Cool place of the day: The Trading House, Glasgow

Every day, a new place to discover or explore from coolplaces.co.uk

The annual Tour of Britain pro cycle race kicks off today from George Square in the centre of Glasgow, and this isn’t a bad place to retire to for lunch after seeing off the riders – an artfully decorated, Victorian-style bar and restaurant that serves a decent Sunday roast with a choice of well-mixed Bloody Marys and other cocktails.

Actually, cocktails are taken seriously here, and use fresh teas and spices to create a unique twist on the classics, as well as their speciality ingredient – craft beer. They recently won Scotland’s Best Cocktail Bar at the Scottish Entertainment Awards so they must be doing something right. Not only are beers mixed into cocktails, but there's also a superb choice of ales to enjoy on their own, as well as a selection of wines by the glass and a wide-ranging food menu that also takes in snacks like scotch eggs, pub classics like steaks, pies and fish and chips, alongside theatrically presented hanging kebabs (including a haggis option if you're looking for a truly Scottish experience).

They also host live music most nights and present a series of regular cocktail- and beer-tasting masterclasses if you’re seriously into learning a bit more about mixology, or just want to taste some exotic British and continental brews.

Cool Places is a website from the creators of Rough Guides and Cool Camping, suggesting the best places to stay, eat, drink and shop in Britain (coolplaces.co.uk)