China Sea

After over 30 years of service, China Sea has taken on almost mythical status in Glasgow. Nestled on Renfield Street in the very heart of the city yet accessible only via half-hidden entrances and anonymous stairwells, the concrete jungle has swallowed it up as the decades have past and yet there it remains, quietly continuing to serve delicious Chinese dishes up to people who’ve been fondly returning for years and anyone lucky enough to stumble on it.

The dragon sculpture which hangs from the ceiling is the centrepiece of the traditional Chinese restaurant. White table cloths, black wood and the soft glow of paper lanterns: it’s a Hollywood picture-perfect Chinese restaurant down to the finest detail.

With a selection of menus whose prices have barely shifted in the last three decades, it’s also one of the cheapest ways to fill your belly to be found in the city centre. For next to nothing you can make your choice from a kingly array of starters and mains with the kind of dense portions guaranteed to send you home Buddha-bellied and contented.

And the staff. Even more than the pleasing prices or the iconic dragon, the staff are the crown jewel of China Sea. Every member is a master of the art of whirring a table through their meal and out the door without ever slipping an iota beneath perfect politeness. Friendly service at lightning speed – it’s genuinely worth going just to watch these masters at work.