The Ultimate Guide to Dennistoun, Glasgow
Wander just thirty minutes east of Glasgow’s bustling Merchant City and you’ll come across the mostly residential inner city suburb of Dennistoun. Voted one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world by Time Out in 2020, which was met with much fanfare by locals and tourists alike, Dennistoun is (in my very biased opinion) the best spot in Glasgow to live, eat and visit. So after reading a particularly scathing and completely unfair review of my favourite Glaswegian suburb which was written and published during lockdown, I thought I’d publish my own guide to Dennistoun - Glasgow’s hippest neighbourhood.
After toiling away many an afternoon in the neighbourhood’s eclectic mix of cafes and bars, I set up shop in Dennistoun permanently in March 2021. Whether you’re living in Glasgow or simply popping by for a visit, a trip to this East End neighbourhood is definitely worth it for the local eateries alone.
Where is Dennistoun in Glasgow?
Dennistoun is situated just 2 kilometres east of Glasgow’s city centre. It’s about a half hour to walk or twenty minutes on the bus, which run regularly from the city to both Dennistoun’s two main streets - Duke Street and Alexandra Parade. There are also two subway stations in the area which run to Queen Street in Glasgow’s city centre.
How far is Dennistoun from Sauchiehall Street?
Dennistoun is 12 minutes drive from Sauchiehall Street. It’ll take you about 30 minutes on public transport or an hour to walk. Although it’s a bit of a hike, I highly recommend walking if you’d like to see a few sights along the way. While Glasgow isn’t as pretty as Edinburgh, it has a certain charm that can be easy to miss if you’re driving or on the bus.
A Brief History of Dennistoun
One of the most enticing aspects of Dennistoun is its fascinating history. The neighbourhood is named after Alexander Dennistoun, the eldest son of a successful merchant family. He served as the director of the Union Bank of Scotland as well as as a member of parliament for Dumbarton. I currently live on the street named after his home in present-day Dennistoun, known as the Golfhill Mansion.
For whatever reason, Alexander Dennistoun wanted to build a residential suburb to rival Glasgow’s desirable West End. Employing architect James Salmon to design his vision, he imagined a sprawling residential suburb with villas, terraces and gardens. This vision can be seen today in the stately terraces and standalone homes around Seton Terrace and Westercraigs, which is a designated conservation area.
By the mid to late 19th century, Scotland’s famous tenement buildings were popping up all over Glasgow. Unable to attract the middle-class residents intended by its original developers, the rest of Dennistoun was established as a respectable working-class area, the buildings of which can still be seen today. I myself live in a tenement flat which was built in approximately 1897.
What to do in Dennistoun
Whether you’re staying in the area or just popping by for a day trip, there’s plenty of fun to be had in Dennistoun.
Tour the Tennents Factory
In 1885, Hugh Tennent travelled to Bavaria where he discovered pilsner-style beer. He returned to the motherland and pioneered Scotland’s first and favourite lager.
The Tennents Factory, known officially as the Wellpark Brewery, has been brewing beer since 1556 and brewing Tennents since 1885 when Hugh first returned from that fateful trip to Bavaria. It’s an iconic Scottish institution and a tour of the factory is an absolute must-see for larger lovers and devoted stout drinkers alike.
Visit the Glasgow Necropolis
I’ve mentioned the Glasgow Necropolis before and I’ll do it again - and again and again and again. I genuinely don’t think there’s a better way to spend an afternoon in Dennistoun than wandering about the cemetery’s graves, statues and monuments.
Modelled on the Père-Lachaise in Paris, there are an estimated 50,000 people buried in the Glasgow Necropolis with around 3,500 known tombs. A host of famous people have also been laid to rest there. You can pay a visit to Hugh Tennent, the Scottish poet and creator of Wee Willie Winkie William Miller and of course, the Gypsy Queen herself Corlinda Lee, who allegedly read Queen Victoria’s palm.
Stroll through Alexandra Park
Alexandra Park was originally named Wester Kenny-hill initially and extended from Monkland Canal to Cumbernauld Road. Today the park is our local green space here in Dennistoun. Named after Princess Alexandra, the wife of King Edward VII, it was opened in 1870 to provide a dedicated recreational space for North East Glasgow. Alexander Dennistoun later gifted five acres of his land to the park which is now the primary entrance on Alexandra Parade.
Alexandra Park is a lovely spot for both early morning and late afternoon strolls. It’s dog friendly and has a playground as well for little ones. Highlights of the park are the A-listed Saracen Fountain, sculpted in 1901 by David Watson Stevenson, and The Cruikshank Drinking Fountain, a B-listed cast iron fountain built in 1880.
Book a yoga class at Yama
Yama is a safe and welcoming space for people looking to practice yoga and movement. The studio aims to help people connect their body, heart and mind with the earth and offers a range of different classes and sessions including yoga, pilates, movement medicine and more. Weekly classes are available and can be booked online through the Yama website.
Where to eat in Dennistoun
If there’s one thing we’re not short of in Dennistoun, it’s places to eat. In fact, it’s probably one of the most common complaints I see on the Dennistoun Information Facebook Page which I’ll never understand. In my opinion, it’s Dennistoun’s food culture that has put our wee neighbourhood on the map, with a number of cafes, restaurants, bars and pubs in the area that rivals even Glasgow’s West End. Here are a few of my favourite go-to eats in the neighbourhood.
