The Clarence in Glasgow's West End serves some of the best bar snacks in Scotland
The Clarence describes itself as Hyndland’s modern bistro with pub soul. We visited to see how this neighbourhood spot is setting new standards for bar snacks and local hospitality.
Hyndland is shimmering in bright sunlight. It’s the hottest day of the year so far and after a wander down Ashton Lane and Byres Road we are taking a break from soaring temperatures at a table in The Clarence. Actor Sanjeev Kohli is also here, soon to be seen in season two of the excellent Netflix series Department Q - you can find out more about his World Cup song here.
The dining room in front of the bar is busy, a mix of pals enjoying some pints, couples in for an early dinner or locals in their usual corners. There are lots of reasons to visit The Clarence. It could be for oysters served with shallot mignonette, lemon and hot sauce paired with a pint of Guinness. Or you may be in the mood for a feast of dry-aged Ayrshire beef fillet cooked over charcoal with roasted bone marrow, parsley and garlic butter. Today we want to explore the bar snacks menu and gossip over glasses of Argentinian chardonnay and a couple of vesper martinis.
The cooking here is impressive. Coming from the same stable as Brett and Cail Bruich on Great Western Road, that should not be a big surprise. Their greatest achievement is an act of hospitality alchemy, bringing together the best parts of a pub, a bar, a bistro and a neighbourhood restaurant in a compact room. The staff bring a genuine belief in what they are doing. They have found a winning formula. It has the spirit of a Glasgow neighbourhood pub while still serving some of the best food you will find in the city.
Head chef Declan King’s cooking earned The Clarence a Bib Gourmand distinction in The Michelin Guide and a place in the UK’s top 100 gastropubs. He told me: “The main focus really is we want at a kind of relaxed atmosphere, somewhere that you can go and eat every night of the week. Not a special occasion type place. Obviously we want people to come for special occasions also, but it's a more accessible type of menu for people to come and enjoy every day of the week. So there’s a big emphasis on the grill side of things, the simplification of the main courses.”
The main menu gives nostalgic nods to classic dishes and flavour combinations while still finding room for innovation. Hand-dived Orkney scallops roasted in the shell. Classic beef tartare with beef-fat hash brown. Monkfish tail from the grill. Confit Creedy Carver duck salad. Chicken schnitzel with barbecued cabbage, Alsasce bacon, chicken and wholegrain mustard sauce. Wines by the glass are available from £5.50 with nine classic cocktails available at £9.
They get the simple things right. It’s amazing how satisfying it is to casually munch on chicken salt fries, dunked in roasted garlic mayo, while taking sips of a cold pint and dissecting Scotland’s World Cup campaign.
There’s an atmosphere of quiet hospitality, it’s a room to have a chat and a laugh while enjoying interesting dishes and good drinks. Order gilda, smoked anchovy, manchego, olives and guindilla or coronation chicken croquettes, lime mayo and pickled chilli. Or a tasty charcoal grilled skewer of pork belly, sweet and sour glaze and sesame. Settle in and get comfortable. You’ve come to the right place.
The Clarence is at 168 Hyndland Rd, Glasgow G12 9HZ
What The Michelin Guide says: “The team from Cail Bruich are behind this likeable neighbourhood spot decked out with cool modern décor and boasting a large bar – start with the well-priced house negroni or something creative from the extensive cocktail list. The cooking is led by the top-quality ingredients, be they seasonal girolles or super-fresh Loch Fyne mackerel, and the charcoal grill plays a key role in proceedings too. The best value comes via the set menu or sharing dishes from the à la carte. Knowledgeable and attentive service adds to the appeal.”
What UK’s Top 100 Gastropubs says: “The Clarence is the perfect place to unwind after a long day at work or a fantastic gastropub to hang out at the weekends.
“Playing a key role in the pub is the charcoal grill while pub snacks include oysters with shallot mignonette, lemon and hot sauce as well as coronation chicken croquettes with lime mayo and pickled chilli. Lunch options feature Tandoori hot smoked salmon crumpet with crème fraiche, green apple, pickled kohlrabi and coriander alongside handmade linguine, butternut squash, goat's curd, sage, brown butter and pine nuts.
“Those famed puddings are the perfect way to complete your meal – from Bare Bones chocolate mousse with passionfruit and hazelnut to Cashel Blue or Isle of Mull cheddar and if you fancy a little after dinner treat, you can savour every sip of the Clarence Grasshopper.”
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