Team behind Glasgow's Old Toll Bar to launch new brunch and small plates spot in Giffnock

The team behind two of Glasgow south side's most popular pubs has announced that it is taking over a much-loved restaurant just south of the city.

The owners of the Old Toll Bar on Paisley Road West and new bar Ryan's in Govanhill, have stepped in after top chef Ian Brown and his wife Sheila decided to retire and sell up their popular food spot after 12 years in the area.

They are now set to re-establish venue to create a new destination brunch and small plates eatery that they believe locals and visitors alike will love.

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Dubbed the Giffnock Cafe, ops manager for the group, Grant Montgomery, can't wait for people to see what they have in store for the popular dining spot.

"It was a touching moment for Ian and Sheila to pass on their baby to us," he said. "It's quite a thrilling thing to be the new folks on the block, and hopefully we can take it to new heights."

It's an exciting time for the team who already own three spots in the city including the two aforementioned and their third venue, The Red Door Club.

Grant revealed that this most recent launch is ahead of schedule and comes down to the success of their previous locations, particularly Ryan's, which transformed the former Neeson's bar in Govanhill and has been massively well received.

He added they have lots of exciting plans in the pipeline for the new restaurant which will be a "well thought out cafe brunch style offering" similar to other successful spots in the southside like Bramble and Cafe Strange Brew, with "lovely, colourful plates" to entice people by day, as well as coffee and cakes

This will then be followed by an "eclectic mix" of small plates, top-notch wines and classic cocktails for people to enjoy in the evening.

Though both menus have yet to be finalised, Grant said they are excited by the prospect of being able to bring wine tastings by experts like Tatenda, aka @tatendas_tastings, and innovative offerings like whisky and chocolate tastings further down the line.

Set to open from 9am to 4pm for breakfast and brunch as part of their day service, and at night from 5pm to 11pm (midnight at weekends) the passionate team say the simplified name for the new spot reflects their ethos of "doing simple things, really well".

Grant added: "After only opening up Ryan's six months ago, we weren't expecting to open a new place so soon. With this latest launch, we wanted to a bit further south, and Giffnock is an ideal place where we can become a destination restaurant.

"It will be a local neighbourhood spot that you can connect with, that offers great value and service, as well as everything from a nice lager to a well-made, well-thought-out cocktail. We want to offer something for everyone.

"It'll have our individual stamp on it and hopefully become a home away from home for people that does great scran and cocktails."

Giffnock Cafe is set to open in the first week of May at the site of the former Ian Brown restaurant at 55 Eastwoodmains Road in Giffnock, close to the Williamwood Train Station.

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