Gardens Cafe,byres Rd, Cafe Options

[derick2]

This was very popular with all the school kids in the West End. I remember Listening to the latest pop on the juke box. I didnt have a record player so this was how I kept up to date. All the lads would sit on one side of the cafe and the birds on the other and eye each other up and down. Does this scene still go on?

[Macbeast]

If I remember right, the Gardens cafe was on the east side of Byres Road between Gt George St and Gt Western Road.

It was a typical Glasgow Italian cafe with a rather odd smell which might have been vanilla. You sat on bentwood chairs at marble-topped tables.

I certainly used to buy ice-cream there . either a single nugget (nougat I suppose) or, if rich, a double nugget with the nougat biscuit on both sides. I think they also did Knickerbocker Glory but that was too fancy for me

[Thomas]

Gardens Cafe

I lament the passing of this salubrious cafe, which is now part of the Nationwide Building Society. It did indeed, lie between Great George Street and Cresswell Street on Byres Road.

Every Saturday, it was off to the Garden's for a coke and knickerbocker glory and the place always appeared to be thriving. It closed and turned into Pizzaville for a while, and independent fast food place and then it too closed.

There were quite a few cafes on Byres Road, Cosy Neuk, Gardens, Grosvenor and of course the sole survivor of those great days, the University Cafe. Long may it prosper.

[fourmerk]

The University Cafe! I loved their ice cream and a special treat when I was young in the 50's was hot peas and vinegar. My dad used to take the car there and collect the peas in a jug or thermos flask and bring them home to us. Once when he came back with the peas, the minister was visiting and not at all abashed, but to my mother's embarrassment, he offered some to the minister!

[jakka13]

Was the university Cafe the one across the street from Church St School? I remember eating hot peas there .I worked in the Western Infirmary and we came out on to Byres Rd just above the junction of Church St and the cafe was just there .

[Elma]

Yes Jakka, I think that was the University Cafe. Didn't go there much but did go to the Gardens to listen to the juke box and eye up all the boys. This was around 1951-53, we were so naive then compared to now.

[rossmckenzie]

Never heard of most of the other cafes but the University Cafe is still around and looks like its been there for a 100 years.

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[jakka13]

Thanks for the picture Ross,It brought back a lot of memories.I had to work Saturday mornings in the hospital and my then husband to be would wait for me in the cafe and we'de have hot peas .By the way my Dad's name was Ross!!!