New restaurants in Glasgow are popping up like Christmas tree lights in home windows. Switch on to all the latest news with the 5pm Dining blog.

First up, Usha’s Indian Street Food seems to be setting up shop in the Merchant Square premises last occupied by Arisaig.

There are already branches of Usha’s on Byres Road and in East Kilbride. The menus offer an enticing mix of home-style cooking and recipes, all developed by a chef who has worked at The Dorchester and exclusive Middle Eastern hotels.

While the menus have plenty of meat-based choices, Usha’s is particularly strong on veggie dishes. We have heard good things about the aubergine bharta: smoked and mashed aubergines cooked to a traditional recipe.

Sticking with Merchant Square, we understand that the Sky Bar is due to open in the Merchant City venue this weekend.

Cocktails and tapas seem to be the general gist of the place.

New restaurants in Glasgow: Romans Pizzeria

Staying in the Merchant City, Romans Pizzeria is taking shape in the former Khublai Khan restaurant on Candleriggs.

Pencilled in to open in spring 2018, Romans is being built by the team behind Steak, Cattle and Roll.

Moving to the Southside, the much anticipated Julie’s Kopitiam has now opened on Pollokshaws Road.

The owner, Julie Lin MacLeod, is a former Masterchef contestant. Over the last few years, her pop-up Malaysian food stall has been a regular at many a street food festival.

Her homely new cafe offers her Glaswegian take on the Malaysian recipes her mother taught her.

Regular readers will recall that we mentioned Pizza East, a new pizzeria opening on Duke Street in Dennistoun.

According to their new Facebook page, they will open  the doors on Thursday 14th December.

New restaurants outside Glasgow

Last but not least, we understand that the Di Maggio’s Group have teamed up with Paul Sloan and Calum MacLachlainn to buy Home On The Loch on the banks of Loch Lomond.

The restaurant is in the village of Arrochar.

Of course, the DRG also operates restaurants under the Di Maggio’s, Café Andaluz, Amarone, Atlantic Brasserie, Barolo, Cadiz and The Anchorline brands.

Directors of the DRG have worked with Mr Sloan and MacLachlainn before on projects such as Pinto, Chaakoo Bombay Cafe and the soon to open Mezzidakia.

Keep checking back for all the latest new restaurants in Glasgow on the 5pm Dining blog.