Where to spend Galentine’s/Palentine’s Day in Glasgow

Looking for the girliest place in town this Galentine’s? Hit up Derby lane, the pastel-painted, flower-draped, gilt-edged, pink neon-lit eatery in Finnieston. Unashamedly feminine and with brunches and afternoon teas to die for, it’s a super setting to begin your special day with the ladies; the dishes and some of the drinks are finished with colourful edible flowers, The venue has been modelled on the Hamptons style for an upscale, yet relaxed ambience, with velvet seating, candles and greenery hanging from above.

Gather your pals for some brilliant biodynamic bottles and vegan/gluten-free friendly small plates. Instead of the usual red, white or rose, opt for a glass or orange and expect some bold flavours; this is the place to venture from your usual tipple and try more adventurous low-intervention wines. There are also cocktails, mocktails and kombucha on the menu.

You’ll find Hooligan Wine in a tenement building in the West End, making the most of its building’s exposed period features, while rocking a contemporary look.

Remember when you used to hang out with your friends in a treehouse as a kid? Now you can do the same thing as a fully grown adult. Except this treehouse has comfy seating, heating and access to a bar serving alcoholic imbibements. The “treehouse” is part of the city centre bar, Hide and Seek, a late-night venue with a den feel. It’s right in the centre of town, but feels a world away — the ideal place to tuck yourself away and hibernate (with some bevvies) for a few hours. Try some of the bar’s own cocktails, like Penicillin, Paper Plane and East 8 Hold Up. And if you’re planning a larger shindig for Palentine’s, you can hire a private space within Hide and Seek for up to 50.

If you and your friends have kids in tow, you may need to opt for a low-key daytime celebration, like a catch-up over some good coffee and a stroll. Rendezvous canalside at Spiers Wharf, and meander across-the-cobbles to Ocho Cafe, inside an original 1851 heritage building. It’s somewhat of a hidden gem, quite off the beaten track as far as cafes are concerned, yet this charming setting is a prime location and you can walk off your brunch or homemade cake afterwards with a stroll along the towpath. Tuck into unusual combos such as black pudding with crispy bacon, parsnip puree, sriracha and apple ketchup, and peppered poached eggs served with sourdough, or French toast batons with roast plums, berry and plum coulis, toasted almonds and ginger ice cream.

Who needs membership of a swish club when you can tee off right here in the city centre, at Scotland’s first indoor golf venue? It’s a great day out for you and your mates, with six state-of-the-art Full Swing Golf Simulators providing access to your choice of 50 of the world’s greatest courses (including St Andrews, Pebble Beach, The Belfry and Valderrama). Eight of you can be in one simulator at once, so there will be plenty of craic. And as clubs are provided, you’ll have no need to carry kit or hire a buggy. Then after your game, you can discuss your swing skills (or lack of) over drinks and eats in the Paloma Lounge.

For a more intimate experience with a single friend or two, book a table at The Absent Ear. This year it reached 25th place in the list of the UK’s 50 top cocktail bars for 2023, a two-place climb on the previous year, showing that the art-themed speakeasy is going from strength to strength.

Bartender Liam Grogan also scooped Scottish Mixologist of the Year 2023. It was a British GQ Best Bar Finalist ‘23 and the Scottish Licensed Trade News Cocktail Bar of 23. So if you haven’t been yet, it’s time to find out what all the fuss is about and there can be no better time than a cold dark February evening, to frequent a sassy theatrical basement with a striking menu of one-off libations. Best of all, it’s Try & Test on Tuesday evenings, when you can sample five brand new drinks before anyone else.

Hiding in plain sight, this cocktail bar is secreted in Webster’s Theatre (within the old Lansdowne Church) in the West End. But it’s not just there for show days and is a fab little venue in its own right. It only opened in this form in spring 2023, having been fully refurbished, but retains a cloistered feel that calls back to the building’s former life. The church’s leaded windows, thick stone walls and ornate marble carvings certainly create a sense of medieval atmosphere.

Secession’s naming is somewhat high-brow; the Vienna Secession was a 19th-century Austrian art movement formed by a group of painters, artists, sculptors and architects. So if you and your crowd are creatives, this will be a very suitable choice. Enjoy some cocktails by candlelight, such as the warming wintry Campfire Old Fashioned (Jameson Black Barrel, toasted marshmallow syrup and bitters, smoked with wood chips and served with a toasted marshmallow). And share a grazing board of charcuterie and cheeses.

This venue holds a weekly Platter Tuesdays and as is the day on which Galentine’s/Palentine’s falls it’s perfect timing. What could be more apt than a sharing platter with besties, followed by a game of pool and some drinks? The table is free to use and you don’t need to book it out — just turn up and pocket some balls.

There’s also a weekly quiz on a Tuesday, which is ideal for a little friendly competition and you may win some prizes at the same time. In addition to the sharing platters, you’ll find an a la carte menu of pub faves, like burgers, chicken wings, fish and chips, sausage and mash and roasts. The gastropub can be found on the Great Western Road and is dog-friendly, so furry pals can be in on the action too. 

Last year the pub created some special cocktails in honour of the occasion; Cupid’s Crush, pretty in pink and topped with Love Hearts for even more fizz, the refreshing drink contained Raspberry Caorunn sour topped with soda for a sherberty kick. And The Brass Monkey was all about including Galentine’s and Palentine’s in its Valentine’s offer. So we look forward to seeing what they come up with in 2024. If you’re not already familiar with it, The Brass Monkey is found in Finnieston, a lively haunt, with a great selection of drinks at fair prices. 

Perhaps you’d prefer to eschew all bars, cafes and restaurants during the season of lurve. If so, why not book an activity for you and your BFFS, that’s guarantee plenty and lols and give you something to take away at the end of it. Make yourself a functional momento of the occasion at The Craft Pottery, an independent studio in the city centre. You can book a single table, or make an event of it and take over the whole place or private space.

How does it work? Well you choose your pottery, adorn it with your own unique artwork and then leave it with the team who will glaze and fire it, so it’s safe to use for food. And as the venue is BYOB (no corkage either), you’ll save a bomb on booze and can pair your painting with some prosecco (or any other bevvy you may fancy). You could opt to create works of art for one another, as a token of your undying platonic love.