Ad Lib

Ad Lib may take its name from improvisation, but this rapidly expanding Glasgow empire has an extremely good strategy for success. With a menu and mission statement inspired by – but not slavish to – trendy NYC dining, this bold restaurant specialises in BIG food: hunks of chunky gourmet burgers, more offerings at the in-house grill than you could shake a steak at, and all-American desserts you want to bury your face in.

The Hope Street venue also boasts a glass ceiling (of the literal, rather than proverbial kind), delicate architectural cornicing, leather and dark-wood furnishings in the booths and sprawling bar, and lots of frondy plants. All of this contrasts brilliantly with the photographic New York mural shots spaced artistically around the restaurant, which depict the hubbub of a city that sleeps even less than Glasgow. Also available for private hire.