Ad Lib Merchant City

Ad Lib has occupied its corner of Ingram Street since 2012, positioning itself as Glasgow's go-to Modern American diner. The menu is built around gourmet burgers — properly seasoned patties in brioche, with serious condiment work — alongside a wide run of American comfort food classics from loaded nachos to Southern-style sides. The bar keeps pace with the kitchen: a cocktail list that leans transatlantic, a decent selection of craft beers, and enough whisky to keep the evening moving. The room is lively most nights and notably so at weekends, when the atmosphere tips towards bar as much as restaurant. A companion venue operates on Hope Street, and the brand has a rather improbable outpost in Lilongwe, Malawi — a footnote that says something about Ad Lib's ambition. Good for a casual weeknight burger or a louder group gathering alike.