ESCA

Confidently moving into its second decade, Esca serves traditional Italian food with a twist from its location in Glasgow’s Merchant City. Directly across from the Tron theatre, Esca is in the heart of Glasgow’s artistic quarter and enjoys a keen following of pre-theatre diners as well as couples and family groups. Romantically lit by candles at night, the popular Italian has an eye-catching interior that blends warm blues and autumnal reds with textured fabric sculptures on the wall.

Rustic Italian cuisine with the occasional contemporary flourish has built a glowing reputation for Glasgow’s Esca over the years. Some of the dishes are classics that would be hard to improve. There doesn’t seem any reason to alter a dish of ricotta and spinach ravioli or a Quattro formaggi pizza. Some of Esca’s other options, such as the mushrooms stuffed with cured ham, mozzarella and a garlic and coriander mayonnaise are a more daring take on Italian classics. Not that Esca limits itself to purely Italian dishes as the stir-fried duck breast served pak choi, pickled ginger and soft noodles demonstrates. Tempted in by the kitchen’s creative take on Italian cuisine, Glasgow has been flocking to Esca for more than ten years. Judging on its current popularity, another decade seems a dead cert.