Where to Brunch in Glasgow's Southside

I love to treat myself to brunch in a wee café. I used to work from home pre-Covid, and would take myself out once a week with my laptop for a nice coffee and a bite to eat. That all stopped obviously during the pandemic, and I'm slowing getting back out there again! It's been a while since I've worked from a coffee shop, but I've been enjoying brunch with the kids every so often. 

This weekend we visited The Brunch Club in Giffnock for the first time (used to be BRGR), along with Dawn and her daughter. They don't take bookings, and so we did have a little bit of a wait (understandable as we needed a table for 5). I wasn't blown away by my choice of smashed avo (avocado, red onion, garlic, fresh cherry tomatoes, balsamic glaze, poached egg & sourdough toast; £9) although I did enjoy the halloumi that I added (£2.50). My son felt his waffles were a bit dry (waffles with Nutella and fruit; £9.50) but Dawn loved her plate (Alba which was veggie haggis, poached eggs, truffle hollandaise, crispy kale and sourdough toast; £9.50) and the girls enjoyed their pancakes and Nutella. I'll try something else next time... tacos perhaps! Dawn had a virgin Bloody Mary, and it looked ace (I sadly didn't photograph it!). 

It's been a while since I've written a review of a restaurant or café... when the kids were little they tended to love most things and a lot of the restaurants got 5 stars when they were asked to rate them!! Whereas now, my son at nearly 13 years old and my daughter at 11 have opinions! Their favourite meal is steak & chips (we had a fab dinner in York at the start of the summer holidays at Cut & Craft, I'd recommend it if you're in the area... as would they!!), and when we're brunching they're all about pancakes and Nutella.

Anyway, back to brunch...

Our hands down favourite is Bramble, opposite Queens Park at 924 Pollokshaws Road. Similar to The Brunch Club, they are walk in only. So if we're headed here of a weekend I try and go for them opening (Sat 9am, Sun 9.30am). When Bramble was in Giffnock we queued for an hour once to get a table, and that wasn't fun with two hungry kids in tow! Most items on the menu I love, the vegan flatbread (sweetcorn fritters, salsa, pineapple chutney and mayo on a soft flatbread; £9.50) is a favourite as well as the pulled pork tacos (which isn't on the menu anymore *sad face*). The kids tend to order pancakes with Nutella and strawberries (£9.50, or £6.50 for a small portion).

Last on my list, for now, is Café Strange Brew. Again, as with the others, this café is walk in only. I was here with Evie (they're dog friendly) for breakfast a few months ago and didn't have to wait too long for a table. I love the presentation of the dishes here, my yoghurt and granola came with little edible flowers... so pretty! 

If it's just coffee that I'm headed out for, then I do love Grain & Grind. (My son is obsessed with their sausage rolls and brownies!) I love their coffee, and even have a bag in Verity for my Moka Pot.

What's your favourite spot for brunch?

Review - Pizza Hut at Silverburn

Last weekend we were invited to try the new menu at Pizza Hut, Silverburn. It tied in very nicely with my birthday and the kids were super excited that mummy was having a 'pizza party'!

The staff knew we were coming but I don't think we were given any additional special treatment compared with the other diners that I could see.

Anyway, we were welcomed into the restaurant and shown to our table. Pizza Hut is really family friendly and we were given a pot of crayons and some activities packs for the kids. We were also handed some menus and given some time to peruse!

The kids went for the £3.99 meal deal which included a main, unlimited salad and a drink. Plenty of choice was available too - not only was there pizza but also pasta and chicken bites. The littlest added some fries for £1.50 which was actually quite a sizeable portion, and so these were shared amongst us all.

This salad bar is such a great concept, and it meant that the kids could help themselves to some healthy snacks to keep them going whilst we waited for the pizza to arrive. (You can also see that the littlest has made herself right at home by taking off her shoes!!)

The Salad Bar

I was excited to try the new Hamilton Beach Shakes strawberry-berry-nice milkshake (£3.75), and it didn't disappoint. I love a proper ice-cream milkshake. It was such a huge portion, served in a steel canister, that both Rick and the littlest got to try it too! 

I didn't seem to get any decent photographs of the juice bar, but for the kids and for Rick they could help themselves to juice, which was unlimited. Again, a great concept which allowed the kids to get involved in preparing their drinks and kept them entertained a little whilst the pizzas were made.

Thumbs up!

Rick had ordered a large pizza for himself - the New Orleans Cajun Sizzler (£16.75), and needless to say he didn't manage to finish it - it was huuuuuge! We did get a few slices to take home with us in a box (which we managed to forget as we left the restaurant - oops!).

The littlest's cheese, tomato & ham pizza

Getting stuck in!

The cheese, tomato & sweetcorn pizza was a huge hit with my son. He demolished the lot!

