Whether it’s a catch-up over coffee with an old friend, a quick bite to eat on your way home from uni, or somewhere nice to take your parents when they come to visit – here is a list of the top 10 best cafés in Glasgow for you to fall in love with.
1. Scran
Address: 594 Alexandra Parade, Dennistoun, Glasgow G31 3BS
The multi-award-winning Scran Café of Dennistoun in Glasgow’s East End is a must-visit for any coffee-lover and brunch-goer. They offer a wide range of classic bites: from Eggs Florentine with roasted balsamic heirloom tomatoes to filled rolls with Ayrshire bacon and Stornoway black pudding – as well as weekend specials so good they sell out by Sunday lunch, so get yourself down fast!
2. Café Zique
Address: 66 Hyndland Street, Partick, Glasgow G11 5PT
After serving the locals for years, Café Zique has long since established itself as the perfect neighbourhood venue. With its cosy indoor seating and sunny outdoor area for the summer months, you couldn’t be soaking up a better atmosphere as you enjoy a wide range of hot and cold meals and snacks, as well as a wide range of artisan teas, coffees, and smoothies.
3. Spitfire
Address: 127 Candleriggs, Merchant City, Glasgow G1 1NP
The perfect place for a catch-up over an espresso, Spitfire, is a corner coffee house with the perfect mix of Scottish cosiness and American-style groove. They serve quality Colombian and Brazilian coffees, as well as filled sandwiches, craft beers, gorgeous cakes, and affordable all-day breakfast.
4. The University Café
Address: 87 Byres Road, Hillhead, Glasgow G11 5HN
If you’re a student at the University of Glasgow, then the University Café is a must-visit. Since it first opened all the way back in 1918, the café has been run by the same family, serving the West End with award-winning coffee, cakes, and ice-creams – as well as those no-nonsense fry-ups and mugs of tea that are well-needed after a heavy night out. Legend has it, it’s even the home of the first-ever deep-fried Mars bar!
5. Hyndland Café
Address: 96 Clarence Drive, Hyndland, Glasgow G12 9RN
This well-renowned café is a favourite among locals and tourists alike: serving fresh brunch food from a wide range of options to both indoor and outdoor seating areas. The café comes recommended especially to families and couples, so it’s a perfect place to bring someone to impress or just show them the area – whether that be a first date or your family up for the weekend. First-time customers get 10% off, and loyal customers get every 11th order free!
6. (The original) Tinderbox
Address: 189 Byres Road, Hillhead, Glasgow G12 8TS
Since it first opened in 1996, Tinderbox has since expanded to five other venues around Glasgow’s city centre, but sometimes the old ways are the best. The original Tinderbox, located on Byres Road just a short walk from the University of Glasgow campus, offers an extensive and inclusive range of quality artisan coffees to be enjoyed in its retro, diner-style interior. They also offer a fine selection of sweet treats like cakes, scones, waffles, and pastries.
7. Papercup Coffee Company
Address: 603 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 8HX
This twee little café is a popular venue always bustling with life, and for a good reason. Great Western Road’s Papercup Coffee Company offer quality coffee and food under one roof, by people first and foremost passionate about coffee. With their very own roastery located just down the road, you can be certain that what you drink is fresh, locally sourced, and made with passion.
8. Labratorio Espresso
Address: 93 West Nile Street, Glasgow G1 2SD
This authentic Milanese café brings quality Italian roast direct to the heart of Glasgow’s city centre, making it into the Telegraph’s top 30 British coffee shops in 2017. Its prime location and arty style make it the perfect place for anyone with a hectic schedule who doesn’t want to compromise on quality, offering handmade Italian pastries and sweets as well as state-of-the-art, award-winning coffee.
9. Kaf
Address: 5 Hyndland Street, Partick, GlasgowG11 5QE
Another of Hyndland Street’s gems, Kaf is a speciality café and bakery serving locals and students in Glasgow’s West End. As well as quality coffee, a variety of breakfast and lunch options, and delicious homemade cakes, Kaf also sells beans and roasting equipment for you to take the café experience home with you. It’s a perfect place for students, coffee-enthusiasts, and students who are enthusiastic about coffee.
10. McCune Smith Café
Address: 3-5 Duke Sreet, Glasgow G4 0UL
McCune Smith Café is a café with a twist. Named after James McCune Smith, an Old College graduate who became the first African American to achieve a medical degree in 1837, this café was created in the mind of a similar idea: bringing light to an area otherwise forgotten by history. This modern café uses fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients to bring the taste of Scotland’s history and present to Glasgow’s coffee goers.
