There is a building on Blythswood Square that has been drawing people in for the better part of two centuries. Designed by architect Robert Black in 1823, the Georgian terrace which commands one side of this quiet garden square has worn many identities: serving first as a home for Victorian elites, later as the grand headquarters of the Royal Scottish Automobile Club, and today as an AA five-star hotel. Despite its grand surroundings, Kimpton Blythswood Square feels remarkably relaxed. Marble fireplaces, ornate cornicing, and richly panelled walls provide a sense of history, but the atmosphere remains warm and welcoming.
The square itself sets the tone. One of just six garden squares in Glasgow, it holds a rare pocket of green in the heart of the city. In the 1950s and 1960s, crowds gathered there to wave goodbye to competitors setting off for the Monte Carlo Rally. We visited on our way to enjoy a cruise aboard Hebridean Princess. Although times have changed, that sense of excitement and celebration has never really disappeared.
iasg: Spirited Scottish Seafood
The hotel’s restaurant occupies what was once the RSAC ballroom, a room with the ceiling height and architectural confidence that make a good meal feel like a proper occasion. The name iasg (pronounced ee-usk) comes from the Gaelic word for fish, and that etymological detail tells you almost everything about the kitchen’s philosophy: a genuine dedication to Scotland’s waters and the people who supply them.
Oysters arrive from Cumbrae, where a family operation has been farming the waters of the West Coast since 1995: salty on the nose, nutty in the middle, with a faint coppery finish. Shetland mussels come in a tom yum broth that feels both unexpected and completely right. Then there are the scallops: seared, with sweetcorn, smoked chilli butter, and sea aster. This dish lets Scottish produce shine through without overcomplicating it. Lunch runs from noon until half past two daily, with a full à la carte that spans whole roasted plaice with Diane sauce and hen of the wood mushrooms, through to Scottish lamb rump with wild garlic chimichurri. For the indecisive, the Taste of iasg platter sends out the kitchen’s signature dishes, changing with whatever is freshest off the boat.
A detail worth noting: £1 from every bill goes directly to the Firth of Forth Lobster Hatchery, which hatches and releases lobsters to sustain long-term stock levels. It is the sort of commitment that speaks to a kitchen with a genuine relationship with Scottish waters.
Chateaubriand for Two
For evenings that call for something more ceremonial, the Chateaubriand promotion is a generous proposition comprising two people, a 400g Chateaubriand, two sides, two sauces, and a bottle of house wine for £95. Sides run from crispy fried potatoes with caramelised onion mayo to BBQ tender stem broccoli with romesco; sauces cover chunky peppercorn, smoked garlic butter, and chimichurri. The Reign of Terror Pinotage or Chenin Blanc from South Africa’s Swartland holds its own alongside the beef without competing with it. It is the kind of sharing dish that reminds you why the Chateaubriand was invented: it is something to be carved and passed across the table.
The Art of Afternoon Tea
The current afternoon tea at Blythswood Square, The Art of Afternoon Tea, feels like a genuine reimagining rather than a seasonal refresh. Inspired by Glasgow’s creative community, it opens with a blank canvas of coconut panna cotta served with vibrant fruit gels, inviting guests to compose their own edible opener. The savoury selection moves through chorizo sausage rolls, truffle egg and watercress brioche, beetroot salmon with horseradish cream cheese, and grilled focaccia with cherry tomato and bocconcini. Warm scones with Scottish preserves and clotted cream offer an anchor of familiarity before the patisserie arrives: dark chocolate ganache with blackcurrant mousse, peach blossom and vanilla sponge, blueberry and violet financier, and a lemon, raspberry, and basil tart that balances sharp and sweet with real precision.
It is served in The Salon Wednesday to Sunday, which is a 35-metre room with original fireplaces, columns, and views over the square and artwork by Eve McGlynn and Lewi Quinn, and in iasg on Mondays and Tuesdays. For those wanting to extend the afternoon, afternoon tea can be combined with a spa day at the award-winning Spa at Blythswood Square.
With 113 rooms and suites, a private screening room, a penthouse, and spa facilities that include a snow shower, salt room, and hydrotherapy pool, Kimpton Blythswood Square is Glasgow hospitality at its most considered. The city centre, Merchant City, and Glasgow Central Station are all within easy reach. Some addresses simply earn their place and this is one of them.
To discover more, visit: Kimpton Glasgow
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All imagery courtesy of Kimpton Blythswood Square Glasgow.