Café Gandolfi

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

Café Gandolfi is a marvellous antidote to any harshness life throws at you. Its rustic charm and consistently good food has nurtured Glasgow's city dwellers since it opened in 1979, earning owner Seumas MacInnes and his team well-deserved iconic status today. The interior, essentially untouched over the years, has nurturing qualities. High walls shield diners from the outside world, while Tim Stead's sculptural wooden chairs and tables are reassuringly worn from use. The chatter amid aromas that drift in from the kitchen give the feeling of having a meal at a friend's place. The menu is just as steady, with quality ingredients taking precedence over any whimsical fashion trends. Daily specials support a day-to-evening menu of light meals, salads, sandwiches, pasta and Gandolfi standards. To start, some rich and salty Cullen skink is comfort food indeed, as is the dense Stornoway white pudding with curlicues of crispy onion and sweet baked apples. For a light main course, blueberries and avocado are combined to great effect in a signature Caesar salad, while the more substantial gratin dauphinoise, packed with creamy layers, comes with generous slices of tender smoked venison. The experienced staff operate with style and ease, leaving long-finished diners alone to linger over wine and relax.

• High point: Classic, consistent
• Low point: Big queues at the weekend