Smile Cafe Central

After a few weeks between visits, it was good to finally be back in Glasgow, albeit relatively briefly and with time not on my side. In need of a quick bite, I stopped at recently opened Smile Cafe Central, on Douglas Street.

Although the interior doesn’t particularly convey it, this cafe has a strong Italian influence with the menu dominated by Italian meat filled paninis, as well as some pasta salad options and sweet treats. This is their second branch, with their first place on Queen Margaret Drive having built a very tall reputation over recent years.

The first thing that struck me was the elegant cornicing with a particularly beautiful ceiling rose at the centre. This was matched with contemporary cafe furniture to really smart effect.

I was happy to go with one of their hot sandwiches so chose the fortino, which brought together roast beef, smoked provolone cheese and mushrooms. This was served with a nicely dressed salad and a rather incongruous little dish of pointless crisps.

The sandwich proved to be very good, with high quality beef, nicely melted cheese and profuse mushrooms. The floury ciabatta was nicely fresh making each mouthful really satisfying.

So overall, I enjoyed my trip to Smile Cafe. I was impressed by the surroundings, the warm Italian welcome and the quality of the fare on offer. I look forward to popping in again to try their Italian roast coffee at some point soon.

Scores
Blythe scores Smile Cafe
4/5 for food
3.5/5 for presentation
4/5 for setting
3.5/5 for service
giving an overall 15/20

I ate: fortino panino (roast beef, smoked provolone, mushrooms)

I drank: water

I wore: www.tieclub.co.uk tie

Total bill: £5.50

Smile Cafe
Douglas Street