Paisley Road West, between the Opry and Bellahouston Park via shisha lounges, the Subway station and a Greek Thompson terrace could never bore a lover of humanity such as I. Watch out for broken glass, bin bags and dog shit though.
This bit of PRW also includes two of my favourite things in Glasgow’s van-cessible food and drink pantheon. Firstly, Glasgow Climbing Centre inside the converted Ibrox church with its utterly superb mezzanine Flavourbomb Kitchen. Secondly the BP garage with Tubees Nitro Lounge, which any child or dental student should visit to marvel at and know their future is assured and golden. Just wander round Tubees after you’ve put diesel in your van, PMiaV. Tubees is the high temple of coloured, carbonated and sugary food-like substances dispensed by hypnotic, flashy, automated sci-fi vending machines. Even in Glasgow this place is brilliantly OTT.
I’ll tell you more of these two fine establishments in future. I was going to Flavourbomb Kitchen when just past the Dum Phukt café (not my gag, a real place I will get to soon) I noticed a coffee place. A stylish van driver’s U-turn on PRW with a casual thanks to people in smaller, inferior cars who had no say in the manoeuvre allowed me to park free in the street opposite and check out The Good Coffee Cartel.
It’s a coffee shop, takeaway and roastery. They (the youngsters, interior design-istas) have been at it again with their stripped-to-the-brick walls, exposed joists, laminated plywood benches designed for punishment routine at a tough monastery, dark colours and some decent hanging art. You can see through to the back and the roasting machinery in its mid twentieth century retro splendour.
They (the customers, youngsters who understand fashion in their trawlers caps, ankle-swinging jeans, small moustaches, mullets, brutal fringes and round glasses) are quickly served coffee and their nice cockerpoo is enthusiastically petted by the staff and Pelfies (pet-selfies, paw-phile pics?) are compared.
My coffee comes promptly in a decent cup and saucer and is excellent, characterful. The beans for sale are not cheap but the range is interesting. Alongside a menu of the product, sorry, beans for sale there’s a shelf with the narcotic paraphernalia of serious coffee consumers; Aeropress, V60, Tiamo, Chemex, Hario Kettle. Although it sounds like a ruthless squad of Transformers or an industrial boy band this gear is the business. To lighten the vibe on the merchandise shelf the Good Coffee Cartel also has its own illustrated socks for sale.
The café is not an intimate space but you can have some peace in here to work on your blog. The coffee is far better than the other cafes I’ve tried nearby so far. Yes, this an on-trend coffee establishment but that trend is for quality and real interest in the product. If you like coffee come and drink it here.
The staff were nice to that dog. I’ll be back.
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