Levantine food is really making its mark on the Scottish food scene, thanks to Baba. The best of Lebanese, Syrian and Jordanian cuisine is here for the tasting, with grills, mezze and bar snacks you’re supposed to share but won’t really want to. Try the haggis merguez and Yemenite hot sauce – it’s a work of art.
If you’re looking for some of the more exotic Edinburgh locals, you’ll find them here at the city’s legendary zoo. Famous for its conservation expertise, it’s home to the UK’s only giant pandas – Tian Tian and Yang Guang – and Europe’s largest outdoor penguin pool, with three different species and over 100 penguins.
For a laid-back but lively lunch, head to McLarens. It’s a family-friendly place, so it’s always bustling with dogs and kids and happy reunions, with a fabulous menu of innovative dishes from around the world. They’ve made some changes to their layout to keep everything covid-safe, and, trust us, you’ll want to save room for dessert.
Book Native Edinburgh.
Welcome back to Glasgow
Glasgow’s famously friendly locals can’t wait to welcome you back to their city. There’s so much going on already that it’s easy to forget we were ever locked down at all. Here’s where we’ll be spending our Glasgow staycation.
One of the city’s newest and most popular hotspots, SWG3 is a multi-disciplinary arts venue, hosting everything from concerts and poetry clubs to fashion shows and alternative bingo nights. Acid Bar is a great place to spend an hour or two – by day it’s a café, serving coffee and lunch, and by night it’s home to a rotation of great restaurants. These days it’s Julie’s Kopitiam, a Native favourite, adding some spice to these spring evenings.
If the latest lockdown has got you craving something new and completely different, set aside a night for Bloc+. It’s an independent live music bar, with excellent bands and DJs seven nights a week, completely free of charge. The music is high quality and wonderfully varied, the atmosphere is unpretentious and relaxed, and the food is big, bold and absolutely brilliant.
Barras Art and Design (BAaD) is a wonderful place to spend the day when the sun is shining. It’s been transformed into a collection of light-filled spaces to lounge around, have a drink or two, grab a coffee, enjoy some scran (that’s food, you know) and soak up some entertainment. Make your way to the tropical courtyard oasis, floating restaurant or sunny container yard and see where the day takes you.
Book Native Glasgow.
