Kothel

Fantastic, friendly coffee shop with selection of warm plates and some platters.
Styling is a little unusual but only hampers if you try to eat a large plate– the mismatched tables, benches, stools and chairs are fine for coffee and a cake but not for a knife and fork.
The coffee is good (certainly not instant as another reviewer wrote) and cake selection is wide. The service is friendly and helpful.
A little on the pricey side but the best of the local coffee shops.

This place is always packed and it’s no question why… They offer an array of pastries and fresh made sandwiches. I ordered a cappuccino that hit the spot.
I tried a Caprese sandwich and my boyfriend ordered a Ploughmans sandwich. They heated them up for is and I happily polished off the entire thing.
There’s an outdoor seating area that looks great for a sunny warm day. Inside can get a bit cramped but it has a warm homey coffee shop vibe. Definitely a cute place!

Was excited to try when I entered — was disappointed when I left. Staff aprons filthy. Was told no photos allowed. Was told some amazing funky coffee — tasted instant & was far hotter than the 94% coffee should be. Asked if I wanted my croissant heated I asked how was it done — she advised grill & not microwave she however did not advise it was a panini machine & my croissant was served like a pancake with packaged jam & butter would have been nicer served fresh on the side & a bit expensive at £3.50. My plate was swiftly removed when I put my knife down although my friend was still eating — then her plate was whipped away whilst she still had food in her mouth.
The dust in the books and shelves round about is dreadful and the tiles round the sink in the loo were disgusting. All cakes looked like they had been on steroids & didn’t look fresh & home baked as described.

This was my second time in Kothel. My friend hadn’t tried & I said I would go & I regretted it.
Bizarrely one of the staff said we weren’t allowed to take photos. Which is extremely odd & just doesn’t make sense considering how important social media is in this day & age. Needless to say I took photos anyway.
The place looks quirky but is so overloaded with nik-​naks I wonder how they find the time to clean it all.
The cakes look delicious & my caramel shortbread was nice but at £3.25 (almost £1 more because we sat in) it wasn’t really worth it. £12 for 2 coffees, a cake & a croissant. Even at west end prices that’s a bit much.
I think basically this place is all style over substance & capitalises on the spot it’s in.

My passionate love of coffee is back in full force!
What a perfectly balanced espresso with floral notes and slight hints of grapefruit, and absolutely no burnt taste from both the roast and extraction processes.
Seriously– one espresso and the world seems a better place.
It’s open late which fits my unpredictable schedule, the food on the counter and the bread in the basket looks tantalisingly good–
Staff are amazing, music relaxing and uplifting, and the décor is inspired!
Love love love 190%

Kothel how I love you so! I planned a return visit on my birthday just to remind myself how good it was and I was right to. From walking in and seeing the haphazard deco, often luck just to get a seat, you are transported into a little Italian wonderland. Staff are nice, we had the same chirpy and smilie waitress as before. And boringly so I had the same food, if it aint broke and all that — Italian meatballs with salad and rustic (home made) bread… a dream! Although I didn’t have cake — it was my birthday and was gifted a full bakery47 cake that morning– I had a coffee.
This is just an absolute gem, my only gripe — I wish it was a bit bigger, its always busy and Iv watched a lot of trade pass by due to no seat.

If you like interior design that is probably described as quirky, and that is certainly interesting, you’ll like Kothel! Come for the century old ledgers, stay for the Italian delicacies seems to be the thinking?
Kirsty and I popped in for lunch, took a seat at a large plank of wood resting on two old Singer sewing machine stands, and ordered.
Spanakopita for Kirsty, Lasagne for me, both of which arrived promptly. Portion sizes were ok, both came with a chunk of soft bread and a generous, well dressed side salad.
The lasagne was tasty, but nothing particularly special and could’ve done with a little more meat filling, the Spanakopita (which I got a bite of) was tasty but seemed to be lacking something but neither of us could really put our finger on what.
We finished with cannoli and baked cheesecake, pretty sure the cannoli is bought in as I’m positive I’ve had it elsewhere, the cheesecake was a little heavy but tasty enough.
Not sure I’d rush back, but I’d certainly be happy to eat here again, if only to admire the random collection of things used as decoration.

Style over service and food quality…
Poor attitude from wait staff, prices high, ordered two types of patisserie and both were dry and verging on stale.
Guess this is what happens when interior designers open cafes with no experience of catering…

Ordered a mint tea and brownie and when it arrived the brownie had clearly not been covered and was hard as a brick. Had to send it back. I did get another but that was just as bad. Suggested to the girl that they need some domes to keep cakes fresh. Tea and coffee were ok but rather small for the price. Prefer café zique.

