Glaschu Sunday Roast Review: Glasgow City Centre Dining

Glaschu Sunday Roast Review: Refined Sunday Dining in Glasgow City Centre

Glaschu brings a polished approach to the traditional Sunday roast, serving familiar comfort food in the elegant surroundings of Royal Exchange Square. This is not the place for an enormous pub carvery piled high without much thought. Instead, expect carefully sourced Scottish produce, accomplished cooking and a dining room suited to a long, leisurely lunch.

Located on the first floor of the Western Club, immediately behind the Gallery of Modern Art on Royal Exchange Square, Glaschu is right in the heart of Glasgow city centre. The name is pronounced “Glas-a-hoo”, often translated as “dear green place” but the literal translation is “green hollow” in Cumbric, the language St. Mungo spoke.

The restaurant feels suitably special without becoming overly formal. Tall windows overlook Royal Exchange Square, while comfortable seating give it a relaxed feel.

To accompany our meal we ordered a bottle of Dubard Coeur du Mont Pinot Noir at £35. This was a medium ruby coloured red with aromas of leather, cedar and vanilla. Off-dry and acidic with a raspberry taste. Smooth, mild and very drinkable for the price.

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The Sunday roast menu

Glaschu’s current Sunday menu costs £35 for two courses or £40 for three courses.

Starter choices include: Soup of the day with sourdough and butter, Shrimp Skagen (more on what it is below) with Nobis dressing, wholegrain mustard and keta caviar, Haggis, neeps and tatties with swede fondant and whisky sauce and Beetroot and tomato tart with whipped cheese, confit tomato, basil and pine nuts, which Mark picked. A small but pleasant puff pastry tart.

I started my fish journey with Shrimp Skagen with Nobis dressing, wholegrain mustard and keta caviar. This is a retro 1950’s Scandinavian dish which is similar in a way to prawn cocktail, only on toast! Nobis dressing is a creamy sauce with a base of a softly boiled egg emulsified with oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, and fresh chives. It serves as a lighter, tangy alternative to Béarnaise sauce. This was right up my street as a 70’s kid. Plump shrimp and a creamy, tangy sauce atop a crusty bread base.

The Sunday roast

The main attraction is the 35-day-aged roast beef, accompanied by a Yorkshire pudding, beef-fat roast potatoes, cabbage, carrots, seasonal greens and red wine jus. The beef is available in your desired doneness. Mark likes medium-rare – so this is what this looks like – rather pink!

It’s a classic combination, but the quality of the ingredients and attention to each component lift it above a standard Sunday roast. The aged beef is the obvious choice for traditionalists, but they also have a more splash-out option of a beef Wellington roast, which is worthy of further investigation.

I picked pan-fried coley with herbed potatoes, butter sauce and green beans. The aroma from the herbed potatoes was mouthwatering, and alongside the perfectly crisp fish, I was a happy Emma.

Additional sides include butter-whipped potato, heritage carrots, greens, new potatoes, skinny fries and a shaved fennel salad, although the main roast already arrives with a generous range of accompaniments.

Leave room for dessert

Dessert choices continue the restaurant’s modern take on comforting flavours. A choice of: sticky toffee madeleines served with vanilla ice cream, lemon posset or orange frangipane tart, and a three-cheese selection from George Mewes is available for a £10 supplement.

The sticky toffee madeleines were lovely – familiar, warming and indulgent, but presented in a more interesting way than the usual slab of sticky toffee pudding.

Is Glaschu’s Sunday roast good value?

At £35 for two courses and £40 for three, this is not one of Glasgow’s cheapest Sunday lunches. However, the difference between two and three courses is only £5, so the full menu offers better value for anyone with room for dessert.

The price reflects the central location, high-quality Scottish ingredients, formal dining room and restaurant service. It is best viewed as a leisurely dining experience with a few glasses of wine rather than somewhere to grab roast beef and potatoes with a pint.

Overall verdict and final thoughts

Glaschu offers a sophisticated Sunday roast without stripping away the comfort that makes the meal so appealing in the first place. The aged beef, oversized Yorkshire pudding, beef-fat roast potatoes and red wine jus deliver the traditional elements, while the starters and desserts add enough creativity to make lunch feel like an occasion. The range of dishes available on the Sunday Roast was appreciated as the weather meant that I wanted something a bit lighter than the traditional roast. We would certainly return here again, especially to try the beef Wellington roast. Service was efficient and friendly.

Glaschu information

Address: 32 Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow, G1 3AB
Sunday menu: £35 for two courses or £40 for three courses
Sunday service: From noon, subject to availability
Booking: Advance reservations are recommended
Telephone: 0141 248 2214

The restaurant is situated behind the Gallery of Modern Art and is within easy walking distance of Glasgow Queen Street and Glasgow Central stations. Glaschu states that its Sunday roast is served throughout Sunday, although individual dishes may sell out, so an earlier booking is sensible.

Where is Glaschu in Glasgow?

Glaschu is located inside the Western Club at 32 Royal Exchange Square, close to the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow city centre.

Is Glaschu close to public transport?

Yes. Glaschu is within walking distance of Glasgow Queen Street railway station and Glasgow Central Railway Station. , Buchanan Street Subway station and several city-centre bus stops.