Southside Hidden Gems

“Great wee place!”

Ranjit’s Kitchen has been serving up authentic Punjabi food in the heart of Glasgow’s southside for over a decade.

Its small restaurant and unnasuming frontage means it can easily be missed on the busy Pollokshaws Road, but once you’re in it seems ridiculous that its still a hidden gem.

With only a handful of tables getting a seat can be difficult, but the restaurant’s takeaway service is booming with locals flying in-and-out of the door with their arms filled with pakora and daal.

The restaurant is unique as its completely meat and fish free, completely fresh each day, and Ranjit’s Kitchen even offers options for gluten free or vegan versions of its dishes, undoubtedly delighting the increasingly large student population in the southside!

As if that isn’t enough, its also extremely affordable, giving each delicious bite even more bang for its buck.

The spot offers a “Daal of the day” served with two rotis for only £7.00, with a generous serving of paneer pakora for £7.95, samosas for £6.00.

Ranjit’s Kitchen’s ace card must be their “panjabi tea for two”, for only £19.95 you’re met with a platter that comes filled to the bring with pakora, samosas, aloo tikki, sweet channa paneer, tamarind chutney, mint yoghurt, a trio of panjabi sweets and Panjabi tea or coffee.

The success of Ranjit’s Kitchen is also a fantastic story that exemplifies the nature of the southside:

“Ranjit Kaur is a Sikh woman from the village of Jandiala in the Jalandhar district of the Panjab, the north west of India. She has lived in the UK since the early 1980s and in Glasgow since around 1990.

“Ranjit’s love for cooking came at an early age and she learnt all of the basics from her mum and elders. When she married and moved to the UK, Ranjit brought her passion for cooking and food with her.  For Ranjit, it was a way to remember the warm sweet smells and tastes of the Panjab, as she acclimatised to her new way of life here in the UK.

“Ranjit’s Kitchen signifies a journey from the Panjab to Glasgow and is a collection of memories, tastes, ideas and flavours that have developed over many decades. It is a family run business with Ranjit’s children helping to turn their mothers lifelong dream into a reality. 

The southside business prides itself on “making homemade Panjabi food precisely the way it is eaten in every Panjabi household across the world”, and its clearly gone down well with locals with the site boasting a 4.7 star rating on Google after an incredible 1,126 reviews.

One happy customer said:

“I love Ranjit’s. I’ve always had amazing, fresh and tasty food, whenever I’ve been. It’s delicious, so so flavoursome and as a vegetarian, it’s so nice to have a Indian restaurant where I can eat anything and everything… in great excess. Happy tummies”

Another commented:

Ranjit’s Kitchen is a hidden gem offering a truly authentic Punjabi dining experience. The warm and inviting atmosphere, coupled with the delicious food, makes it a must-visit for anyone seeking a taste of India.

Ranjit’s Kitchen is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 12:00am to 8:30pm and promises (probably) the best Punjabi food in Glasgow, a stones throw from Queens Park station and on the main road out from the city centre.

You can find Ranjit’s Kitchen at 607 Pollokshaws Road, G41 2QG.

Featured image via Ranjit’s Kitchen.