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Before you go

Chef / owner
Executive chef Tarun Wadhwa and F&B manager Balram Bhatia (named on greengatesindianrestaurant.com about page and Glasgow Live 2021); both described as India-trained with prior roles at Mother India and Wee Curry Shop. Ownership of the Green Gates group is not separately verified beyond the brand’s own sites.
Opened
2019
Style
Indian restaurant in Merchant City with a tapas / street-food sharing format alongside classic North and South Indian curries, biryanis and tandoori; also takeaway and online ordering. Official copy emphasises home-style regional cooking and vegetarian/vegan choice.
Setting
Merchant City Indian café-restaurant on Candleriggs; brand copy describes a refurbished Georgian townhouse with wood-panelled interior, a relaxed front brasserie area and a more formal linen table section. Press and diners call it warm, classy-but-simple and busy on peak nights.
Awards
Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best — Hidden Gems (UK), 2024; Scottish Curry Awards 2021 finalist (stated in Glasgow Live commercial feature, Oct 2021)
Known for
Indian tapas / street-food sharing in Merchant City, Home-style North and South Indian regional dishes, Tripadvisor UK Hidden Gem (Best of the Best) 2024, Chefs/managers with Mother India and Wee Curry Shop backgrounds, Sister sites in Stirling, Renfrew and Sauchiehall Street
Signature dishes
Tapas / sharing plates — Glasgow Live Special Kabab visit highlighted mango tikka, butter chicken and tandoori king prawn, Old Delhi-style chicken tikka; paneer tikka — repeatedly praised in diners’ and press quotes, Biryani and chicken tikka masala — called out in Scottish Sun diner quotes around the 2024 award, Peshwari naan — praised alongside mixed chicken/lamb/prawn tapas in Scottish Sun coverage, Set meal for 1 (£15) and set meal for 2 (£26) — listed on greengatescafe.com
Good for
Sharing / tapas-style dinners, Vegetarian and vegan diners (wide veg tapas and curry range on the official menu), Casual and romantic evenings (OpenTable tags Romantic / special occasions; dress code Business Casual), Groups ordering mixed tapas and set meals
Prices
OpenTable lists £25 and under. Official menu shows many tapas/starters roughly £5–£9, mixed grill £13, set meal for 1 £15 and for 2 £26; Glasgow Live noted cocktails around £8.95 on a review visit.
Reservations
Walk-ins often fine
Booking
Not available on OpenTable. Reserve by phone 0141 548 6883, email cafegreengates@gmail.com, or via the group reservation / ordering pages on greengatescafe.com and greengatesindianrestaurant.com.
Dietary tags
vegetarian options, vegan options
Dietary
Official site and Glasgow Live opening coverage stress vegetarian and vegan options and spice customisation; tapas format makes mixed veg/meat sharing easy. No independent certification claims verified.
Groups
Set meal for 2 and large mixed-grill / tapas ordering suit small groups; phone ahead for larger parties.
Dress code
Business Casual (OpenTable restaurant profile)
Drinks
Glasgow Live review visit described a cocktail menu (examples around £8.95); wine mentioned in diner quotes. Full current drinks list not independently captured beyond press.
Noise / pace
OpenTable noise tag Moderate (small, dated sample). Glasgow Live described the restaurant as busy and thriving on a review evening.
Getting there
Candleriggs (Trongate) bus stop is about 160 m / roughly a 2-minute walk (routes include 2, 18, 60, 60A, 61 and others per Glasgow City Council nearby-access notes). Argyle Street ScotRail is about 550 m / roughly 4–5 minutes. St Enoch Subway is about 850 m / around 10 minutes. High Street ScotRail is a similar short walk to the east.
Also by them
Green Gates Stirling — 2 Queen Street, Stirling FK8 1HN (listed on greengatescafe.com About); Green Gates Renfrew — 65 Ferry Road, Renfrew PA4 8SH (listed on greengatescafe.com About); Green Gates Sauchiehall Street — 285 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3HQ (listed on greengatesindianrestaurant.com; separate FHRS business)
Also
Instagram handle associated with the venue: greengates.glasgow; Email: cafegreengates@gmail.com (official site); Opened end of October 2019 at 24 Candleriggs (Glasgow Live, 8 Nov 2019); previous occupant Locarno per that article; FHIS food hygiene: Improvement Required after 18 September 2026 inspection (Pass on 27 February 2026; Improvement Required on 9 January 2026 and 3 October 2025) — ratings.food.gov.uk business 1860413; Website homepage story text still mixes Stirling/Renfrew phrasing; Candleriggs address and phone on the same pages match this listing; Do not confuse with the Sauchiehall Street Green Gates branch (different address and phone)

Glasgow restaurant

Green Gates Cafe

4.6(767 reviews)
££Opens in 16 hours

Address

24 Candleriggs, Glasgow G1 1LD, UK

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Menu

Dishes and prices for Green Gates Cafe.

