Fifteen real Glasgow beer gardens, courtyards and rooftops, from a Bavarian brewhall on Glasgow Green to a canal-side pub in Anniesland, each with what to expect, what’s on tap, and whether dogs are welcome.
WEST Brewery (Templeton Building, Glasgow Green)
A Bavarian-style brewery inside the red sandstone Templeton Building overlooking Glasgow Green, brewing its own beer on site to German purity law standards. It has one of the biggest beer gardens in the city, with over 40 tables and no need to book.
- Open 7 days, 11am-11pm (later Fri/Sat)
- Over 40 tables, first come first served
- Own-brewed beer plus German-inspired food
- Dog friendly in the beer garden and beerhall
Babbity Bowster (16-18 Blackfriars Street, Merchant City)
A rare Merchant City pub with its own beer garden, set in a former warehouse designed by James Adam and running as a bar since 1986. It’s known for regular folk music sessions inside and a quieter, more low-key outdoor space than most of the city centre.
- Open daily, midday to midnight
- Cask ale and Scottish whisky
- Regular folk music sessions
Sloans (62 Argyll Arcade, City Centre)
Glasgow’s oldest surviving pub, dating back to a coffee house in 1797, with a fairy-lit courtyard beer garden that stays open all year round. Upstairs, the Grand Ballroom hosts a well-known weekly ceilidh night.
- Courtyard beer garden open year-round
- Weekly Friday Night Ceilidh in the Grand Ballroom (18+)
- Mac ‘n’ Cheese is the signature food order
SiSi Rooftop (15 Candleriggs, Merchant City (The Social Hub, 8th floor))
A rooftop bar and restaurant eight floors above Candleriggs Square, serving Mexican-American sharing plates and cocktails with panoramic views stretching across the Merchant City skyline. The terrace holds 60 of the venue’s 160 total covers.
- Open daily, 12pm-1am (Fri/Sat)
- 160 covers total, 60 on the open-air terrace
- Cocktails, sharing plates, DJ sets
Church on the Hill (16 Algie Street, Battlefield, Southside)
One of the Southside’s largest outdoor drinking spaces, a short walk from Queen’s Park, with 14 beers on tap and a menu of hearty pub dishes alongside its own annual Battlefield Beer Festival.
- Open daily from 10am/midday
- 14 beers on tap, cocktails, wine
- Hosts the annual Battlefield Beer Festival
Gael and Grain (23 Sandyford Place, West End)
A Scottish pub and kitchen near Kelvingrove and Finnieston with two separate beer gardens: a large sun-catching front garden and a smaller, more intimate space at the rear. It relaunched under new ownership in May 2025.
- Two beer gardens: large front, smaller rear
- Dog friendly throughout
- Weekly Comedy Lounge gigs on site
Cottiers (93-95 Hyndland Street, Dowanhill, West End)
A bar and theatre set inside a former church, with a large, partially covered beer garden shaded by greenery and framed by the building’s stained-glass windows. It’s one of the few Glasgow beer gardens with real shade on a hot day.
- Bar open until midnight, garden until 10pm
- Local craft brews, cocktails, wine
- Dogs allowed outside
The Ubiquitous Chip (12 Ashton Lane, West End)
The West End’s only rooftop drinking and dining spot, one flight up from the Chip’s Upstairs Brasserie on the cobbled, lantern-lit Ashton Lane. It’s been a Glasgow institution since 1971.
- Wed-Thu 5pm-12am, Fri-Sun from 12pm
- Cocktails and the same menu as the Brasserie below
- Rooftop views over Ashton Lane
Brel (39 Ashton Lane, West End)
A Belgian bar and restaurant on Ashton Lane with a beer garden strung with fairy lights, a firepit, and a heated patio for year-round use. The garden seats up to 60 and can be booked exclusively for events.
- Open daily, 11am-12am (later Fri/Sat)
- Belgian bottled beers, Scottish gins
- Firepit with s’mores add-on
- Dog friendly
BrewDog Merchant City (99 Hutcheson Street, Merchant City)
BrewDog’s Merchant City bar, formerly DogHouse, pairs 25 taps of craft beer with American barbecue and smoked meats, plus a patio area out back for sunny days.
- Open daily, midday to 10-11pm (later Fri/Sat)
- 25 taps of craft beer
- Dog friendly
- Outdoor patio, seats up to 40
Bavaria Brauhaus (30 Bothwell Street, City Centre)
A two-floor Bavarian beer hall inspired by Munich’s Hofbrauhaus, with over 20 draught beers and 40 bottled options plus an outdoor seating area on Bothwell Street. Staff bring out water bowls for dogs.
- Open daily, 11am/12pm-11pm (later Thu-Sat)
- 20+ draught beers, 40 bottled options
- Dog friendly, water provided for pets
Peaks Bar and Terrace (Drygate Brewery) (85 Drygate, East End)
Drygate’s rooftop terrace above its working brewery near the Necropolis, with sweeping views over the East End and a rotating tap list of its own beers.
- Own-brewed beer on tap
- Rooftop terrace with East End skyline views
Lock 27 (1100 Crow Road, Anniesland)
A casual canal-side bar sitting right on the Forth and Clyde Canal towpath, popular with walkers, joggers, cyclists and dog owners passing through Anniesland.
- Canal-side beer garden
- Dog friendly
- Weekly Tuesday pub quiz
Inn Deep (445 Great Western Road, Kelvinbridge, West End)
A firm West End favourite right on the River Kelvin, with outdoor seating overlooking the water and a serious beer list: 20 house beer and cider taps plus 19 rotating independent guest brews.
- 20 house taps, 19 rotating guest taps
- Riverside seating on the River Kelvin
- Pizza from Sub Rosa
The BrewHaus (Otago Lane, West End)
A cosy West End spot known for its little outdoor huts, tucked just off Otago Street near the university, offering a warmer alternative for cooler Glasgow evenings.
- Small outdoor huts for shelter
- Craft beer and pub food
Try Scotland’s Best-Known Export
BrewDog started in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, and its Merchant City bar is one of the 15 spots above. If you can’t make it to Glasgow, here’s our full tasting notes on their non-alcoholic range.
More Beer Travel
See also Best Beer Gardens in Liverpool, Best Beer Gardens in London, Best Beer Gardens in Europe, our Best Beer Tours in Edinburgh guide, and the Beer Cities hub for 100 more cities to drink your way through.
FAQ
Which Glasgow beer garden is best for dogs?
Several welcome dogs, including WEST Brewery, Gael and Grain, Brel, BrewDog Merchant City, Bavaria Brauhaus and Lock 27.
Which beer garden has the most seating?
WEST Brewery has one of the biggest in the city with over 40 tables, and SiSi Rooftop holds 160 covers in total, 60 of them on its open-air terrace.
Which is best for a shaded spot on a hot day?
Cottiers, set in a former church, has a large partially covered garden with real greenery and shade, unusual for a Glasgow beer garden.
Also see: Best Beer Gardens in Munich, Best Beer Gardens in NYC, Best Beer Gardens in Manchester, Best Beer Gardens in Seattle, Best Beer Gardens in Amsterdam.
