Photo of
May 28, 2014
[Rotunda in day's gone by][1]
Rotunda in day’s gone by

Separated by the Clyde the iconic rotundas sit each side of the river bank and once linked the south and north sides of the city via underpasses below the river.

Pedestrians, horse and carts and later cars, all passed through the rotundas and under the river.

[The Rotunda now][2]
The Rotunda now

Due to ongoing maintenance expense the tunnels were closed in 1980. The rotunda buildings have been used for various purporses over the years, from a Casino to arts venue to ice cream parlour and whilst the south rotunda remains unused, the north rotunda is now host to several bustling restaurants and a bar.

Ideally placed for visitors to the Hydro and SECC it’s worth noting the patrons of the restaurants in the Rotunda get free parking and can leave their car there if attending a concert and dining at one of the rotunda’s restaurants.

We spoke to Chris from the north rotunda who took us on a tour of the building.

 

La Rotunda

[La Rotunda Chef in open kitchen][3]
La Rotunda Chef in open kitchen

Starting on the ground floor of the building, an open kitchen and an al fresco area give a relaxed Italian dining experience at the first of the restaurants, La Rotunda.

Listen to Chris talk about what to expect from La Rotunda as well as the history of this iconic building.

Offer – £9.95 for 2 courses on pre-theatre menu – view La Rotunda’s menus here.

 

Yen Rotunda

Moving up to the second floor, if you’re more in the mood for oriental food Yen Rotunda’s menu crosses the cuisines with a wide variety of Japanese, Chinese and Thai dishes.

Chris takes us through some of the delicious dishes on Yen Rotunda’s menu.

 Offer – 25% a la carte discount – view Yen Rotunda’s menus here.

 

The Round Bar

Next up, is the Round Bar, a hidden gem that has a late night license (ideal for post-gig drinks) and a décor inspired by the casino that was once in the rotunda.

Take a look.

 

Fino

The newest addition to the Rotunda restaurant family is Fino, a Spanish restaurant on the top floor of the building. The unusual shape of the building really comes to the fore in Fino with the circular ceiling and panaromic windows around the circumference with fantastic views across the Clyde. There’s also a unusual circular area in the middle letting you get a birds eye view of the bar below.

Chris tells us more this tapas restaurant and the true Spanish experience.

Offer – £9.95 for 3 tapas on pre-theatre menu – view Fino’s menu here.