Moz C.

I took my vegetarian friend on her first trip to Glasgow to the all-vegan Stereo following my read of their menu and determining it would be fine for me (on a gluten-free diet). We stopped by after spending the day museuming in Edinburgh and found the place after leaving Queen Street station. We saw both diners and people who were there simply for drinks and socialising. It seems to be a hipster date place. Hey, young people need a place to hang out, don't they? She got a seitan burger which she raved about, while I got the tomato lentil, gluten-free soup of the day and baba ghanoush with chili oil, both with gluten-free oatcakes (this is Scotland, after all). The fettuccine sounded amazing but sadly, they don't offer gluten-free pasta (I asked). The baba ghanoush was a wee bit spicy, the oil on top packing a punch, but the mixture was lovely. I should have just gotten the soup, as the two starters were too much for one person - the soup came in a massive bowl, with an equally massive spoon to match - and I took home the leftovers. (I cut myself out of the photo here to not detract from the food.) I remember looking at the menu and thinking the chips seemed expensive at £3.50: the most expensive side and only £1 cheaper than each of my starters. Maybe I'll try those next time... I've docked the place one star because I thought it was uncomfortably noisy and the chairs aren't particularly comfortable. It's a pretty popular place; given its location down a dark alley that looks foreboding on a (usually) grey Glaswegian day, you'd expect it to be a best-kept secret. We almost missed the front door until we happened to pass two people smoking outside it. I look forward to the day I can see a show in their venue space! Note: not sure if the place is disabled-friendly. There's steps going up right as you enter, and I didn't see an alternate way in.

Hayley S.

My go-to spot for good vegan food in Glasgow, Stereo is a gem tucked away in a side alley. Their creative menu is great for lunch or dinner, but try and reserve ahead of time for evening meals since they're often packed. We each ordered pasta dishes from the specials board, me getting sun dried tomato and my husband getting alfredo. Both were served with crusty garlic bread and the sauces were lick-the-bowl good. Our other favorites from Stereo are their pizzas, burgers, and wings.

Laura P.

I don't know why I've never visited this place before... no in fact I do! From the outside its not much to look at, and I remember passing once before when it was deserted, thinking it looked a little grim. Anyway, reading the reviews on here and from my recent trip to the CCA, I really decided I should be more adventurous in my veggie ventures. This time, shortly after 6pm the place was heaving with a fair mix of folks having drinks and food. The seats or decor aren't the most luxurious but the menu was right up my street and I struggled to choose. Tapas style dishes, sweet potato chips and dips, hummus, veggie sandwiches with proper veggie fillings (none of your standard veggie mozzarella options here), and mains like veggie burgers and pizzas... what to choose. I decided to avoid my classic veggie choice (the veggie burger) and go for something different in the form of the baked polenta stack with ratatouille and salad with pesto dressing. My wee non-veggie meat loving dining companion opted for the haggis fritters with chips. The polenta portion was a decent size and pretty tasty, although I did think there was slightly too many aubergine bits in the ratatouille which is never my favourite, but it was nice to have something a bit different. The haggis fritters came in a flatbread wrap and I had slight food envy when I got to try a bit. The haggis was nice and spicy and with some tommy sauce I think you'd struggle to know it was all vegetarian (well I'm saying that, I've never tried real haggis!). We were both quite satisfied but had a swatch at the dessert board. There was only two options available- a chocolate cake with peanut butter icing (PB is the devil so that was oot!), and a blueberry crumble cake which didn't tempt us. I would maybe have liked to see a few more options on here - a vegan brownie or cheesecake would have been fab! At £8 for the mains it was really good value for money and I'm looking forward to coming back and working my way through the menu... next to try the veggie burger!

Nicola C.

