The best places to see in the New Year in Glasgow

Head along to this award-winning live music bar and kitchen for some great tunes and jubilations. Last year the “Great Bells of Fire” party night saw revellers on the dance floor until 4am, so we’re excited to see what the venue brings this time around. Festive dishes here include the likes of haggis pakora served with a chilli sauce; maple glazed pork belly, with fondant potato, roast vegetables and red wine jus; roast pepper and chilli jam pithivier with a warm winter salad; and Slouch Mess, the venue’s take on the Eton Mess, with crushed fruit and meringue.

Immerse yourself in an atmosphere that’s been inspired by pre- and post-prohibition times, Glasgow’s own maritime heritage and the golden age of ocean travel. This sophisticated restaurant and bar is wonderfully reminiscent of the kinds of liners once constructed in this shipbuilding city. And for Hogmanay this year, the venue’s preparing a New Year Gala, an opulent option for those wishing to push the boat out (pun intended). There will be a delectable four-course celebration menu. Priced at £79.95 per person, the options include starters like king scallops with champagne and caviar butter sauce or celeriac and apple soup. Main dishes range from fillet of Scotch beef to spiced halibut, followed by indulgent desserts such as rich chocolate caramel cake or a cheeseboard selection.

Search for the highest-rated restaurants in Glasgow and you’ll find Gamba is repeatedly top of the pops in the review charts. It also made it into The Good Food Guide for 2024. The dearly loved city centre seafood restaurant is serving an ocean-themed three course feast for £50 each. Begin your sparkling Hogmanay evening with a glass of Cecilia Beretta Prosecco. Then move on to dishes like fish soup with Portland crabmeat, stem ginger, coriander and prawn dumplings; Isle of Gigha halibut with pan-fried Norwegian prawns, Lilliput capers, smoked almonds, lemon and parsley; and chocolate crèmeeux with honeycomb ice cream and lime butterscotch. Reservations are available for New Year’s Eve from noon to 2.15pm and 5pm to 8.30pm.

Known for its top-quality, dry-aged cuts of meat, including tomahawk, Chateaubriand, and Beef Wellington, this restaurant focuses on delivering premium dishes. Want to make your meal extra fancy? Book a seat at the chef’s table, the venue’s elite foodie experience. The restaurant’s main festive menu comes in at £49.95 per head, offering up three courses. These include beef cheek, bone marrow and truffle spring roll; cumin spiced barbary duck breast; and key lime pie with coconut ice cream and lime gel. Prefer a daytime celebration to an after dark meal? Book lunch and you can sample beetroot and gin cured salmon; 8oz ribeye with truffled wild mushrooms; and cinnamon spiced apple and rhubarb crumble. Executive Chef William Lee has a true feast in store for you here.

Anticipating a lack of funds by the new year? If Christmas has cleared you out, rest assured you can still get a slap-up multi-course meal for a steal this December. Hop on a bus to Cardonald and take a table at JM Bistro, where you can savour two courses for just £19.95, or three courses for £23.95. The menu includes grilled Stornoway black pudding and goat’s cheese salad with balsamic glaze; pan-seared pork fillet medallions with a selection of potatoes and a creamy leek sauce; spinach ravioli in creamy tomato red onion sauce; and the cheesecake of the day. Plus there’s a great value kids menu, handy if you’re ending the year with little ones at your side. The small, independent restaurant also mixes up some tasty and colourful cocktails, sure to brighten up a winter’s night.

This micro chain has taken up residence in both the city, as a restaurant, and in the West End, as a chic pasta bar. Here we’re taking a look at the slightly more formal Merchant City venue that first opened in 2021. Santa Lucia is serving a festive menu for 2024 that runs right through to January 2025. From Monday to Thursday, the selection is available from 4pm to late, with two courses at £29.95 and three courses at £32.95 (Hogmanay falls on a Tuesday this year). The food genre is Italian, with dishes such as burrata from Puglia with warm Napoli sauce, croutons, fresh basil and olive oil; ribbon-shaped pasta with Italian pork sausage, mixed wild mushrooms and cream of truffle sauce; deep-fried lasagna (you simply have to try this dreamy Scottish-Italian mash-up, especially if you’re visiting from outside of Scotland); and a nutrient-dense walnut and carrot cake, for a relatively healthy sweet treat.

This gorgeous house, which was inspired by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, boasts the enviable setting of Bellahouston Park. And while it may have been designed as a country retreat, it’s a short distance from Glasgow’s city centre and southern suburbs (so a taxi home won’t cost the earth). Guests will be welcomed with fizz and canapés at 7pm followed by a three course meal with wine. Held in the Mackintosh Suite, there’s plenty of space to kick your heels and a ceilidh band will be present to encourage you onto the floor as they play and call the dances. Dancing will halt at midnight, for a round of Auld Lang Syne, before resuming and ending at 1am. If you already have plans for the bells, why not pop into the venue for a light lunch at the Art Lover’s Café, followed by a walk of the grounds, before returning home to get ready for your night oot.

