Cafe Gandolfi

Ogólne informacje

In 1979, Glasgow's Merchant City seemed an epoch away from the vibrant cosmopolitan place it now is. Elegant streets and stylish buildings constructed by the city's 18th and 19th century fathers were neglected, shabby and down-at-heel - not remotely the kind of area likely to attract restaurant-goers. In fact there were no restaurants. That was about to change. When Iain Mackenzie, Cafe Gandolfi's founder, saw the empty offices of the city's old cheese market, he had the clear-eyed vision to open an original, trendsetting and stylish cafe at the very heart of Glasgow. It was a leap of faith on Iain's part but he was on to a winner. As a photographer, he brought a sophisticated aesthetic both to the interior and to the food. And of course, its name - Gandolfi - which was inspired by the company founded by Louis Gandolfi that made cameras which have been synonymous with fine photography for 120 years. Iain brought a pioneering spirit and an authentic European sensibility: Gandolfi introduced Glasgow's first cappuccino machine and gave the city its first taste of real cafe society. Glasgow needed to change and Gandolfi arrived at the right time. The admired furniture maker Tim Stead, a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, was asked to make the sinewy, sculpture-like yet comfortable tables and chairs. With a patina acquired through constant use, the furniture is even more beautiful now than it was 30 years ago. Glass painter John Clark later installed "A flock of fishes",...