Food at Stereo was like one big, comforting hug. Legitimately. Hungry and cold, Stereo came to mind when looking for a light post-Yelp event dinner in the town centre. Whilst Glasgow's famous for its vegan eateries, I'm downright ashamed by just how few I've tried so I was excited by the thought of adding Stereo to the list. Having entered into a meat-free January, Stereo seemed like just the place to chow down on some tasty and healthy Veggie food. - Boy, I am so glad we ventured down Renfield Lane! The interior is minimalistic and stripped back, the atmosphere an effortlessly cool and relaxed one. - Just the place to hang with some food and drinks before heading onwards to evening plans in Glasgow. Although, it sure would be just as easy to forgot any plans and stick around in Stereo; I sure did feel cosey. We were promptly shown to a table and handed menus. I hadn't seen my best friend for a while so, as so often happens, we hadn't glanced at the menu, let alone decided, when the waiter came to take our order. In quite possibly the most annoying dining habit, at his second visit to the table, we were still in full-flow patter mode. The waiter was lovely and patient, coming over a third time which we'd made sure we were ready for. I'm a sucker for both a daily specials board and a hearty bowl of soup, so I just couldn't resist the charms of the roast carrot, sweet potato and orange soup which called to me from Stereo's chalkboard. Add to that the freshest of freshly baked breads and a side of rosemary and sea salt polenta chips and I was pretty much in foodie heaven. The soup was warming, wholesome and brimming with flavour, with a little bit of heat coming from the slither of fresh chilli which graced the top. - A nice little kick and a welcome surprise! And I fell in love with the polenta chips. Hard. - Seasoned to perfection and delivered with the tangiest, tastiest of sauces. Delicious! I want every excuse to eat here, I really do. And I so wish that I'd met Stereo sooner. But, hey, that just means we've got some catching up to do, and I'm not complaining! Stereo is true comfort food; an edible hug, if ever there was one.

Cecilie C.

What a lovely wee deal! My pal Gemma is a big fan of stereo, she keeps bringing it up and even though we went lunching there not so long ago, she managed to drag me there once more. She had a killer selling point this time: 5 tapas for 12 pounds on a Monday (whaaaaaaat?). And those were super super nice tapas. We ordered hummus with flat bread, spring rolls, roasted aubergine, red pepper and chickpea salad, and some kind of cauliflower tempura (a bit too greasy for me, especially since it was served with garlic mayo) We struggled to finish the plate as it truly was a lot of food. I could not believe we split a 12 pounds bill for this tasty meal. Monday tapas in stereo might just turn into a new routine for me. Try it for yourselves.

Gavin M.

For a bar that's seen as an important player at the sharp end of the music scene, I actually find Stereo a bit clinical at times, and in comparison to other venues of the same ilk such as The 13th Note and Nice and Sleazy, it's not my favourite. It has various plus points though, the hidden, prohibition era style entrance keeps undesirables out, and the bands on here are excellent. Not long ago I saw an excellent gig by a bearded, miserable chap who's name escapes me, and there is stuff on most nights of the week, all very underground and appreciated by those in the know. The toilets seem to be a bone of contention amongst the other reviewers. I could imagine it a bit of embarrassing if you found yourself on the throne noisily dropping a chocolate iceberg whilst some chatting women right outside touched up their warpaint, but the lack of segregation has never bothered me. Somewhat predictably, the menu is a groan-inducing strictly vegan affair. You can almost smell the smug sense of self-satisfaction when you open it.

Briony C.

I've been a bit fan of Stereo ever since my first visit. I'm not sure what exactly it is I like about it, but I just feel comfortable here. They have seating for eating to the left, and seating for drinking/eating to the right. I've been in a couple of times and found it to be super busy so I've just headed over the road to the Old Hairdressers. I popped in on Thursday when I had some time to kill. It was pretty busy around 5pm and was getting busier as I stayed there. I wasn't really hungry but ordered felafel as I was just drinking water and didn't want to seem like a total freeloader. The food arrived quickly and was incredibly delicious, really crispy outside and nice and flavorsome. The longer I sat the more I noticed it was filling up with people, and fast. Because I was sitting at a table for four I decided the best thing to do would be make a hasty exit so someone else could have my table. I've been to many gigs here and like the gig space although the lack of phone reception is annoying if you're meeting friends. So, why only four stars? The toilets. They are just never in a great condition and really need an upgrade, or something.

gareth v.

