Stereo

Situated in the impressive Charles Rennie Mackintosh-designed former Daily Record building down Renfield Lane, Stereo has become one of the vibiest alternative café-bars and gig venues in the city since moving into town from the West End in 2007. A central location together with great food and drink and a diverse programme of events keeps the place buzzing from noon until night (3am at weekends), seven days a week.

The style is bright, colourful shabby-chic, with mismatched old tables and chairs and gig posters stuck in every available space throughout the bar and down the deep winding stairwell to the basement venue. The cuisine is all vegan and full of flavour, with a TLT sandwich (tempeh rashers replace the bacon), haggis koftas and calzone the standout dishes. The beer range is broad, with plenty of local brews on tap and in bottles, including Sam Smiths and Williams Bros.

A sense of community and social responsibility shapes the events agenda here. While hipster faves like St Vincent, Sleigh Bells and Kurt Vile have all played over the years, Stereo has, in the past, also given over space to an exhibition reflecting on the little-acknowledged negative impact of the Commonwealth Games on Glasgow, and an installation and library dedicated to exploring issues surrounding the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum. It’s also one of the best gig venues in Glasgow for catching new, up-and-coming and cult local bands – members of which often double as bar staff.