Cafe Strange Brew
Shawlands · 1082 Pollokshaws Road, G41 3XA · 4.7 from 1,360 Google reviews
The brunch queue. Pancakes, inventive specials, text-when-ready system. Covered properly in our brunch guide; still the Southside day-meal default.
Guide
Best Southside restaurants in Glasgow
Shawlands, Govanhill, and Southside picks: Strange Brew, Ranjit's Kitchen, Big Counter, The Thai, Errol's, and Bramble.
The Southside eats differently to Finnieston. More independents, more queues for brunch, more curry rooms that feel like someone's house.
Pollokshaws Road and the streets off it keep coming up in Southside recommendations. These are the bookings that stick.
8 min read · Updated 2026-10-10
Ranjit's Kitchen
Govanhill · 607 Pollokshaws Road, G41 2QG · 4.7 from 1,179 Google reviews
Vegetarian Punjabi cooking that exceeds high expectations according to review after review. Home-style curries, busy room, no-nonsense service. One of the most recommended Indian meals in the city, vegan bakeries aside.
Big Counter
Govanhill / Crosshill · 76 Victoria Road, G42 7AA · 4.7 from 155 Google reviews
Smaller review count, high score, dishes people have not tried before. Natural-wine and small-plates crowd. Book; the room is not huge.
The Thai
Shawlands · 317 Kilmarnock Road, G43 2XS · 4.8 from 421 Google reviews
Southside Thai flagship. See the Thai guide for the longer note. Put it on any Shawlands evening plan.
Errol's Hot Pizza
Southside · 379 Victoria Road, G42 8RZ · 4.7 from 237 Google reviews
Hot pizza with a cult following that CN Traveller flagged alongside Big Counter. Not Paesano; different dough culture. Worth a detour if you are already south.
Bramble
Shawlands · 924 Pollokshaws Road, G41 2ET · 4.6 from 748 Google reviews
Cafe energy with Korean fried chicken and waffles, pancakes, and lunch plates. Handy Pollokshaws Road stop when Strange Brew is full.