We tried a few of the new starters, which were brought out with our pizza (at our request). We had chicken poppers in a BBQ sauce and some garlic mushrooms with a dip. Both were really good. The chicken was boneless, so unlike chicken wings the kids were keen to try and my son loved it.

I went for the lowest calorie pizza, the Chicken Delight, which came in at 500kCal (£8.85). I have to admit that the base wasn't as good as a regular pizza and perhaps wasn't what I was expecting. The menu says 'thin and crispy' pizza, but it was super thin. This was obviously to keep it healthier and it was still loaded with toppings which was great. I really enjoyed it though and it certainly filled me up! 

I think next time though I'll just go for a regular pizza and skip the milkshake!

The kids had dessert - Ice Cream Factory of course - which was £1.50 each (unlimited too!). 

This was my son's creation (helped by Rick!).

And you can see it was demolished too!!

The four of us managed to eat for just under £50, and we were stuffed by the end of the dinner. No return trips to the ice cream factory for us!!

Overall we had an amazing dinner. Definite thumbs up all round. The menu was good value for money, particularly the kids menu. The restaurant is ideal for families and well worth a visit. I don't tend to eat out that much with the kids, but of our experiences so far I think this one has to be up there. The salad bar was the big winner for me - no waiting around for food to arrive & we could get stuck in straight away. I didn't feel too stressed out, which can sometimes happen when I have to entertain the little ones as we wait for food! 

We received a £50 voucher for Pizza Hut, Silverburn in exchange for this review. As always, opinions are honest and are my own.

{Frankie & Benny's at Glasgow Fort}

Last weekend we were invited to have lunch at Frankie & Benny's at Glasgow Fort to review their new Specials Menu. We had visitors staying with us as it was the littlest's birthday, so in addition to me and the kids, we had R, Auntie Ali, my dad and his wife Jo with us too.

Perusing the Specials Menu - 2 courses for just £11.95

The staff knew we were coming but I did make sure to observe how the other diners were enjoying their lunchtime experience and I don't think we were given any additional special treatment other than the balloons that were at our table - I had informed them that we were celebrating a birthday you see.

Anyway, we were welcomed into the restaurant and shown to our table. The restaurant was a lot bigger than I had anticipated, and I had noted with interest that there was plenty of space for storing prams or buggies (I'm nearly past this stage now and rarely take the pushchair with me, but it's something I used to have to think about not that long ago!). The place was obviously very family friendly and the kids were given colouring in packs once we were seated which included a jigsaw and puzzle book.

The staff were great with the kids and managed to diffuse a situation with the littlest who was very insistent that she wanted the drink that her big brother had (they were exactly the same, but she was refusing to listen to reason!).

I ordered the BBQ Garlic Bread to start and then the Cajun Chicken Melt with mashed potatoes for main. R and my dad had the Chicken Louisiana Skins followed by the Spicy Sausage Calzone; Auntie Ali & Jo also had the potato skins but chose a burger for their main course - Italiano Burger for Ali and the BBQ for Jo. 

BBQ Garlic Bread

The garlic bread I had to start was amazing - pizza bread covered in BBQ sauce and topped with grated cheese, red onion and chilli flakes served with a sour cream dip. It totally hit the spot and tasted great. There was plenty of topping too which I hadn't anticipated. I was told that the loaded potato skins had a bit of a spicy kick (that'll be the Louisiana hot sauce then!) and were really good.

Chicken Louisiana Skins

The Kid's (£4.25) and Junior's Menu (£7.75) includes a main meal, dessert and unlimited soft drinks. Plenty of options to choose from including burgers, sausages, pizza and pasta. The eldest had spaghetti bolognese and the littlest decided to have fish fingers and chips. The kids meals also come with an optional side of vegetables, salad or baked beans free of charge and there are free apples available for the kids too.

I really appreciated the fact that the kids meals were brought out as soon as they were ready. So the kids started eating as we had our starters, and then they were able to finish their food and continue colouring in and drawing whilst we had our mains.

The portion sizes were really good. I was amazed at how much food there was and it was good value for money at £11.95 for 2 courses. (You can top this up to three courses for an additional £2.50.)

The calzone was "really good" and the tomato sauce "excellent". The portion size was immense! The burger was good ("not the most amazing burger I've ever had, but it was good") and the chips were nice, hot and crispy.

Auntie Ali and her massive burger! Yum :-)

I love this photo - check out the calzone!!!

Cajun Chicken Melt with mashed potato, sweetcorn and dip

"I never get messy so I don't need that"

Thumbs up & clean plates!!

I asked the eldest for a review of his spaghetti and he said it was "amazing and awesome".

If the starter and main wasn't enough, we all decided to have a pudding too! The peanut butter sundae was recommended by our waiter Yotis and it didn't disappoint. It was the highlight for Auntie Ali, who even turned the glass upside down to get out every last drop! In amongst the ice cream and peanut butter were chewy brownie pieces. Mmmmm... it was soooo good! My dad & Jo had the raspberry sorbet and it was "typically Italian. Refreshing and a nice consistency".

