A hearty brunch in Glasgow

A friend organised a meetup at this café that I've been to a couple of times before. The Trans Europe is cheap and cheerful, but with that bit of extra quality that makes it a very popular place, especially at weekends.

The cafe is small, and the walls are decorated with maps of Europe. There are only a few staff, and they are very friendly and chatty.

There were five of us (one person had cancelled), and we almost had to go elsewhere, as when the first two of us arrived the place was so busy we had to sit and wait near the door. Daytime bookings are not possible at the Trans Europe.

By the time the others arrived, some groups were starting to leave, so we were able to get a table. It's an example of how popular this place is.

Breakfast is served all day at the Trans Europe, and we were hungry. I don't eat meat, so I ordered the Custom Breakfast, which is £3.50 for your first item, plus your choice of extras.

I have to say this was a little misleading. I started with two poached eggs, and added "Beans, mushroom, spinach, tomato" at £1.25.

As I suspected, these items were actually £1.25 each, but the menu listed them as if they were one item. I did think that £4.75 would have been unfeasibly cheap for a big breakfast, so I didn't complain when it was actually charged at £8.75 – but I think they should make their menu a bit clearer in this respect!

The breakfast tasted great and the eggs were perfectly cooked.

I also ordered a black Americano, which was just as I like it: rich and smooth, with a good crema head, and served in a small cup.

We lingered for a while, and I bought another coffee, a soy cortado, which I wasn't quite so pleased with. I found it too frothy, and it was served in a glass which was too hot to hold.

Two of my friends, Mandy and Paul, had a traditional Scottish breakfast with sausage, bacon and black pudding. My friend Mandy was disappointed that there were no potato scones on the menu, a Scottish breakfast speciality. Apart from this, they enjoyed their food.

Dee Ann had Eggs Florentine, poached eggs with spinach served with Hollandaise sauce on an English muffin.

Alastair, who organised the meetup, had French Toast with bacon instead of maple syrup. He said it was nice, but a little more oily than usual.

The bill came to £58.90 – not bad for five people sitting chatting and eating for just over an hour.

The Trans Europe also serves sandwiches and evening meals, sometimes with a European theme, and all very reasonably priced.

I will certainly visit again, probably for brunch, as I love an all-day brekkie.

The Trans Europe Cafe is on Parnie Street, at the east side of Glasgow's city centre. This area has a reputation for being the rougher side of town, but it has a lot of character and vibrancy, with art galleries, music venues and interesting small businesses.

The photo above shows a t-shirt business. Do you recognise the song that the words on the window comes from? It's a song by a band from a town near Glasgow.

This area is certainly one of the most Glasgowy parts of Glasgow. The mural above celebrates a famous Glasgow singer and comedian.

Arts, music, and... a hydroponics store!

After lunch, we wandered over to the nearby Clutha Bar.

The Clutha, one of Glasgow's most popular bars, hit world headlines in 2013, after a tragic accident when a helicopter crashed onto the bar. Ten people were killed, including three people on board the helicopter, and 31 were injured.

The bar has since been refurbished with the help of fundraising.

It's a popular music venue, and there are murals all over the place. The painting in the photo above depicts Alex Harvey, of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band.

The bar is built around a tree.

A mural above the beer garden depicts the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

We thoroughly enjoyed our late breakfast.

If you want to discover the "real Glasgow", the East End is the place to visit. It still has its seedy side, but you'll also find great music, creativity and fantastic food.

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Restaurant Information

Trans Europe Café

25 Parnie St, Glasgow G1 5RJ, UK

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A hearty brunch in Glasgow
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