In a low key, rock-influenced space near Central Station, start your day with breakfast Where the Monkey Sleeps. This side of Argyle Street isn’t quite as achingly cool as the Finnieston strip but that doesn’t mean there are not pockets of interest along the way.
After establishing a reputation on West Regent Street, owner Sofie Ford brought her innovative menu to a second premises, deconstructing a former pawn shop and creating an open dining room with full length windows at the front.
Grab a seat on one of the couches – a comfortable spot for a graze. You have an excellent vantage point to watch passing traffic and a surprisingly compelling view of the faded grandeur of a defunct department store. High tables along the walls are often occupied by folk tapping at keyboards on laptops, making a start on the day’s work (they have free WiFi).
Where the Monkey Sleeps serve strong coffee to wake up the morning crowd. Pair with a bacon roll (£1.75) or look for something more substantial like their Eggs Benedict: poached eggs, bacon and hollandaise on ciabatta toast for £4.50.
At lunch swarms of office workers collect their lunch to go. the queue tends to move quickly and there are usually plenty of seats available for those who are not tied to their desk for lunch.
This is the kind of place you can order something very basic or try something new. We’ve been eyeing up their nuclear beans – baked beans, mature cheddar, diced red onion, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce served with toasted ciabatta (£3.50). Maybe next visit.
Our usual lunch order is the Meathammer, a bagel layered with haggis, chorizo, red onion marmalade and mature cheddar. It’s the kind of sandwich you eat slowly to try to make it last longer, a combination of flavours that packs a punch.
Banging ingredients and freshly made sandwiches, bagels, salads and smoothies make this cafe stand out from the crowd.
Best Breakfast: Ladykiller bagel with sausage, cheesy scrambled egg, and tomato sauce on a toasted bagel (£4.10).
Where the Monkey Sleeps currently has two branches with more cafes planned.
182 West Regent Street
Glasgow
Lanarkshire
G2 4RU
0141 226 3406
340 Argyle Street
Glasgow
G2 8LY
0141 204 5260