1791-4) with its clock and steeple to the old Fruitmarket building which has been re-labeled Merchant Square thanks to clever conversions and a roof.