Artisan Roast

Stepping into this overly trendy caffeine haven can sometimes feel a bit like stepping into some kind of elaborate hipster parody. But sneer not, because they do java – like much else in their wonderfully simple operation – with sacks of substance and integrity.

The coffee is all bought direct from farmers, selected on the basis of seasonal freshness, roasted in-house twice or three times weekly with serious skill and diligence, and served in a no-fuss manner to rival the big chains. Forget fancy syrups, toppings and suchlike, just pick your beans, your type of brew and your preferred number of shots, and voilà. Proximity to Kelvingrove Park – just a few steps along Gibson Street – make it an ideal drop-in for a quick alfresco takeaway cup in the warm months, when they also have a couple of benches outside the door.

While the selection of vegetarian and vegan sweet and savoury bites can be gone before lunchtime on busy days (to avoid waste, they tend to make only a limited amount) the quality is very high. From phonebook-thick sandwiches accompanied with a cup or bowl of soup, to quiche or veggie rolls and sweets ranging from banana and blackberry loaf to chocolate vegan cake, everything is made fresh in-store daily, and sold at remarkably reasonable prices.

Just be aware that they don’t serve any food (save for cakes and sweets) on Sundays. There’s no wifi either – surprising considering all those laptop tappers, but there you go.