Gloriosa, 1321 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8TL; gloriosaglasgow.com. Small plates £6-£10; large plates £16-£25; desserts £5-£14; wines from £29 a bottle
It is five years since last we saw each other, but it might as well have been yesterday. I am saying hello to an old friend and I am giving them a hug in the only way I know how: with my gob. That’s because my old friend is a wedge of the best focaccia I have ever eaten. It was the best focaccia I had ever eaten when I first tried it back in 2018 at Alchemilla, a five-minute walk away down Glasgow’s Argyle Street. It still holds the title. The crumb is both springy and chewy. The crust is crisp and golden and just lightly oiled. There is the righteous waft of rosemary and a little salt, but not too much, because Rosie Healey, who was head chef at Alchemilla and is now head chef here at Gloriosa, has a profound understanding of the word “enough”.
