Harden's survey result
Summary
“Just a home from home” for its many long-term fans – this Merchant City institution (est 1979) provides a cosy setting, characterised by its paneled walls and custom-made furniture (by Tim Stead). The fare is straightforward rather than of any huge aspiration, but it makes for an affordable destination.
Summary
Original hand-made furniture (by Tim Stead) and a characterful, panelled interior add to the enduring appeal of this 40-year-old favourite in the Merchant City – one of Glasgow’s stalwart culinary institutions. The food (served from breakfast) is wholesome, but un-fancy: burger, risotto, rarebit, Arbroath Smokies and so on.
Summary
This 40-year-old pioneer of modern Glasgow dining “never fails to deliver”, with its “great food selection” (including excellent breakfasts) and unique interior, including original hand-made furniture by Tim Stead. Its fish restaurant offshoot a few doors along closed down during the pandemic, but owner Seumas MacInnes saved the Gandolfi by selling his home. His sons Donald and Alasdair are part of the team, as manager and chef respectively.
Summary
This Merchant City legend, with its custom-made furniture and stained-glass window, still wins a good number of nominations, particularly for brunch, and it’s often held out as a “casual and relaxed” landmark of local life with “always reliable” cooking and a “good, somewhat unusual wine list”. One sceptical report, though, has some ring of truth to it: “Long held up as a Glasgow highlight, it can now seem a bit dull. The food is absolutely fine, but without any particular interest. But the room, with its wooden furniture seemingly made from driftwood and fallen trees, is great!”
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Café Gandolfi?
64 Albion St, Glasgow, G1 1NY
Restaurant details
Café Gandolfi Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Simple lunch of pastrami sandwich but all good quality."
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £26.40 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 10.00% |
64 Albion St, Glasgow, G1 1NY
Opening hours
| Monday | 8 am‑5 pm |
| Tuesday | 8 am‑10:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 8 am‑10:30 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am‑10:30 pm |
| Friday | 8 am‑10:30 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am‑10:30 pm |
| Sunday | 9 am‑5 pm |
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