Tapa
As it’s technically a bakery, Tapa was allowed to stay open during the rolling lockdowns we had here in the UK during the pandemic. It was the very first cafe I visited in Dennistoun when I first moved to the UK in March 2020 and was truly love at first bite. These days, it’s a local favourite serving up delicious vegetarian and vegan food from both the cabinet and hot from the kitchen.
Akara Bakery
If you’re wondering where to find me on my days off, it’d probably be down at Akara Bakery with Lewa and her team. This cosy hole in the wall popped up in 2019 and has quickly become a neighbourhood favourite. It’s the brainchild of Lewa, who started the bakery as a home celebration cake business back in 2016, and can be found on Duke Street only a stone’s throw from The Snug.
The menu at Akara Bakery is seasonal and changes all the time, so you never know what might be up on the specials board when you walk in. There’s also a range of cabinet food including pastries and cakes - my personal favourite is the gluten-free rose and pistachio cake - as well as delicious coffee served in the cutest ceramic cups.
Tibo
Tibo came highly recommended when I moved to Dennistoun. I’ve only been a handful of times but can confirm their breakfast and lunch menu is well worth the hype. They have plenty of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options and the staff are always super friendly and chatty.
Daily
Daily is one of the newer additions to Dennistoun. Serving up delicious coffee and baked treats on Garthland Drive, just a few minutes walk from bustling Duke Street and Alexandra Parade, it’s an oasis of calm compared to the neighbourhood’s two main streets. Daily is also dog-friendly and has outdoor seating which, on a rare sunny day, is a great spot for some people watching and a little peace and quiet.
Zennor
Zennor is another newcomer. It’s one of my husband’s favourites - I think because it reminds him of the cafes we used to frequent in Melbourne when we lived there back in 2019. It’s dog-friendly and serves up delicious coffee and bakery vibes with a luscious, Instagrammable interior. Its location on Duke Street also makes Zennor a great spot for commuters to grab a coffee and a pastry on the go.
Andina
Andina on Duke Street serves up some of the very best coffee in Dennistoun. Offering Fair Trade, ethically sourced Columbian coffee, the cafe’s window seat is a great spot for a little caffeine and cake - if you go at the right time, you’ll also be able to watch people tumble out of The Snug across the street.
Coia’s Cafe
Opened in 1928 by the Coia Family, one of the many Italian families to immigrate to Glasgow in the early 20th century, Coia’s Cafe is one of the oldest and most iconic restaurants in Dennistoun. Founded by Carmine and Amalia Coia, the cafe is still family-run to this day and prides itself on serving up an extensive menu of Italian delights including pasta, pizza, gelato and fresh seafood.
The addition of Coia’s to this list is a bit of a contentious one. Take a look at any post on the Dennistoun Information Facebook page and you’re bound to find a local bashing the cafe for “buying all their food at Lidl” and “ripping off tourists”. From what I’ve seen, most of this hate seems to stem from the owner illegally parking his enormous 4WD on the corner of Duke Street and Whitehill Street which yes, is annoying, but I personally love the food and atmosphere too much to give up my monthly visits. Also my in-laws love it.
Celino’s
Ceilino’s is another Italian institution in Dennistoun. Located on the North side of Dennistoun on Alexandra Parade, it has a fantastic deli with a diverse variety of cold meats, olives, fresh produce and cheeses as well as other Italian staples including fresh pasta and bread. The attached restaurant and cafe are also well worth a visit.
Amore
As a gluten-free girly, Amore is my go-to in Dennistoun for gluten-free takeaway - or rather, gluten-free pizza. They have a restaurant where you can sit in and enjoy their a la carte menu or you can grab their culinary delights to-go.
Nakodar Grill
I’ve only been to Nakodar Grill once but it was well worth the visit. Housed in a stunning 18th-century townhouse, it’s a family-owned Indian restaurant cooking up specialist dishes from Nakodar (meaning Gate of Goodness), the ancestral homeland of the owners. It’s slightly pricer than other eateries in Dennistoun but if you’re craving Indian food there’s no better spot in the neighbourhood.
Is Dennistoun Glasgow safe?
Dennistoun is in the East End of Glasgow, which in the past has had a less than favourable reputation. We live in the much-revered Drives, a network of South and North facing tenement buildings that have become the most desired spot in the East End. These days, Dennistoun has a great community vibe and I’ve never felt unsafe wandering about here, although we did adopt a staffy pit bull cross last July so I may just have scary dog privilege.
A little further east of Dennistoun, you will find the less desirable suburbs such as Haghill, Easterhouse and Parkhead - and by less desirable, I mean the areas of the East End gentrification hasn’t got to yet. Again, I’ve never had any issues. All you need to do to stay safe in the East End in my opinion is to keep your wits about you and exercise the same caution you would exercise in any other British city. There really isn’t a whole lot to do further east anyway so if you would like to pop here for a visit, stick to Dennistoun and don’t wander any further than the big intersection at the eastern end of Duke Street. That is unless you’d like to see Alexandra Park or grab a bite at Cafe Zecchino.
Over the years, Dennistoun has had its fair share of economic ups and downs but in the last few years, it appears to have got its groove back. In this diverse and ever-changing neighbourhood, there is so much to see, do, eat and drink - but its the community pride that really makes Dennistoun special.