The Black Poppy

We happened to find this place by chance when visiting Specsavers in Rutherglen… Yip, you’ll think you’ve just stepped out of the tardis or walked into Mr Ben’s outfit ‘shop’! Dafuq moment indeed. You get the idea, a jewel in the rough indeed. Great staff, great cakes, great all round. I just had normal tea cos that’s how I roll but they had the fanciest looking tea (in wine glasses wi flowers in) I’ve ever seen in my puff on offer… and AGAIN… in Rutherglen! Who’d da funked it?
We will be back to try every cake on offer.

Shades of the West End in Rutherglen. A great wee café, freshly cooked food, speciality soft drinks, relaxing interior. Makes a change from all of the chippys and bookies. The only downside is the location as it would do a roaring trade in the summer if it could have pavement side tables. Staff are friendly and accommodating.

I can not get enough of this place lately. I feel like saying «Just read Nicola C’s review as it says everything I would say». You really do feel like you’re in the West End. The quality of food and service is excellent.
I’ve been here for lunch, meetings, afternoon tea and most recently for my mum’s birthday. It’s just such a nice experience and the staff are lovely.
It’s also opened a little later on a Friday and Saturday and you can get a wee schwally in with a nice cool refreshing cider or a glass of wine. If you’re ever about in Rutherglen, make sure you swing by.

Wow. I’m a Rutherglen girl born and bred but l’ll be the first to admit that Rutherglen is not the place to come to be charmed by unique local businesses. Until I ventured into The Black Poppy, that is! I’ve wandered by many a time but today considered having lunch with a friend somewhere a little closer to home. When I sat down and had a proper look around, I felt like I’d been whisked away to the town centre or the west end, even. — Where cafes and coffee shops like The Black Poppy are found in abundance. All that surrounds The Black Poppy are pound stores and chip shops, which makes The Black Poppy a very pleasant surprise.
Upon walking in you can tell The Black Poppy has personality .- With quotes scrawled on hanging chalkboards, what looks like a library of wine and a nice little selection of cards and gifts to browse! I noticed they had quirky little characters made from old wine bottles which was cool. There’s a crafty, creative side to The Black Poppy, which is very much evident in the décor.
I had soup (broth!) and a tuna baguette for £4.95. (My friend’s piri piri chicken baguette looked delicious too!) They have a wide selection of sandwiches and baguettes available and the soup and a sandwich/​baguette offer is extremely good value! It was fresh, delicous and generous! Not to mention, the service was friendly and attentive, the waitress even asked if we would like to be moved from the window away from the cold. For the hour I spent in The Black Poppy, it wasn’t so busy but there was a steady flow of people popping in and out for lunch and coffee.
The Black Poppy, along with regular teas and coffees, offers a range of speciality coffees, all made with a cheeky drop of alcohol. They are fully licensed, selling what looks like a nice selection of wine, beer and cider, and stay open late several nights a week. Who would have thought such a special little place would find itself in Rutherglen! Now, I’ll think again about getting a bus to town if lunch is on the agenda, when I can easily walk here. The Black Poppy is charming, quirky and unique. — A true delight within Rutherglen’s surroundings!

The Black Poppy is a treasure in Rutherglen. The food is always freshly made and the salads are accompanied by an amazing choice of organic balsamic vinegars– delicious. It really is like you are stepping into a place in the west end — the big difference being that the staff at the Black Poppy actually care about your well being! I love being able to just walk down the road, have a glass of their wonderful selection of organic cider German beer or wine along with there wonderful food. No taxi needed! They are open later on a Thursday and Friday night for dinner. Highly recommend this place!!!

The Black Poppy is a brilliant wee ray of sunshine in the dank and dismal centre of Rutherglen.
Offering fabulous sandwiches and a variety of quality pies and hot soups to sit in or take away all at very reasonable prices, this little café is a great place to spend a lunchtime or have an afternoon coffee. The staff are polite and attentive and great care has been taken to offer a stylish little haven in an otherwise dreary area. They also take sandwich orders over the phone so your lunch could be waiting for you when you pop in if pressed for time, though I heartily recommend settling in to a comfy sofa and enjoying your visit there.

Fantastic little café situated in unfashionable Rutherglen, the Black Poppy appers from nowhere, offering a relaxing and pleasant environment to enjoy a snack or a spot of lunch.
As well as a café with an incredibly cheap and tasty menu, this place is also a deli and a small gift shop. Lovingly run, it is immaculate and in complete contrast with the grubby and tired businesses which exist within close proximity.
While its location means it’s almost certain to remain a hidden gem, such is the quality of the Black Poppy I would honestly suggest it, alone, makes a jaunt Rutherglen way worthwhile. Indeed hopefully word of mouth will spread and this place will be frequently pack in the crowds as much as it deserves to.

The Black Poppy is one of the most bizarre places I have ever visited. Based in the centre of pound mart and kebab takeway filled Rutherglen, it is a sophisticated little café filled with friendly service and fresh delicious food, that would look more at home in the West End of Glasgow.
So why Rutherglen? That, I don’t know. When I visited one weekday lunchtime, the place was empty which is a real shame. The Black Poppy is the kind of place I used to wish existed growing up in Clydebank, a suburb of similar economic background as Rutherglen. Hopefully I just caught it on a quiet afternoon and locals who don’t usually pop into the town’s grim centre do realise what a gem this place is.