New Venue Openings: Glasgow, February 2020

Sneaker Laundry

Located on Trongate, you’d be forgiven for mistaking this trainer makeover place for any number of things. Glancing in you might think it was a coffee shop, or a fashion store, or a pop-up party spot. I mean, they do sell coffee, and clothes, and host live DJs from time to time... but their main business is sorting out your sneaks. You can pop in for a quick spot clean in one of their high seats, or leave behind true wreckages for deeper refurbishment. 73-77 Trongate

Zero Waste Market

Doing exactly what it says on the (widely recycled) tin, Dennistoun's Zero Waste Market consists of large pick-and-mix style containers filled with dried pulses, oats and every imaginable grain. You simply bring your own containers with you, weigh them, fill them up, then weigh them again, and pay for what you take away.

They also sell packaging-free fruit and veg, refrigerated goodies in glass bottles – including the ever-popular Mossgiel milk – which they recycle using a good old-fashioned deposit scheme. Don’t worry if you’re just getting started on this journey, they sell containers too. 17 Hillfoot St

Vin Cru

Taking up the well-appointed corner spot on Candleriggs where Boudoir once stood, Vin Cru has retained much of the previous wine bar’s charm but spiked it with an organic, natural vision. The prime people-watching seats remain, lining the windows that face out onto the hubbub of Merchant City. Food is provided by the folk behind Dennistoun Bar-B-Que, this time nailing it in the kitchen with a tacos-only menu.

The wines are natural and biodynamic, free from all the chemicals, sugars and preservatives that wine is usually loaded with. This makes them easier on the earth and, allegedly, the body. You might even avoid a hangover the next day. 60 Candleriggs

The Locale

This bright blue pub stands out on the stretch of North Street just off Sauchiehall Street. Its beer garden out back is a real find for the area and was packed all those months ago when the sun was still visible after 5pm. As the winter set in, punters have been settling into a routine with the place. The Monday night quiz is popular, as is Taco Tuesdays – £1 tacos, £3 frozen margaritas – and it's open until 2am on Friday and Saturday, with some of the city’s best local DJs providing the tunes into the early hours. 241 North St

The Alchemy Experiment

The Alchemy Experiment on Byres Road hasn’t officially opened up shop yet, but is set to be part-coffee shop, part-exhibition space for local artists. They will also run workshops and events to get people more engaged with the city’s arts scene.

For the time being, the window display mural gives a nod to what they’re about – a colourful display of a variety of works from local artists and designers. They have an affordable art exhibition and auction, complete with live performances, scheduled for 28 February. 157 Byres Rd

The Palais

Named after the historic Dennistoun Palais, which once held residence on a neighbouring street, The Palais is a perfect local pub. Original features like a gorgeous U-shaped, dark wood bar set the tone for a space which is at once a good old-fashioned boozer and, at the same time, very much a 2020 establishment.

The food and drink menus are better than you would expect from your local, with good value lunch deals and a popular weekly steak and wine night. Everything is cooked fresh, with good ethical sourcing policies, such as using veg from the nearby Bluevale community garden. 380 Duke St