The Best of Glasgow book brings together neighbourhood profiles, food and drink recommendations, independent shops, creative businesses, musicians, artists and local personalities.
The guide and cookbook is a pen-portrait of the essence of the city, covering 386 things to do, places to go and people to meet along the way.
There are also recipes from top restaurants including The Gannet, Gamba, Five March and Julie’s Kopitiam.
The pages of The Best of Glasgow are peppered with stories from local hospitality, with profiles of the top food and drink places in the city.
A chapter covers the 20 best coffee places in Glasgow, based on feedback from our readers and our reviews over the last five years.
Here’s the countdown – for the stories behind the best coffee places, buy the book.
Glasgow’s 20 Best Coffee Shops
20 It All Started Here
75 Deanston Drive, G41 3AQ
“They work with roasters from all over Europe and serve cakes, sandwiches and light bites Tuesday to Friday with a slightly bigger menu at weekends.”
19 BAM Glasgow
44 Nithsdale Road, G41 2AN
“Speciality coffee from guest roasters and homemade cake alongside vintage items, gifts and cards to buy. A coffee shop with a lot of personality.”
18 Honey & Salt
25 Carmunnock Road, G44 4TZ
“Try a tahini swirl and roasted pistachios brownie with a Brazilian flat white or El Salvador black coffee.”
17 Dandelion Cafe
Newlands Park Pavilion, 26 Lubnaig Road, G43 2RY
“Two locals, Mairi Darroch and Suzanne Stevenson, took on an abandoned tennis pavilion and set about restoring it as an 1920s arts and crafts revival cafe. They’ve created a cosy cafe for brunch, cake and coffee.”
16 Gordon Street Coffee
79 Gordon Street, G1 3SQ
“Popular with travellers on the go at Central Station, they’ll also organise you a breakfast roll in the morning.”
1006A Pollokshaws Road, G41 2HG
“A Shawlands cafe and music venue serving high quality coffee from Machina Espresso and cakes”. Currently a community bakery.
14 Good Coffee Cartel
12 Cornwall Street, G41 1AQ
“Your friendly neighbourhood environmentally conscious coffee shop. They’ve been at the forefront of zero waste packaging since they opened in 2017.”
13 Willow Grove Coffee
531 Sauchiehall Street, G3 7PQ
“A dog friendly multi-roaster coffee shop on Sauchiehall Street at Charing Cross.”
12 Riverhill Cafe
24 Gordon Street, G1 3PU
“A buzzy cafe, their coffee is supplied by Dear Green. Cake, sandwiches, savoury pastries and salads alongside daily specials.”
11 Black Pine Coffee Co
518 Great Western Road, G12 8EL
“A bright, welcoming wee coffee shop. They stock cakes from Wild Flours Bakery and will make you a toastie with bread from Freedom Bakery and cheese from near neighbour I.J. Mellis.”
10 Salmagundi
1007 Cathcart Road, G42 9XJ
“For lunch, order a kimchi toastie with a side of celeriac and pistachio soup or maybe cauliflower and cumin fritters with hummus, tzatziki, pomegranate jewels and pickled onions, topped with a perfect poached egg.”
9 Andina Coffee Co
527 Duke Street, G31 1DL
“Maria Varela moved from Colombia to Glasgow in 2017 and set out to work with Fair Trade suppliers to bring quality coffee beans from artisan farms in her home country to this small coffee bar on Duke Street. Look for Three Sisters Bake brownies at the counter.”
8 Grain & Grind
50 Battlefield Road, G42 9QF
“They take a global approach to coffee with blends from Tanzania to Guatemala. Look for local Bungo, Marchtown and Queen’s Park roasts.”
7 Short Long Black
501 Victoria Road, G42 8RL
“Come for the coffee, stay for the pies, baked fresh each morning. Look for lemon meringue tart, cinnamon buns, carrot loaf, and chocolate cookies straight out of the oven for dessert.”
6 KAF
5 Hyndland St, G11 5QE
Local favourite reinvented as a bakery and coffee spot offering single origin espresso and filter coffee to go with brownies, bread, doughnuts and cookies.
5 Us Vs Them
200 Gallowgate, G1 5DR
“A recent arrival in the East End, this coffee bar is also a creative space for the local community. They change their coffee supplier four times a year. Owner James Aitken says: “We are buying coffee that has not been seen in the area. This is exciting for consumers but also for us”. Expect future roasts from Seattle and across Europe.”
4 The Steamie
1024 Argyle Street, G3 8LX
“A lively Finniestion spot for a chat and an espresso, which they pull through their La Marzocco Linea Classic. A go-to place for picking up equipment for brewing coffee at home.”
3 East Coffee Company
30 Hillfoot Street, G31 2LF
“A neighbourhood hub for locals who appreciate a strong cup of coffee, pancakes in the morning or a slice of banana and walnut loaf in the afternoon. Currently offering takeaway from their roastery on Hillfoot Street.”
2 Spitfire
127 Candleriggs, G1 1NP
“Spitfire Espresso sits on one of the great vantage points in the Merchant City, across from the Ramshorn Church. They are a friendly bunch and serve up an excellent cup of coffee alongside bakes and store goods.”
1 Papercup Coffee
603 Great Western Rd, G12 8HX
“Speciality coffee for the brunch crowd. Top espressos and meals featuring organic meats and straight-from-the-farm eggs. The kind of relaxed, friendly neighbourhood cafe you would like at the end of your street.”
