Dining at Gusto Glasgow

There is nothing better to do on a rainy miserable Wednesday than to tuck into three deliciously indulgent courses of amazing Italian food and sip on wine as you watch the rain dribble down the window and smile about how jammy you are to be here.

Skapa PR were lovely enough to set up a dinner for me and a guest (I took along the BF as he's never one to say no to trying a new restaurant) at the brand spankin' new Gusto Glasgow. I'd spied the new eatery on Bothwell Street when it first opened and have been dying to try it out, so of course jumped at the chance and said YES! while already browsing the mouth-watering menu.

I'd always been intrigued by the new spot they'd transformed just up from my office and have always wanted to join the Suits at 5pm Friday sipping cold fizz on the terrace in the sunshine, embraced by classic white parasol, umbrellas. It serves up Italian brasserie staples from its classic and contemporary Italian menu, using fresh and simple ingredients to create gorgeously simple and sophisticated dishes.

Inspired by the traditional grand cafes of Europe, "Gusto is all about making the everyday exquisite". And as soon as you enter the double doors, you're transported to somewhere that's just a bit special.

The decor is timeless and classic, with art deco touches transporting you to a Gatsby-esque world that is sophisticated and elegant, making you wish you were wearing a 1920s fringed dress and pearls. There is also definite Italian styling in the tan leather booths and marble tops, perfectly emulating the bustling cafes of Rome. You can almost imagine that you're on the set of Roman Holiday and Audrey Hepburn is giggling delightfully at a table beside you, the Vespa waiting outside.

But, just as we were drinking it all in we spotted the large central square bar, overflowing with bottles and promises of something amazing. So of course we made a beeline for it!


We had arrived a little early as we were both finished work and I'm glad we did, as relaxing with a glass of prosecco and watching the restaurant warm up for the evening was really nice and relaxing. The bartender was an absolute gentleman and I can't sing his praises enough. He chatted us through the gins and suggested different garnishes to match their flavours - I particularly liked the addition of rosemary.

Just as the last bubble disappeared we were led to our table.

We sat at the big windows, bathed in light (even though it was more grey-light from the rain) and could watch the world go buy, I love nothing more. Now that we'd had time to explore the simply spectacular cocktail list at the kind insistence of the staff we made our selections. I had an Elderflower and Peach Martini (Peach purée, elderflower liquor, grey goose, lemon and gimme shaken in a martini glass - subtle with a lovely bright finish.) It was delicious, really light and refreshing. The BF went for a Negroni (Equal measures of Tanqueray 10, Antiqua Formula Vermouth and Campari). Yup basically just a gin mixture. 


We spent ages pouring over the menu before we decided what to order - there was just so much and it all sounded amazing. It was all really fresh and classic sounding. The pizzas perched on waiters shoulders looked astounding, but I had my eye on an extra special pudding and it may not have followed so well after pizza... 

In the end though I went for Home cured salmon tartare and quails egg with crème fraîche and red gazpacho. It was so light and everything merged together really well, really fresh and simply delicious. I might even go as far as to say the starter could have been my favourite course. It was the perfect portion size and just set me up perfectly. 



The BF went for Tiger prawns in a garlic, tomato and cream sauce with grilled ciabatta. It was met with delighted mmmmmmm's and I managed to sneak a bite and thoroughly agreed - so good. 


For the mains we moved onto a really, really nice bottle of white. It was Riff Pinot Grigio and the Italian wine matched the food perfectly, gorgeous. 

But, more importantly the food!

I had Rigatoni Primavera with summer vegetables, pine nuts, crème fraîche and grana padano (an Italian cheese) with chicken. I changed my mind last minute when I ordered as I just fancied the summer veg and pine nuts. It just sounded so fresh and simple that it couldn't fail be delicious and it really was. It was a simple, but elegant dish that was just really a delight to eat. 


Across from me the White crab, chilli, garlic and fresh lemon spaghetti arrived. It looked so temptingly delicious, again really fresh, simple and sophisticated. 


We were feeling pretty full up after eating our starters and mains, but we were determined to try out the puddings - I mean they couldn't not be amazing. So, we asked for a little break to sip some more of our wine and have a little chitter chatter. By this time the restaurant had really filled up as well, pretty impressive for a rainy Wednesday night. It added to a really buzzy ambience, that made you feel a part of a well-loved place, even though it's still new! It was also really relaxing though and we really did sit for hours and the little rest-bite was the perfect way to stretch out the evening, hoping it would never end. 

I'd heard about this dessert before and it had my mouth-watering straight away - Nutella and mascarpone calzone with vanilla ice cream. It was a deliciously messy dessert that melted in your mouth and filled you with a gorgeously chocolate amazingness. It melted all over the plate and the mixture that was left was simply beautiful. 


The Baked flaming Alaska was also pretty impressive. The blue flames were poured on top and created a show. The little bit I managed to steal before to was hoovered up was amazing, and I particularly loved the cherry liquor that was dotted around. 


I can't thank Gusto and Skapa enough for setting up this dinner! It was such a lovely evening and I can definitely see myself going back - it would be the perfect way to while away an evening with the girls, making our way through the cocktail list and gorging on pizzas. Our waitress was absolutely lovely and the staff added to the all round ambience of luxury, but also friendliness. They made us feel so comfortable, giving us recommendations and checking that everything was ok - they were a delight. 

Get your Italian taste-buds ready and head to Gusto Glasgow! 

***This is a promotional post, but all views are my own. Obvs.