Glasgow Bars: New bookshop-themed bar to open doors in Glasgow

The Last Bookstore will open its doors at 157 Hope Street, the former site of Fat Lobster, in the city centre. The bar and eatery concept, which comes from the team behind popular bars Devil Of Brooklyn and Tabac, will offer a cocktail menu inspired by famous authors, including Jack Kerouc, Dorothy Parker and Ernest Hemingway.

“This is a new chapter in Glasgow’s dining scene,” said executive chef Stevie Holt, who is behind the menu. Stevie explained that his experience working abroad in Europe has inspired much of the menu's design.

“I left Glasgow at 19 and worked in Switzerland and Italy before settling down in Ibiza when I was 22. That’s definitely inspired my cooking, and this menu especially. The Last Bookstore offers Mediterranean small plates, so there’s lots of variety in those small plates. Each dish is European or Spanish origin, with a bit of a modern spin on them.

“One of my favourite dishes is the popeye braised mince. It’s inspired by a dish I tried in Ibiza – I went back there just for this dish, so I thought why not do my own twist for Glasgow?”

The small plates and lunch menu includes brisket croquette with mascarpone, rosemary and apple and charred cauliflower, pickled shallot and tahini yoghurt.

And the literary theme extends to the decor with a total of 8,000 books lining the walls of the new bar, with an archway made of 1,300 books - containing a total of 442,000,000 words.

There is also space for customers to get stuck into their new books. They can head to the mezzanine floor kitted out with a luxurious seating area over the stunning venue below.

The decadent cocktail menu is certainly one for book lovers, having been designed by a former English teacher - with drinks inspired by author’s whose work is connected to alcohol.

Head bartender Mick Quinn said: “We really wanted to create an atmosphere of having a dog lying on your toes while you drink something strong with this concept.

“The Last Bookstore is the perfect situation for me - I studied to be an English teacher before I became a bartender, so I’m a happy camper!

“I’ve used that knowledge when designing the cocktail menu; each cocktail is inspired by an author and a line or connection they’ve written about alcohol.”

Mick said: “We wanted to pair each drink with famous works from those authors. If the drink inspires you, you can go ahead and purchase some reading material to go with it.”