Watch: The story behind Tibo, one of Dennistoun’s most popular neighbourhood lunch spots

Achieving the title of the world’s eighth ‘Coolest Neighbourhood’ by Time Out magazine in 2020 Dennistoun in the East End is widely regarded as one of Glasgow’s most sought after areas due to its affordability, proximity to the city centre and, most importantly, it’s selection of cool bars and cafes. 

Focusing on the latter point we have been exploring some of the independent hospitality enterprises that have helped shaped Dennistoun’s distinct personality and charm. We visited Tibo, a popular breakfast and lunch spot on Duke Street, and spoke to co-owner Angus McLeod on the location of his bistro and the type of service he aims to provide to the neighbourhood. 

“Tibo has been on the go almost 15 years now. We founded it on the basis of supplying food to the locals. I was previously in the financial industry, have always been interested in food. Everybody who works in here are foodies. My son David runs the kitchen - self-trained. The ethos of the business is to make good quality handmade food for the locals.”

On being located at the heart of Duke Street in Dennistoun, he said: “It’s a very cosmopolitan area with a lot of professionals, a lot of students, and a lot of the so-called middle classes as well. A good sound basis of all-round clientele. It also helps the fact that Duke Street is a very busy road. I’m an old Glasgow boy myself and the East End is still virtually untouched in most places. 

“It’s certainly come on a lot in being cosmopolitan and being so close to the city. A lot of people like to stay here it’s within ten minutes walking distance. It’s still a good parking area, there’s a good mix of shops although we could always do with higher quality shops. But you’ll rarely find empty shops on Duke Street.”

“The customers expect a very chilled out place” he said, explaining the type of experience people visit Tibo for. “That’s what business is all about. Good homemade food, good service, good banter, and that’s what we’re all about.”

“We don’t need to recommend anything customers know about Tibo now. It took us a while to build the business up but most people know about Tibo in Glasgow including the taxi drivers who take people from the airport. If they ask for a recommendation of food they point them here. 

“We don’t have a huge menu but it’s all good quality food. We do lunches, we do breakfast products and we always had an evening menu although we’ve been closed at night during the last few years due to unforeseen circumstances so incorporated a lot of the evening dishes in the daytime. We are going to be separating though and having separate menus again. 

“There’s lots of good eating establishments in the East End. There’s Coia’s, Mesa along the road who are quite similar in ethos to us. Lots of cafes, lots of nice wee bakeries. There’s a good choice of products for customers, there’s a dessert shop at the end of the street as well now. There’s also a selection of businesses on the Parade so the East End is well served by good quality small businesses and that to me is the way it should be.”

This month, Tibo will open later into the evening for its dinner menu.

Tibo, 443 Duke St, Glasgow G31 1RY