I have lived in Dennistoun for two years now, getting to know my neighbourhood along the way. Watch the video above as we go a walk along Duke Street to show you some of my personal recommendations. Up first is Tibo. They do a good coffee and a great brunch that’s a weekend favourite for locals. They have some outdoor seating and nice big windows, so it's a lovely place to go when the weather's nice.
Then if you go slightly around the corner from here to Whitehall Street, you'll find the Econic Shop. It's a nonprofit social enterprise, and they're actually in the process of changing to a non-alcoholic bar where they'll serve various kinds of drinks. It's a really cool idea, as I don't think anywhere else in Glasgow actually does this. A couple of doors along from this is Madam Coco's Boutique, which is very high quality, true vintage clothing, all hand selected by the owner who has very good taste.
Zenner has a really cool and creative drinks menu. I usually go for the matcha, lots of delicious baked goods and a really high quality food menu. There are small tables at the front, but the back area is a larger communal space, and that's where I sometimes sit to get some work done.
Then there's Coia’s, one of the oldest restaurants in the city and one of the best for really authentic Italian foods. I also like to visit for gelato in the summertime. My favourite spot for a drink is probably Redmond’s. They play LPs and the atmosphere is always very good. They also have a large beer selection, and then I would also go to the Palais. Mesa is my favourite lunch spot. It gets very busy at the weekends. They do excellent sandwiches and soup.
When I first moved into Dennistoun, I was entirely unfamiliar with this pocket of Glasgow, only ending up here because the specific flat my boyfriend and I found was withing walking distance to our respective workplaces and on the market at a price we could afford. Our new home became Alexandria Parade and a considerable portion of the last two years has been devoted to exploring the businesses that share our new postcode. Dennistoun has become part of our daily lives.
And what an experience this has been for us. The neighbourhood thrives because of its independent businesses, people bringing their creativity, and harnessing quality and individuality. It’s added an element to the neighbourhood’s personality.
Here are some of me top places to visit the next time you are in Dennistoun:

5. Duke Bar
Good karaoke, cheap pints, friendly staff. This is a local favourite. | Kaitlin Wraight

6. Around a Pound
My boyfriend loves this shop. He bought a candle lighter for 99p the other day - extraordinary in a cost of living crisis. And it was of very good quality, I can vouch for that. Much sturdier than the one we spent £5 on from a major supermarket a while ago. | Kaitlin Wraight

7. Tibo
Great coffee, great vegan breakfast, great service. Always welcomed with a smile by staff. | Kaitlin Wraight

8. Nakodar
Brilliant Indian cuisine, delicious food every time we’ve tried. Only ever had a takeaway and they have been great portion sizes, we’ve got one main between the two of us and - considering we are big eaters - we’ve found this to be more than enough, so it’s always actually worked out considerably cheap. | Kaitlin Wraight


