I discovered Glasgow's most interesting cafe at the Ottoman Coffeehouse
There’s history, a sense of community and some wonderful hot drinks at Glasgow’s Ottoman Coffeehouse on Berkeley Street.
Imran Akhtar is the co-owner of the Ottoman Coffeehouse, along with his brother Irfan. Their father originally bought this space intending it to be a restaurant. It sits behind the former Glasgow Society for Musicians and what was the Shah Noor Indian restaurant on Berkeley Street.
A beautiful room with high ceilings, ornate light fittings, comfy sofas, chess sets, furnishings bought from the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, portraits of Sultans. After being initially used for private functions it emerged as a community coffeehouse serving Yemani coffee, Turkish roast, Ottoman teas, espresso and chai.
The food menu includes chicken and lamb kebabs, tandoor grilled salmon, vegetarian salads, naans and pakora.Their impressive baklava is popular for dessert.The coffeehouse runs a kitchen to help those in need, regularly providing food packages to the homeless.
Chef Asif is responsible for the impressive lunch dishes. Born in Lahore, he moved to Glasgow in 1998. He started working in The Shenaz as a chef’s assistant at the age 17 years old and he has continued to work at some of Glasgow’s best known restaurants including Ashoka and Cafe India. His favourite dish on the menu is grilled salmon on achari naan topped with Turkish salad.
The Ottoman Coffeehouse’s mission statement says: “Our ambition is to establish the bridges between the nostalgic coffeehouse of the Ottoman past and the present, operating as both a café and a meditation space in the heart of the West End of Glasgow, the perfect location for morning coffee, afternoon tea, reading the papers and catching your breath”.
Independent Coffee Guide Scotland say: “Stepping inside Ottoman Coffeehouse is an absolute feast for the senses. Evoking the aesthetic, grandeur and bustling atmosphere of the historic coffee houses of Istanbul, this is a place to unshackle yourself from your regular coffee order and be immersed in an unusual sensory experience.”
Ottoman Coffeehouse, 73 Berkeley Street, G3 7DX