This place is amazing. The food is 10/10. Probably the best gluten free and coeliac safe pizza we’ve had yet! Didn’t feel like our daughter was missing out at all. Staff also great
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Before you go
- Chef / owner
- Esad Smailovic (director, ESASA BREAD LTD)
- Style
- Casual Italian — handmade pizza, pasta, sandwiches and coffee; strong gluten-free and vegan menus; BYOB
- Setting
- Small Finnieston room on Argyle Street near the Hydro / Exhibition Centre
- Known for
- handmade pizza, gluten-free options, BYOB, pesto and panuozzi
- Signature dishes
- Margherita, Goat's Cheese & Caramelised Onions pizza, Pesto pasta, Tiramisu
- Good for
- pre-Hydro dinner, gluten-free dining, casual lunch, BYOB nights
- Prices
- Margherita £10.50; most pizzas £13.50–£15.50; pasta about £10–£16; sandwiches £9–£11.50; tiramisu £6
- Typical spend
- About £12–20pp for a main
- Lunch
- Open from 11am; sandwiches more of a daytime offer (evening pizza/pasta focus)
- Reservations
- Walk-ins often fine
- Booking
- Small seating area — book ahead for busy times. Collection via esasa.co.uk; delivery on Uber Eats. enquiries@esasa.co.uk / 0141 588 2107
- Book online
- Open booking page
- Dietary tags
- gluten-free options, vegan options, vegetarian options, dairy-free options
- Dietary
- Separate gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan menus. Diners report dedicated GF dough prep and separate trays/pans; fries often not GF (shared fryer). Confirm procedures if coeliac. GF versions may cost a little more.
- Kids
- Kids menu (9" Margherita, penne pomodoro, spaghetti bolognese around £10)
- Drinks
- Bring your own — no full bar advertised
- Corkage
- BYOB; diners report corkage around £5
- Noise / pace
- Small casual room; often quick service — handy before Hydro events
- Closed
- Monday
- Getting there
- Exhibition Centre station, a few minutes’ walk along Argyle Street
- Also
- Instagram @esasafinnieston
Glasgow restaurant
ESASA
Opening hours
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Thursday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Saturday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Overview
Esasa is a small Italian pizza-and-pasta spot on Argyle Street in Finnieston — handmade pizzas, pasta, daytime sandwiches, coffee and desserts, with a clear push on gluten-free and vegan menus. The official site bills it as pizza, pasta and coffee; dine in, collect online, or order delivery via Uber Eats. ESASA BREAD LTD (director Esad Smailovic) sits behind the business. Diners praise fresh dough, pesto, panuozzi and tiramisu, and many coeliacs call out knowledgeable staff and separate gluten-free dough prep — still ask about fryer cross-contamination if chips matter to you. It’s BYOB; reviews mention corkage around £5. Open Tuesday–Sunday 11am–10pm, closed Mondays. The room is compact, so booking helps at busy times. Sandwiches are more of a daytime thing. Exhibition Centre station is a short walk along Argyle Street — handy before or after the Hydro.
Reviews
We really enjoyed all of our food choices, full of flavour and perfect portion sizes. I don’t usually do reviews but Esasa definitely deserves it! The olives starter was also delicious as someone who has tried many. Quick service and friendly staff. Thank you!
Read on Google MapsDisappointing considering how many 5 star reviews there are. Ordered Carbonara and my wife had the Bruschetta as a main as she didn't fancy much on the menu. Also asked for a portion of chips as a side to the mains. The chips came first, ages before the main dishes (they were finished by the time the mains arrived). Carbonara was with guancale which i thought was promising as it would be authentic, however the guancale was nowhere near cooked long enough with the fat still being soft and chewy (and very pale). Even looking at it you could tell. I ended up picking out the guancale and just eating the spaghetti. The waitress did ask how it was and I explained about the fat and to be fair she did offer to get more guancale made up that would be more cooked, however i didn't want to wait even longer to finish my meal than we had already, and just ate the pasta which was just ok. Wife's Bruschetta was nothing special either. It's an open kitchen and when paying the cook was there and at no time did she ask about the comments I had given or the plate returned with all the pork cheek on the side. Maybe some places just don't care. Maybe the pizzas are better, but I'll never know.
Read on Google MapsI ordered 20 pizzas to collect for a party on Saturday night. I asked for them to be ready for 9.30pm which they were. The staff were so friendly and restaurant itself was cosy and gorgeous. The pizzas were absolutely amazing everyone at the party commented on how tasty they were, the base and sauce were the best I’ve had. Definitely going back soon for a meal.
Read on Google MapsAmazing food and service. Brilliant for gluten-free food; we took 2 friends with coeliac and they dealt with that. Portions generous, price very reasonable. Delicious. What's not to love?
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