At the end of a small alley lies a magical backyard. Artists and craftspeople have found a refuge here. A visit to Hidden Lane.
Watch out, otherwise you’ll miss the entrance! From the bustling Argyle Street in the Finnieston district, a rather inconspicuous passageway leads away from the noise of the street into a colourful oasis of creativity. This is Hidden Lane in Glasgow.
Artists, craftspeople, vendors and restaurateurs have set up shop here. They have lavishly renovated, painted and planted some of the old houses and warehouses. The walk through the cobbled courtyard is fun in itself.
But of course, it’s the offers inside the houses that lure you in. There are pottery, kitsch, antiques, jewellery, prints and drawings, self-tailored second-hand fashion, sweets and much more. A highlight for vinyl fans is the record shop lastnightfromglasgow, which sells collector’s items for audiophiles.
Of course, Hidden Lane also caters for your physical well-being. If you’re feeling peckish, visitors can pick up a soup from the What Soup kitchen. Or get tacos from one of the best Mexican restaurants in the city: Rafa’s. If you prefer something a little more sedate, try to get a seat in the Hidden Lane Tearoom and indulge in tea, pastries and snacks.
Fans of fine hops can pay a visit to the Hidden Lane Brewery – it brews vegan organic beer that tastes delicious (the author tested it :o) ). There are guided tours and tastings, but these have to be booked in advance.
One corner of the courtyard is particularly eye-catching. The small alleyway next to the tea room symbolises Hidden Lane. Here, small, colourful huts stand close together. Decorated with flowers and advertised with small shop signs.
The Hidden Lane is another place in the hip Finnieston neighbourhood that offers a very special insight into Glasgow’s creativity. Visitors can spend a few hours here, enjoying themselves and buying arts and crafts. Hidden Lane is no longer a secret tip in Scotland’s largest city.
What you need to know: Facts about Hidden Lane
Hidden Lane gives creatives plenty of space. Together with The Hive building complex a little further along Argyle Street, there are over 100 studios. It’s not just shops that are housed here. Musicians and recording studios, television producers, designers, craftspeople and more also find a place to work here.
Incidentally, the Hidden Lane Tearoom changed hands in 2024.
How to get there:
The exact address of Hidden Lane is:
The Hidden Lane
1103 Argyle Street
Finnieston
Glasgow G3 8ND
Hidden Lane should not be visited by car. Argyle Street is full and parking spaces are rare. If you feel like it, walk along Argyle Street from the city centre or from Kelvingrove. It takes around 30 minutes to get to Hidden Lane from the city centre and 10 minutes from Kelvingrove.
Of course, several bus routes also run along Argyle Street and stop very close to the “Argyle Street opp Berkeley Street” junction, for example. If you take the Citysightseeing bus, you can get off at stop 17 on Sauchiehall Street and only have to walk a short distance.