Tinderbox

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

Appreciating the Tinderbox vision is like being in a successful long-term marriage: it's easy to take for granted yet vital to remember how good it actually is. Celebrating a decade in Byres Road, the original Tinderbox is still a contender for the crown of king of cappuccino bars. At the newer Merchant City location, team Tinderbox stretch their design parameters to create a complementary partner, with panels of lime wallpaper, dark woods and a pebble-effect floor. Coffee and cake are the mainstays in the West End, so the sandwich selection remains limited – a ciabatta with goat's cheese, rocket and sweet chilli jam is a tad dry though rescued by a convincing Moroccan vegetable soup. Cakes are luxurious wedges or manageable tray-bakes. Across town, the hot food selection is wider. A 'cheese and onion' pie is vastly more delicious than its humdrum name suggests, and is confidently served with organic baked beans. Manager Pete Cavani is most excited about launching the UK's first 'clover' filter coffee machine. It's said to offer a gourmet coffee experience like no other, and every brew is a bespoke blend. Customers could be ordering caffeinated art in a cup.

• High point: Heated flat breads (Ingram Street)
• Low point: Limited savoury options (Byres Road)