The best fusion restaurants in Glasgow

Anniesland residents won’t have to stray far to reach this neighbourhood eatery. Stop by for lunch, brunch, unlimited tapas three nights a week, or the full a la carte menu. I-Chai’s selection revolves around Thai and Chinese dishes, with set dinners, seafood and lots of veggie options in the mix. Pretty traditional lanterns hang overhead and wooden screens separate booth tables, in the otherwise contemporary dining room. The restaurant is open every day except Tuesday and is found on Crow Road.

Imagine a mash-up of a classic British pub, a New York dive bar and a Spanish locale and you have this venue. Found in Charing Cross, it brings together dishes like fried chicken, burgers, tacos and “beer food” for you to share at the table (the menu also includes gluten-free and vegan options). Then for pud, test drive the amazing chocolatey “churros x waffles” dish, which is doused in both Nutella and Biscoff sauce, with two big blobs of ice cream. Look out for the midweek offers if you’re on a budget. And make the most of a sunny day in The Locale’s suntrap garden and fully heated stretch tent, where BBQs are often hosted.

One of the city’s most renowned fusion restaurants, Ox and Finch has been visited by top foodie celebs such as Gordon Ramsay. The upscale, yet laid-back dining spot focuses on sharing plates, encouraging guests to sample many dishes. Their commitment to using locally sourced ingredients ensures you experience the freshest Scottish produce, skillfully infused with Mediterranean and Asian flair. Dishes like slow-cooked lamb shoulder with polenta, salsa rossa and herb salad and duck liver parfait with duck fat brioche, raspberry and harissa, demonstrate the fusion of several culinary worlds. Ox and Finch is definitely one that needs advance booking.

Get a quick and filling feed at this award-winning eatery. An offshoot of the original in Edinburgh, it’s now opened two venues here in Glasgow, such is Ting Thai’s popularity. Its name gives a clue as to the primary type of cuisine cooked up in the great value establishment, but you’ll also find elements of Scotland and other nations hidden in the recipes. The design at both venues is simple, minimal and unpretentious, with an industrial street food market vibe that’s sociable and hip.

Fancying some fusion drinks? Reserve a spot at this glamorous Southeast Asian eatery for dinner and cocktails, where East meets West. We love the Coconut Old Fashioned (coconut-washed bourbon with chocolate bitters, coconut mist and dark chocolate bounty), the Watermelon Pop (pineapple-infused gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon, pandan and watermelon mezcal pop) and the Matcha Melon Sour (orange vodka, melon, matcha, lemon and egg white). 

Ingredients with a low carbon footprint are key to the ethos here, so you can expect plenty of British produce, paired with original and authentic Asian cooking that prides itself on making many items completely from scratch. A la carte and price fixe menus are available.

Looking for brunch with a difference? Book a table at The Marigold Café, for a daytime feast that’s both spicy and Scottish. The team joins together elements of Indian cooking with plenty of local staples. Try the Marigold spiced skillet — a take on the full fry-up, with diced new potatoes, black pudding, red onion, peppers, a fried egg on top and a fried naan; or the loaded breakfast naan packed with bacon, black pudding, pork and leek sausage, fried egg, masala sauce and chilli jam.

Later in the day, it’s all about the small plates and cocktails, where the fusion goes a step further, delving into international pairings, as seen in the Asian-Mex Amritsari fish taco (lightly battered fish in spices, ginger and garlic).