The Glasgow Times is on the hunt for the best takeaway lunch spot in the city. We are looking for your recommendations across the city centre, North Glasgow, East End, Southside and West End, and will be judging food based on Value for Money, Taste, Atmosphere, Service and Variety.
Payday may still be a few days away but I decided to get out of the office and continue the search for Glasgow's Best Lunch. After a colleague mentioned Smile Cafe, which is located on Douglas Street pretty close to our office in the city centre, I decided to make my way there.
I arrived at the Italian cafe shortly after 1pm and found it was pretty busy inside with people both sitting in and taking away lunch. Staff were friendly and gave me a chance to look over the extensive menu before taking my order which was appreciated as there was a lot of choice.
I ordered the Nduja sandwich on focaccia which had spicy Salame paste, grilled courgettes and mozzarella and cost £6.30. I also got a side of soup, which today was pea, dill and red onion, and cost £3.
After ordering, I stood to the side to wait and although the cafe was busy, it was spacious enough that I could stand comfortably out of the way while I waited. My food was ready in less than 10 minutes which was impressive for how busy it was.
The sandwich was really tasty and the flavours worked really well together. The Salame paste had a little kick but I didn't find it too spicy at all, and the focaccia was really fresh. There was also a good amount of filling for the bread so it was easy to eat without spilling out. I was really impressed with the sandwich and would go back, though the price would stop me going often.
Unfortunately, I found the soup was pretty bland and it was thinner than I like. I think the portion size was fine for £3 had it been something I enjoyed more. I still managed to eat a lot of it by dipping the sandwich into it but once that was finished I left the rest.
What's the verdict?
Value for Money: 3/5 - £6.30 is not cheap for a sandwich but it was large and filling so it was worth it as an occasional treat but not something I would buy often. The side of soup was £3 and I think it was a fair size for that.
Taste: 3/5 - The sandwich was delicious with a great combination of flavours. The bread was really fresh and tasty as well. Unfortunately, I did find the soup pretty bland and thin so that's deducted a few points here.
Atmosphere: 4/5 - It was quite busy when I went but there was plenty of room for me to stand and wait while my order was prepared. It's nicely decorated inside but there was no music.
Service: 5/5 - The staff were friendly and I didn't feel rushed when I was looking at the menu when I first went in so I was able to have a browse before making my order. I waited less than 10 minutes from ordering to getting my food which was freshly prepared upon ordering.
Variety: 5/5 - There is a wide selection of hot and cold sandwiches available, as well as pizza (which you can buy in quarters) and pasta. There is also a variety of pastries and cakes.
Overall score: 20/25
Got a suggestion for our next lunch review? Let us know where we should go in the comments below or email Nicole.Mitchell@newsquest.co.uk.
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