Ahhhh Kothel. How I wanted to love you so much! I just can’t bring myself to give you any more than 4 stars…
The décor in Kothel is absolutely dreamy — Rustic, vintage and all together beautiful. Reclaimed wood tables, old manual coffee presses and unusual adornments make the place an absolute treat for the eyes. The selection of homemade cakes are strewn in such an appetising manner that they were almost impossible to resist. Cushions placed all around the window sills make it an inviting place to sit by the window with a book. A perfect example of a quiet coffee shop that you could sit in all day.
I took my wee one, after a day at the Riverside Museum for a quick cake having seen such beautiful pictures on Unilocal and Instagram. We had already eaten but the selection of food in their cabinet, such as Moussaka and Spanakopita looked delicious. I went for an ‘Oreo Bake’ and my little one his usual choice of Chocolate Brownie.
The Oreo Bake was like a baked cheesecake topping, a brownie middle with chunks of Oreo and a digestive biscuit base. It was totally a scrummy and surprisingly served warm.
The Brownie was gooey and chocolatey, but was topped with sea salt (not advertised) which proved too sophisticated for a 7 year olds pallate! The cakes and coffees were served on beautiful mismatched vintage crockery which was a nice touch.
The reason I can’t give 5 stars is that I found it to be quite pricy! £2.20 for a can of San Pellegrino Lemon for a child is overboard in my opinion (particularly when they sell for a mere 70p in the shop next door). The latte, although one of the most delicious coffees I’ve had in Glasgow, was absolutely tiny! Like literally a three gulper! For £3.25 I found this a bit steep. Another off point is the small bowl of brown sugar in the middle of the table for coffees. It obviously sits out all day, so it had become lumpy and coarse and sticky with people’s spoons dipping in and out.
I think the place is a real find, and a fantastic example of how a coffee shop should be. I just think you can get the same standard of coffee (and ambience) elsewhere for a lesser price. Having said that, I’d urge anyone who hasn’t been to pay a visit as its somewhere I think is definitely worth a try even once :)

This really is as good as it gets. Kothel is an elegant treat for all the senses… craftsmanship is evident in every aspect of the interior as well as the design and preparation of the food. A smoked salmon bagel and a cappuccino in this unique, quirky setting is an unbeatable way to start the day. The proprietor introduced himself and was friendly and helpful, as were all the staff. I wonder why more places aren’t like this, but kind of glad they aren’t. Well done, Eduardo — you make the world a better place.

Obscenely delicious coconut cheesecake and the best coffee outside of Italy.
The décor is almost as gorgeous as the boy barista

We stopped by Kothel for a quick breakfast last week and were really pleasantly surprised! I hadn’t even realized it was open as I usually venture down Dumbarton Road rather than Crow Road for my breakfast treats.
The atmosphere is lovely, although perhaps trying just a tiny tiny bit too hard (ie. harris tweed cushions!) They have clearly put a lot of thought into the décor and it does create a very comfortable environment with lots to look at.
The staff were extremely helpful and attentive. We ordered two croissants (one chocolate, one almond), which were HUGE! We were asked straight away if we wanted them warmed, which made them even more delicious. My only gripe was that the almond one didn’t have marzipan running through it, just sugary almond deliciousness on top. The coffee was distinctively italian, quite acidic and intense, which I really liked.
The bill came to just under a tenner for two croissants and two coffees– that seems a bit steep when I think of my days in the south of France where the same bill might have cost half as much, but I think for the West End it’s probably comparable to other similar places (ie Kember and Jones) and has a much nicer vibe.
I had a wee look at the food menu and there wasn’t an awful lot available for veggies, which is to be expected in most continental-​style delis I think, but the cakes looked amaaaaazing! Definitely want to go back for a slice of their red velvet cake soon, or even dinner as they’re open until ten!

Wonderfully eccentric café (for Glasgow), you could spend most of your time spotting weird objects hidden in amongst the décor;) 10 pts if you find the 80’s mobile phone.
But most importantly the food is wonderful, possibly best chocolate croissant I’ve tasted. It’s not all about cake, Italian based sandwiches and hot food all look and taste great. You’ll struggle to choose, no bad thing !
And then there’s Eduardo… been a long time since I’ve been somewhere where the manager is genuinely interested in your experience. Breath of fresh air for Glasgow, very happy customer. (Only lost a star because they’re still awaiting an alcohol license .)

A quickie.
Amongst the perfectly arranged clutter and café buzz, you’ll find happy people serving you great deli food that goes down with ease. And if you’re determined to have a bad day the owner’s charm, wit and general ambiance will soon disappoint you. You’ll curse him, spit at his feet, gesture as only the Italians can do and mutter to yourself «how dare you make me feel good about myself!»
You might seem it a bit strange that a lost order and a 30 minute wait hasn’t made a mr «impress me» into a mr grumpy, but the obvious stress brought on by a member of staff not turning up and the customer service recovery made everything ok. Not that it wasn’t ok to start with :/

after months of waiting, kothel opened, and obviously I was initially disappointed it wasn’t a chip shop, as the area sorely needs a chip shop within walking distance for me. but a coffee shop will do, I guess. the owners seem to have made a great effort. on the look, feel and details and it really looks the part. I managed to pop in for a quick coffee, and whilst a bit on the hot side, it passed the test. the staff are nice, the manager genuinely friendly. not enough info about the food, but cakes and sandwichy type stuff on display. good effort all round, and I hope to be back for some food.

We visited Kothel on it’s opening day, and it was fantastic! Gorgeous coffee, lovely surroundings, freshly baked bread with olive oil and balsamic to nibble on and great staff. Absolutely delighted it’s 5 mins walk away!