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Opening hours

  • Monday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM
  • Thursday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM
  • Friday: 12:00 – 10:30 PM
  • Saturday: 12:00 – 10:30 PM
  • Sunday: 2:00 – 10:00 PM

Overview

Green Gates Cafe is an Indian restaurant and tapas-style grill at 24 Candleriggs in Glasgow’s Merchant City (G1 1LD), phone 0141 548 6883. Glasgow Live reported it opened at the end of October 2019 in the unit previously occupied by Locarno; the group already had Stirling and Renfrew branches. The official site and sister brand site describe “home style” regional cuisine from north and south India, with a tapas-led menu of street-food starters, curries, biryanis, tandoori and seafood dishes, plus vegetarian and vegan options. Executive chef Tarun Wadhwa and F&B manager Balram Bhatia are named on the brand site and in Glasgow Live coverage; both are said to have trained in India and worked at Mother India and the Wee Curry Shop. Press has treated it as a Merchant City favourite: Glasgow Live reviewed a Special Kabab / tapas visit (calling it a hidden gem and noting BBC Two Doors Down cast dining there), and in September 2024 Tripadvisor named it among the UK’s Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Hidden Gems for 2024 (covered by Glasgow Live and The Scottish Sun). A 2021 Glasgow Live commercial feature also said Green Gates was a Scottish Curry Awards 2021 finalist. Published hours on greengatescafe.com are Monday closed; Tuesday–Thursday 4–10pm; Friday–Saturday 12–10:30pm; Sunday 2–10pm. Set meals on the site menu include one person at £15 and two at £26; OpenTable’s stale listing tags the price band as £25 and under but is not bookable—book by phone or via the group’s own reservation / ordering pages. Google’s project listing is about 4.6 from roughly 767 reviews. Important caveat: the FHIS food hygiene rating for Green Gates Cafe at this address is Improvement Required after inspection on 18 September 2026 (Pass on 27 February 2026; Improvement Required on earlier 2025–26 visits). Sister Green Gates sites also operate in Stirling, Renfrew and at 285 Sauchiehall Street—keep those separate from this Candleriggs room. Nearest useful transit: Candleriggs (Trongate) bus stops about 160 m / a couple of minutes’ walk; Argyle Street ScotRail roughly 4–5 minutes; St Enoch Subway about 10 minutes.

Reviews

5.0Nina Gonn

We only had a few days in Glasgow on this trip and saw we were very close to this highly rated Indian restaurant. It was close to our place so we thought we would give it a try. It was busy but they seated us right away. The service was great, the food delicious and we enjoyed talking to the owner and staff. We order entrees the first time we went but found out they also have a tapas menu. Both times we had a fantastic meal. We really liked the tapas menu. Smaller portions that allow you to try more things on the menu. Now our favorite place to eat. Looking forward to going back next time we are in town.

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5.0Ishwaita Merwah

This is possibly in the top 5 Indian restaurants list for us based on our world travels. It has full points for ambience, pricing, service, diversity in menu and most importantly the taste! Their dal tadka is the best from a restaurant that I have ever had. The Naan is fluffy and well cooked. The paneer was outstanding in its quality and texture. All the curries were perfectly balanced and had the right consistency. If you are a weary traveller and need dal chawal this would be the best spot. If you are a local or an adventurous traveler then this is also the best spot to try a little bit of everything! We loved it so much that we had our dinner here for both nights in Glasgow. Would recommend and would come back again!

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5.0Vik Dowlul

Was busy so service was not as efficient as normal but overall was a good experience. Food to a high standard and portion size is what you expect of tapas menu. Busy for a Wednesday night which is a good sign. Located close to Queen Street Station and parking is available not too far away. Would recommend the fish dishes.

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5.0Mark Furmston

Went in here when I had stop over in Glasgow for work and was very, very pleasantly surprised! I went for the tapas menu so I could try a few things and three dishes and a bread was plenty (and I have a big appetite). Goan prawns, mutton rara and Bombay aloo all absolutely divine. Some of the best Indian food I've ever had. Can't recommend it enough.

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4.0Sudipta Dutta

It is the most authentic Indian I have tried in Glasgow. It was not too spicy. The taste was good along with good quantity. The ambience is also nice with slow music playing.

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