Stereo is both pub and venue: in the dank cellar, they put on all sorts of shows, from psychedelic Japanese rock to amateur productions of classic theatre. The bar area is a little make shift- it still feels as if the builders haven't finished off, and the unisex toilets are, unfortunately, only just above the standard of male urinals. However, it is a centre for alternative culture, and the best place to find out what is happening in Glasgow's cool scenes. The beer is served well and the menu is impressive. It's handy, near the city centre but hidden away so that it doesn't get any trouble.

Paul C.

There are four fairly unusual things about Stereo. Firstly, it's hidden away in one of the least appealing areas of Glasgow city centre. Secondly, the gig venue is so far down from the pub it almost feels like a different place. Thirdly, all food is strictly vegan. And fourthly, there are no separate male and female toilets. But then again, there are advantages to all of these. Having moved from Kelvinhaugh Street in the West End, Stereo uprooted its cafe/bar/live music venue to Renfield Lane just by Central Station in 2008. Finding it is hard. The lane itself is dark and dingy but its inconspicuous location and decision not to display itself more openly, there are no bright lights or billboards, ensures there is little likelihood of undesirables staggering in from Union Street. Despite appearances, the area is safe. While the stripped down appearance of the main level creates a relaxed environment, equally suitable for night-time drinking or day-time eating, the trek to the venue downstairs helps create an underground atmosphere and what presents itself is one of the best live music settings in the city. Local and international acts play here and providing you're not stuck behind one of the pillars and the band has soundchecked properly, gigs here are a wholly enjoyable experience. The food has gained a fine reputation even with vociferous carnivores, with the meat free fry up in particular a huge hit. As for the toilets. Well, no, actually, that really is just a tad weird. All in all though, one of the city centre's hidden gems.

Angela B.

I'm giving Stereo five stars as it is one of my favourite bars and vegan restaurants in town. It's my 'go-to' place when meeting friends for a drink and it's a favourite haunt of mine on a weekend for yummy brunch. I was very excited about the 'new' Stereo opening back when it did as I have always been a fan of The (old, original on Glassford Street) 13th Note and I used to work in the (now sadly gone) 13th Note club on Clyde Street & it was one of my first and most favourite jobs when I came Glasgows many years ago. So many good/fun memories of the place so when it changed to Barfly and then closed down totally I was very sad. Anyway, I digress (as usual!)...also Mono & the old Stereo (now The 78) were other favourites of mine. I have such fond memories of all these places ~ I used to put gigs on at the old Glassford Street 13th Note & I also used to DJ at Mono! Wow. Good times. If you're wondering why I am mentioning these other venues it's because they are all linked and (as far as I know still) owned/run by the same person, along with The Old Hairdressers, opposite Stereo. Always a good vibe and they never disappoint with their delicious vegan food. I just love the soup & sandwich deal ~ amazing homemade (and sometimes strange concoctions!) soup and a choice of yummy sandwiches ~ I always flit between the faux pulled pork with coleslaw or the tempeh rashes with caramelised onions & mustard. Both so so tasty. Good price too for what you get. Plus I have to add that if you're more of a pitta/flatbread fan then you can change your sandwich from toasted bread to either or, the staff are always happy to accommodate this. They also do great vegan Tapas here and every Monday from midday to 9pm you can order 5 (yes, 5!) Tapas dishes for a mere £10. Great offer. Now service-wise they're not always the quickest here when it's really busy but personally that doesn't bother me as when I'm here I like to be pretty chilled out & relaxed, plus it's always nice to people-watch in here if you like that kinda thang. So relax, read a poster/flyer or too & wait for your lovely food to arrive, it's worth it. They have a really good selection of beverages here: a few nice draft lagers and wheat beers plus the usual ciders/Guinness & also a great selection of bottled beers & ciders, including fruit beers & lots of William's Brothers ones. Also they make a rather damn fine coffee. My favourite is the vanilla soya cappuccino. Well good. It wasn't until I was actually last in here that I noticed that they use Dear Green coffee here, ahh...makes sense now why it's so good! They also stock many herbal teas of various crazy flavours. As a music venue I think it's a pretty good place, especially size-wise. Not a fan of big/stadium gigs/concerts personally so Stereo is I would guess about similar size to King Tuts. I like the tall stage here which means even us not-so-tall people can still see the band, woo! They also have club nights here too which I've never been to but I've heard are pretty good. I do have to mention the unisex toilets! Now...some people get very confused by these ~ you see them wondering whether to enter or not and scratching their heads...yes, it's unisex toilets here BUT there are 3 designated Female (the first 3 I think?) and Male toilets so it's fine. It's not as if there's a couple of cubicles & some urinals in there, haha! (Although that might be quite amusing for us ladies...!) The toilets are fine but I am irked by the fact they provide soap & hand washing sink in the cubicles but not hand towels to dry your hands with! So you're supposed to open your cubicle door with wet/clean hands and walk out to get hand towels...err...not a great idea. But aside from that flaw they're cool. I know I will return again & again to Stereo. I love this place. I really do think that this is the BEST place for quality vegan food in Glasgow's city centre. Heavenly came & went and was nice while it lasted for it's also vegan menu but I always still preferred Stereo's food. You don't have to be a vegan or vegetarian to enjoy this grub so don't let that stop you. Stereo is a wee hidden treat in Glasgow's city centre & as long as they are around I will always come here. Lots.

