Possibly the most popular tapas restaurant in Glasgow, Cafe Andaluz brings more than a little southern Spanish sunshine to the city centre. It helps that it looks the part. Cafe Andaluz has tiled tables, beautiful carved wooden seats and Andalucian hanging lamps that would not seem out of place in a bodega in Seville. Step through the doors at Cafe Andaluz and Glasgow suddenly feels very far away.
Spanish tapas
Cafe Andaluz opened in its prime city centre site in 2006 and seems to have been busy ever since. Glasgow’s diners appreciate the freshly prepared food and also the staff who are happy to pepper their advice on the menu with their personal recommendations. The tapas menu is split into meat, vegetarian and seafood choices with a separate section for paella. There are plenty of options but Cafe Andaluz has wisely chosen not to risk daunting its customers with a ridiculously long menu. Instead, it features the classic tapas dishes which people expect alongside a few surprises. Spanish omelette, meatballs in tomato sauce and chilli garlic prawns come under the category of old favourites while dishes like the couscous stuffed aubergines or the carpaccio of beef with wasabi and pickled ginger perhaps owe more to the adventurous tendencies of Madrid’s more contemporary kitchens. Either way, Glasgow and Cafe Andaluz are very fond of each other.