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Before you go

Chef / owner
Owner Cristiano Strazzullo (Naples-born; Glasgow Live 2021; LinkedIn lists ownership from Jun 2021). Manager Enrico Ruggeri cited in Glasgow Times Hydro piece.
Opened
2021
Style
Independent Finnieston Italian restaurant and aperitif bar: traditional recipes (especially southern Italy) with a contemporary/gourmet presentation; pasta served in handmade Napoli copper pans; family tribute to nonna Assunta.
Setting
Two-level Finnieston restaurant (~50–60 seats; Visit Glasgow capacity up to 65) with a large aperitif bar area; contemporary Italian ambience; Argyle Street next to Tesco Express.
Known for
Naples-inspired Italian in Finnieston near the Hydro, Copper-pan pasta service, Aperitif bar before/after dining, Pre-/post-show dining for SEC / OVO Hydro
Signature dishes
Pasta served in handmade Napoli copper pans (launch USP — Glasgow Live), House carbonara (mezzi rigatoni, guanciale, Pecorino) — on 2026 group menu, Beef shin ragù pasta — on 2026 group menu, Italian aperitivo sharing (air-dried meats, antipasti, bruschetta, cheeses, homemade bread) — launch press, Tiramisu alla moka — on 2026 group menu
Good for
Pre- or post-Hydro / SEC meals, Romantic dinners and family gatherings, Work lunches / dinners (Wed–Sun lunch hours), Aperitivo drinks at the bar, Private dining / larger parties (Visit Glasgow lists max ~65)
Prices
Official 2026 group menu: 3 courses £32.95 (steak/seabass supplements). Third-party aggregators also list an express lunch-style set (e.g. 2/3 courses around £17/£22) — confirm on current site PDFs; full à la carte prices belong in menu capture.
Lunch
Wed, Thu and Sun open from noon; Fri–Sat from noon. Mon–Tue dinner only from 4pm. Express/set lunch options appear on third-party menu mirrors — verify live PDFs on joiarestaurant.co.uk/menu.
Reservations
Walk-ins often fine
Booking
Book online via TableSense embed on https://joiarestaurant.co.uk/book-contact/ or call 0141 237 5863; email info@joiarestaurant.co.uk. Deposit/cancellation terms not published on pages reviewed.
Dietary tags
vegetarian options (V), vegan options (VG), gluten-free options on request
Dietary
Group menu 2026 marks Vegetarian (V) and Vegan (VG); gluten-free options available on request; fish may contain bones; inform staff of allergies. Pasta served al dente unless requested otherwise.
Groups
Official group menu 2026 (3 courses £32.95). Visit Glasgow: private dining up to ~65. Contact restaurant for large parties.
Drinks
Large bar/aperitif area for cocktails and wine; Visit Glasgow notes an extensive wine selection. Full list not captured here.
Service charge
Discretionary 10% service charge added to the bill and shared among the team (stated on official 2026 group menu PDF).
Noise / pace
Neighbourhood Italian with aperitif bar — sociable Finnieston dining rather than a late club; busier on Hydro event nights (manager quote, Glasgow Times).
Closed
Open seven days (official hours). Mon–Tue evening only (from 4pm); lunch service Wed–Sun.
Getting there
Officially close to SSE/OVO Hydro and Kelvingrove Museum (~10 mins per Visit Glasgow). Haversine (~4.5 km/h): Exhibition Centre / Hydro area ~6–7 min walk; Kelvingrove Art Gallery ~7 min; Kelvinhall Subway roughly ~10–15 min.
Parking
No dedicated car park stated on official pages. City/West End on-street and nearby multi-storeys; expect paid parking near Hydro/SEC event nights.
Also
placeId must be ChIJYWsxtnRFiEgRbcLqPE72l1Y.; Official postcode on the website is G3 8LZ; Google claim lists G3 8LY — same building line (1075 Argyle Street); prefer G3 8LZ from primary source.; Instagram claim joiaitalianrestaurant — mention only; Instagram capture is a separate pipeline.; Facebook: facebook.com/JoiaItalianRestaurant/ linked from the site.; No culinary awards found in sources reviewed — omitted awards key.; No sister venues identified — omit sisterVenues.; Full menus (festive PDFs also on /menu/) are a separate menu-capture job.