Aimi G.

Truth has it that the last couple of days I visited so many amazing places that I do not know if "the best" exists.. Definitely Stereo deserves to be one of "the best"! Vegan friendly, customer friendly, quality friendly, good and tasty food friendly!!! I absolutely loved it... I'm gonna miss it... We had the pleasure to visit the place during the World Vegan Day!! And we had the opportunity to taste its special menu.. and we did... All of it.. From salad.. to three different types of burgers.. to both dessert options.. Yes all that!! I do not regret the slitest bite of those .... Stereo... Well done... Until we meet again... Cause we will!!

Lucy B.

We bolted straight to Stereo on Saturday night, in need of quick and filling food, and with Stereo delivering it's usual champion outcome, I thought it was time I wrote an update review. In short, it's still awesome here. We were pretty hungry, so needed somewhere reliable to go, and arriving at about 7pm, it was stowed. Potential disaster! So we were very lucky and happy to get the last table available. I ordered the gluten free mezze platter. My word, it was substantial and delicious. The platter was heaped with many delicous items - the obligatory hummus of course, with oatcakes, black and green olives, some spicy chickpeas, a roasted aubergine with dip and dukka, a fresh green salad, and my favourite item - rosemary polenta fries, with a sour cream dip. I'd never had them before and they are super tasty. I'd have them again in a heartbeat. My OH had a mushroom and chickpea burger with chips and sclaffed it pronto, which was a very good thing considering he was getting ever so slightly hangry. Or at least a bit.... hmmm... overwraught. I didn't even get offered a chip! ;-) We also had a couple of lovely beers - pricey at almost £5 a pint! But the food is very reasonably priced so I wouldn't quibble about it. We shared a cinammon bun for dessert. It was a wee bit dry but I still like it. It would seem from my reviews that I only ever eat cinammon buns when I come here! I'm sure that's not the case, but I do like a cinammon bun. Service was quick and efficient. Ah Stereo, don't go changing. Apart from your toilets, you can do something with them.

Alison H.

Always on point! Stereo has to be my favourite place to visit, whether it's for lunch, dinner or a pit stop for coffee & cake. Generous servings and friendly staff keep me coming back not to mention the outstanding food, even my strictly carnivorous husband loves visiting this vegan restaurant as the "haggis" pizza & "sausage" sandwich are both so good he doesn't feel like he's missing out. Total win!