Berits & Brown

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

Berits & Brown is a chic, bustling New York-style deli-café where chefs work busily behind a glass-fronted counter, which displays the ingredients that make up a simple menu enlivened by numerous inventive twists. A smoked salmon salad, for instance, is lifted out of the ordinary by the fiery heat of a horseradish and dill dressing that is nicely balanced by the cooling, aniseed flavour of thinly sliced fennel. Sandwiches don't get much better than their version of the Reuben, a US deli standard. Lightly toasted rye bread only just about contains its filling of salt beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut – all coated in what Americans call Russian dressing. Other options include the 'peppery horse' which consists of pastrami, tomato and horseradish mayonnaise or a basic club sandwich made with Ramsay's award-winning bacon. If you have any room left after all this, you might be tempted by a large slice of cake to accompany a thick, nutty-tasting espresso that could well be one of the best in Glasgow. Breakfast, Sunday brunch and evening menus are also available. The wine list includes a good house wine for £10, while an additional £6 corkage charge allows you to choose a bottle from the well-stocked shelves of the deli.

• High point: Good ingredients, well-prepared
• Low point: Can get crowded