Glasgow restaurant

Joia Italian Restaurant and Bar

4.6(612 reviews)
Opens in 15 hours

Address

1075 Argyle St, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 8LY, UK

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Menu

Dishes and prices for Joia Italian Restaurant and Bar.

View full menu

Opening hours

  • Monday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Thursday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Friday: 11:00 AM – 10:30 PM
  • Saturday: 11:00 AM – 10:30 PM
  • Sunday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Overview

Joia Italian Restaurant and Bar sits at 1075 Argyle Street in Finnieston — a short stroll from the OVO Hydro, SEC and Kelvingrove — in the unit once occupied by Pellegrini (and earlier Panevino). Owner Cristiano Strazzullo, originally from Naples, opened in early summer 2021; he named the place Joia (English “joy” meets Italian gioia) after collecting the keys on the same day his daughter Chiara was born. The cooking is framed as a tribute to his grandmother Assunta: southern Italian comfort with a contemporary plate, pasta famously served in handmade Napoli copper pans. Expect fresh-from-scratch Italian — pasta, pizza, seafood and meats — plus a large aperitif bar for cocktails or wine before or after dinner. The room holds roughly 50–65 covers over two levels. Google rates it around 4.6. Hours (official): Mon–Tue 4–10pm; Wed–Thu and Sun noon–10pm; Fri–Sat noon–10.30pm. Book online via the TableSense widget on joiarestaurant.co.uk/book-contact, or call 0141 237 5863 / info@joiarestaurant.co.uk. Group set menu (2026) is three courses at £32.95; discretionary 10% service charge. Vegetarian and vegan dishes are marked; gluten-free options on request. Instagram handle on the claim: joiaitalianrestaurant (not captured here).

Reviews

5.0barrie kerr

Came here sunday 24/8/25 for my wife's birthday. Food was of the highest order, every dish was perfect for the four of us. The service was top notch too. The server was fantastic, an asset to the restaurant!! I will definitely be returning to Joia and i honestly cant recommend this place enough. Proper high end italian cuisine with an excellent menu with some dishes most high street italian restaurants don’t offer. My wife loved the baccala main and the polenta starter, she doesn’t get the chance to have baccala very often (outside italy) and she loved it. We had the parpadelle pasta with 8 hour lamb ragu which was lovely and rich. The tagliere misto starter has to be seen, like an antipasta it came on a tower of 3 plates and had a great selection. I had a pizza nero for the first time and it was an excellent pizza. I could go on and on about the cubotta stuffed pastry with ‘nduja, italian sausage and marscapone (tasty/first time for us) or birra tiramisu (different/superb) or the mozzarella fritta, my daughter loved them. Cheese pull for her insta😂 anyway if i could give an extra star i would. Just a great experience with top notch food and service. Well done

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5.0Bella Gilewicz

So glad we discovered this beautiful place during our business trip! The food was absolutely delicious, and the atmosphere was fabulous. The service was outstanding—friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable throughout. We can be tricky customers—one vegetarian, one pescatarian—so it’s not always easy to find a place that satisfies us both, but this one exceeded our expectations. I’m already looking forward to returning on a private visit next time. Fine dining, great music—a true 5-star experience. Thank you

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5.0Abigail

Absolutely beautiful pub, brilliant service, staff incredibly welcoming, informative and friendly. Food presented well and tasted great too! Definitely recommend!

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5.0Mhairi Mushroom

We had a wonderful family meal at Joia on Saturday and were so pleased we'd chosen this modern but authentic Italian restaurant on Argyll street. Lovely setting, super helpful and friendly staff, ready to answer any Q's and make suggestions. We were all so impressed with our starters and mains. I had Fritatini, panko fried macaroni with gorgeous courgette and pesto sauces and mushroom parpadelle for my main. The lasagna, mussels and sea bass were all delicious, the pizzas have a black, charcoal infused base so these look extra cool. We will definitely be back and recommending this place. A gorgeous menu in the heart of Glasgow with fabulous and attentive staff.

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5.0James Mckeithen

Fabulous authentic meal, service and atmosphere! Highly recommend! Friendly, attentive staff. Starter & Main orders for two will not disappoint. Impressive.

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