Opt for sustainable seafood and aged meats, accompanied by creative cocktails and low-level mood lighting, at this nautically inspired bar and restaurant in foodie Finnieston. The festive specials continue throughout the month of December and you can expect some high quality seafood. Sea trout gravlax blini with horseradish cream and keta caviar, butter roasted coley with chickpea and sobrasada stew, and mulled winter berry poached pear with vanilla ice cream are examples of the kinds of delights you can wrap your teeth around, should you spend a relaxed evening in this fashionable venue. Its atmosphere is well suited to couples wanting some quality time together with excellent cuisine and a sultry, on-trend backdrop.

Join the Hogmanay party ‘Moanin’ at Midnight’, thrown by this top-rated and award-winning music venue on Bath Street. As an American whisky bar, it’s a great shout if you fancy a US-made dram to sup on for the bells. And the venue serves up some tasty seasonal scran, like crayfish and thermador taco with burnt scallions; winter vegetable pithivier with maple roast chicory and vegan jus; and oat milk and vanilla panna cotta with raspberry powder and raspberry dressing. As this venue is all about the Blues, you can expect this genre of music to be playing all night as you see in the New Year in rock and roll style. Choose this venue if you want a howlingly good knees-up in the city centre.

Listen to live music as you chow down on a three course Hogmanay menu priced at £40 per person (including a glass of bubbles). Miso glazed haggis round, steak and stout pie, and fried Mars Bar with tablet ice cream sound right up your street? Then this is for you. The band New Vice will be playing live from 11pm and The Corona Bar will be open til 1am, enough time to see in the bells and have your first dram of 2025. Perfect for southsiders, it’s at the heart of Shawlands, among the city’s trendiest neighbourhoods. The venue blends Scottish pub vibes with modern food and drinks. And if you’re a vinyl fan, you can come by early to shop at the adjacent store, Strip Joint Records South.

Taking its inspiration from the real life Mr MacGregor’s global travels (himself inspired by Phileas Fogg), this is a restaurant and gin emporium in one. New Year here begins at 5pm, ideal for those not keen on a super late night. For £39 per person, you’ll be treated to a three course banquet, with dishes like lentil and smoked bacon soup, feather blade of beef, fillet of trout and the classic Scottish pud – cranachan. Those seeking something for the daytime can also opt for a festive afternoon tea instead. This runs right up until the 31st, offering a charming range of festive treats and savouries presented on a tiered cake stand. Tucked away in Clarkston this is a great choice for those on the suburban Southside who don’t want the hassle of taxis on New Year’s Eve.

Nervous about venturing into town during the madness that can be 31st December, but still want to party? Spend the night at Stereo, a dedicated safe space. The venue carries a policy of zero tolerance when it comes to homophobia, transphobia, racism and discrimination or prejudice based on identity or background, staff are trained to deal with any issues quickly and discreetly, and provide drink spike tests for peace of mind. This is a place you can relax and let your hair down, and be fully yourself without worry, knowing the team will look out for you if you need assistance. Plus they have a delicious plant-based menu and a killer line-up of live music to enjoy.

Searching for something a little bit different? Seek out Secession. You can start the evening with a trip to Maw Goose, an “all singing, all dancing eggstravaganza of a pantomime” at Websters Playhouse. Then head next door to the theatre bar, Secession, set within the atmospheric 19th century church. Gather beside the coal fireplaces indoors, or cuddle up outdoors next to one of the fire pits. Sip on a glass of orange wine, a Campfire Old Fashioned, a Chocolate Orange Espresso Martini, or a bottle of Perrier-Jouet champagne. And nibble on charcuterie, or a seafood sharing bucket. Because a celebration such as Hogmanay, calls for the best lobster. The bar is dog-friendly, so if you’re not attending the panto, you can spend the evening supping with your furry best friend.

There will be bubbly and tasty bites aplenty on the table for St Judes’ Hogmanay party this year. The neon-lit American bar and grill is otherwise best known for its burgers, steaks, afternoon teas and candy shop cocktails crafted using all your favourite childhood sweeties. It offers several spaces for festive function hire (the penthouse, condo, apartment and courtyard), and there’s a cute photo booth to document your evening, retro-style. The party runs from 8pm to 2am on the night, with some sophisticated live music as the backdrop for your celebration. 

Offering arguably the best views in town, the Radisson Red Sky Bar is an epic spot to bring in the bells. Quite the party pad, it relishes this night of the year, with an annual event. Music features heavily on the menu here. And to see out 2024, the team have booked a trio of bands. First up there’s Tennessee Hotshots and Simply Rod, followed by a big finish with Johnny Mac and the Faithful. Book the Radisson New Year package, which includes an overnight stay for two with breakfast, two welcome drinks in the room on arrival and tickets to the big bash. It’s a great way to treat your other half and maybe even plan a very special proposal after midnight overlooking the city lights.