The eldest had the Chocolate Pancake and demolished it too. Where does he put it all!!

Knowing that it was R's birthday and the littlest's birthday, the waiting staff put on the birthday music and brought out their desserts with candles on the top. It was a lovely touch and despite the fact that R was a bit mortified and the littlest was a bit unsure of the attention, I thought it was brilliant!!

Slightly mortified at the attention!

Littlest was a bit unsure of the birthday ice cream sundae & refused to smile for a pic!

I checked out the toilets and they were clean and there was even a teach yourself Italian playing over the speakers. "An educational experience, although not long enough to learn anything if you're only in there for two shakes" (thanks dad, TMI!).

We were loving the music, especially Nanny Jo... King of the Road, Moon River, Hey Baby... but it was maybe a teeny bit loud as we were under one of the speakers. 

Overall we had an amazing lunch and I'll definitely go back to Frankie & Benny's. The menu is good value for money and there's something there for everyone. The restaurant is ideal for families and well worth a visit if you're out at Glasgow Fort.

We received a complimentary lunch in exchange for this review. As always, opinions are honest and are my own.

{Eating Out With Toddlers}

Today I have a guest post over at Wriggly Rascals on the topic of eating out with toddlers. I share my experiences and a few tips, and there are also a couple of cute pics of my adorable children who are always well behaved when eating out *cough, cough!*


As always, do let me know what you think - it's great to hear your feedback.

Join in with the Wriggly Rascals survey too here and share your tips and advice.

{Fabulous Finds: Glasgow Southside Cafes & Restaurants}

Here's the lowdown on my favourite cafes and restaurants in Glasgow's Southside (in no particular order!)...

iKafe (Nithsdale Road, Pollokshields)

I was a regular at the iKafe for a number of years... however I'm not there as frequently as I used to (I was there at least once a week!). iKafe is great for coffee & cake (highly recommend the pecan pie), a nice lunch (there is a massive selection of sandwiches, wraps & baguettes) or a casual dinner. Great for with kids too - they made a pesto pasta especially for my toddler when we were there and he would recommend the cakes also!

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La Tea Doh (Nithsdale Road, Pollokshields)

On the same stretch as iKafe, La Tea Doh is a great wee deli. I've sat in the window a couple of times and had a nice cup of tea and watched the world go by. They do great paninis too - yum! Not really pram-friendly though as it's just small - don't think there would be space for my double buggy!

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Gusto & Relish (Pollokshaws Road)

I've been to Gusto & Relish a few times, once for one of their themed evenings for Glasgow Beer Week with my good friend Becky and they're great for lunch too. On another note, Becky also currently has her photographic prints displayed on the walls and they're for sale at £20 each (including the frame!).

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The Bungo (Nithsdale Road, Strathbungo)

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The Bungo has just recently opened and I went there with Becky for dinner a few weeks ago. I loved it  - such a great atmosphere and the food was amazing. Can highly recommend the Hendricks and Cucumber too! The interior feels quite industrial which I liked, and I loved the mood lighting (might be a bit dark for some people in the restaurant). I'll definitely be going back.

Ian Brown Food & Drink (Eastwoodmains Road, Clarkston)

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I went here in December for lunch with friends to celebrate Becky's 30th birthday. It had been recommended by another friend, and I'm so glad we went. The food was superb, service was great, and again, I'll definitely returning for another visit. The restaurant interior has been done in collaboration with Paul Hodgkiss and the woodwork is just beautiful. 

eat cafe (Shawlands)

This is my favourite place at the moment. I love it here. I can't put my finger on it, but I just have a good feeling about this place. It's ideal for kiddies - lots of space. Again, toddler can highly recommend the cake! Everyone was really friendly and helpful, despite my son being a cheeky monkey and introducing himself to every person in there (embarrassed!). It also looks lovely at night because of all the fairy lights.... I love fairy lights. There is also the eat deli in Clarkston which I've been to a few times, but it's not so great for with the little ones as there is less space for my big double buggy.

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Biscuit Cafe (Skirving Street, Shawlands)

Biscuit is another regular haunt of ours. Whilst we're there I try and pop into Paper Plane and Butterfly Kisses which are across the street. Biscuit have a lunch deal which I normally have where you can have a bowl of their hearty soup plus a half sandwich of your choice (from a selection). Food has always been good (except for once I had a fruit salad with yoghurt which I wasn't all that impressed with) and I can highly recommend their burger - yum!

The Giffnock Ivy (Fenwick Road, Giffnock)

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Friends and I went to The Giffnock Ivy for dinner last year and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal and the service was also great. To be honest I can't actually remember what I had to eat, but please be reassured that that does not mean it wasn't up to much. It was lovely and I do want to go back, I've just not had the reason or opportunity. I was designated driver too, so can't blame my rubbish memory on the wine.... just baby brain I guess!!