The Gardener, on Ashton Lane, is one of those places that we all want in our city
In this ** Scottish city ** there are hidden areas at first sight, which you have to look for if you don't find it by chance. They hide an intense social life, a wide variety of shops, popular bars and interesting exhibitions.
We go through all three lanes –alleys in our language– Glasgow's most famous.
ASHTON LANE
We start the tour by ashton lane , perhaps the most lively and fun of all, whose gastronomic and leisure offer is endless, despite being a street meters long.
It is accessed by Byres Road , the busiest street in the cosmopolitan westend neighborhood, residence of most university students.
It is advisable to pay attention to the entrance because there is no indicative sign; Quite the contrary, you can pass in front of the beginning of the alley and not even realize it, or that, due to its appearance, it does not encourage you to enter.
Its façade is the perfect entrance to Ashton Lane
A sign that you are on the right track is the Ubiquitous Chip Restaurant (12, Ashton Ln), with a curious white facade full of flowers and an interior of lush vegetation surrounding the tables.
Its cuisine stands out for being a mixture of Scottish food with personal touches , whose most popular dishes are those that include sea bass, cod and Scottish beef.
Our journey continues through the small street full of bars and restaurants for all tastes. Jinty Mcginty's _( 29, Ashton Ln) _, is a place that started out as a restaurant, but became successful after becoming a very british pub , with live music almost every night of the week.
If you are looking for an option other than English food, Ashoka is located at **number 89**, a Indian restaurant with excellent reputation among locals , attracted mainly by the section of the letter of name Tandoori Selection , with dishes like Indian Surf 'n' Turf, that combines shrimp, chicken and a spicy sauce made with onions and peppers, or the chef's favorite called Jalandhri , whose recipe has secret ingredients.
A plus? Vegetarians rejoice , since it has a wide section of dishes for them.
Nearby, at the top of a staircase, is dixie chick , where the chicken is the great protagonist , in the form of crispy strips, wings, grilled or baked chicken... a multitude of ways to taste it, and many other side options, with assorted sauces and chips.
At number 31 appears ** Vodka Wodka ,** a bar specializing in cocktails made with this distillate. Offers 70 varieties of vodka coming from all corners of the planet, and its motto, placed on the very entrance door, is “you should not drink on an empty stomach” . That is why they always accompany these with a small italian essence letter.
A few meters away we find one of the newest to join the party in this alley. We refer to Innis & Gunn , whose great peculiarity is the traditional craft beer , which its owners define as “an experimental beer served directly from our tanks.
We mash, boil, ferment, and then deliver the resulting fresh beer directly to the glass, such as Marshmallow Milk Stout, Mango IPA, or an infused beer called chilli and kumquat ”, they explain to Traveler.es.
Before leaving Ashton Lane, it is essential to visit the number 24 , where ** The Gardener .** is located. A place that little by little has been making its way, and whose great characteristic is that they play with the whole family of botanists to prepare their cocktails.
They also offer the possibility of signing up for some of their masterclasses. If you go in the morning, don't forget to try their artisan coffee.
Nightlife around The Gardener
HIDDEN LANE
Although very different from the previous one, it is another famous Glasgow Lane, especially for its dedication to culture, art and design.
Start at the number 1103 , that you will see in the lively street Argyle Street -place where the most lively restaurants in the city are concentrated-.
In the middle of the street, it is a good idea to raise your head to look at that number, indicated in store sign mode, so it cannot be seen from all sides.
Once I know cross the small tunnel lined with information signs, a totally different landscape can be glimpsed, made up of small houses in strong colors, such as green, blue, pink and red, on cobbled ground.
The locals say that this Lane is known for being a community of artists, designers, upholsterers, printers, publishers, writers or musicians who work in small studios, more than 100, concentrated in this area.
Hidden Lane in Glasgow
One of the best known and busiest spaces is Hidden Lane Tearoom , a small tea room where they make the best home-made cakes and pastries, to accompany their extensive tea menu.
With a full stomach we can walk to the study of Libby Walker , a well-known illustrator who owns a small showroom for sale. bonnie bling She is another perfect option, as she makes acrylic jewelry and fashion accessories, as does Vanilla Ink, which teaches jewelry classes for both beginners and advanced users.
On the other hand, enter Decadent Riot is to introduce you to the universe of decorative objects, since it is a space where you can find all kinds of curiosities, both from local artists and from other parts of Scotland.
At the bottom is NHC Music , a small local with a long history that defines itself as a non-profit organization to help bands, soloists and artists to self-finance and promote themselves. Finally, Sew Confident is a space dedicated to the art of sewing, with classes and courses for all levels
RUTHVEN LANE
It is the least known, and is at the other end of the street from Ashton Lane. It also contains some interesting places to visit, such as The Hanoi Bike Shop _(8, Ruthven Ln) _, a small house that was born as a bicycle shop, but at the same time is a café with a terrace where you can eat freshly baked cookies.
A few meters away one comes across the restaurant bothies (11, Ruthven Ln), whose cuisine stands out for its traditional Scottish recipes, with chicken, salmon and lamb as main ingredients.
This small alley also has space for fashion, with two essential stores: ** Starry Night Vintage Clothing ,** specializing, as its name suggests, in clothes from other decades, and W2 Store , in the number 10 , where you can find all the accessories, garments and fragrances of the listed brand Comme des Garçons.
The other, ** First Trade Days ,** was created to promote responsible consumption, which is why they sell artisanal products and hold interesting specialized workshops. To finish, the most daring can make a change of look in Vintage Pin Ups Hair & Make Up , a curious barber shop set in another decade from the decoration to the uniform of its team.
Ruthven Lane in Glasgow