Margo - a new restaurant from the independent hospitality group behind Ox and Finch and Ka Pao - opened in Glasgow this week, bringing a new drinking and dining spot to the city centre.
Chef Jonathan MacDonald, who has built his restaurant group from the success of Ox and Finch, says Margo shares the same ethos of “relaxed, accessible and fun, alongside a focus on quality. Whilst retaining lots of the features that have made Ox and Finch so popular for the last decade, Margo will be bigger and bolder.”
“We’ll be pushing things further in the kitchen, baking our own breads, making fresh pastas and also doing some in-house butchery. There’ll also be a larger, more adventurous wine list, which the team have been sourcing from a range of great suppliers. We’re very excited to be able to share what we’ve been working on with Glasgow, and we’ve also got some exciting plans coming.”
On opening night he was on the floor helping to serve guests as kitchen service was led by Glasgow chef Robin Aitken, who joined Ox and Finch in 2014. After a period of travelling and working abroad, Aitken returned as part of the senior team leading Ka Pao in the West End to its first Michelin Bib Gourmand, and contributed to Ox and Finch retaining its Bib Gourmand for the 10th year. Paige Wilson, who managed Ka Pao when it opened in 2019, leads the front of house team
- Hand-dived Uist scallops, sobrasada and haricot beans £19.50
- Grilled celeriac, remoulade and hazelnuts £8.50
- Skate wing, kumquat kosho, trout roe and green peppercorns £14
- Bavette steak with chimichurri £14
- Crispy ratte potatoes, garlic butter £6
- Brown butter almond tart, poached quince and crème fraîche £6
Special mention for the cocktail menu, developed under the direction of Alasdair Shaw, the group’s Head of Drinks this year, who has experience at some of Glasgow’s best bars and restaurants, including award-winning whisky and cocktail bar The Gate. Order a spicy margarita.
Margo is a high ceilinged, open, former retail space that has been refitted to seat 138 diners across an expansive main dining room and upper mezzanine. The team has worked with Stuart Black of Mosaic Architecture and Design to create bespoke furniture and carpentry for the space. Metalwork and traditional clay render are mixed with ceramic and terracotta tiles and salvaged light fittings, resulting in a warm and welcoming space with a modern industrial edge.
A large open kitchen with counter seating gives guests the opportunity to watch Margo’s chefs at work, while banquettes and booths offer a dining setting for groups.
This restaurant has been years in development. The opportunity to tailor a restaurant within an open space with a high-ceiling in a city centre location doesn’t come along that often. The team here have delivered a restaurant that will soon be a key part of the city centre food and drink ecosystem. With The Spanish Butcher, El Santo and Paesano on Miller Street this is already an exciting street for restaurants. Margo is already a restaurant that would be a candidate for Bib Gourmand recognition when the Michelin Guide rolls into Glasgow next year. The food is fresh and exciting, the team are superb and the space has been crafted into an impressive dining room. They are only getting started but this is already one of the best restaurants in the city and the most interesting thing to happen to hospitality in Glasgow this year.
GlasgowWorld visited Margo to find out what to expect from the new restaurant, you can watch the video with Jonathan above. Margo is at 68 Miller Street, G1 1DT