Submit Response is a weblog by Jack Mottram, a The Trees Restaurant
The Trees Restaurant might well be the best place in Glasgow. Not the best restaurant, mind, the best place. I go there quite often, always on my own. It’s hidden away somewhere in the city centre, accessible via an anonymous doorway on the street, which leads to three flights of steep stairs. It’s only when you get to the top that you see the sign for the restaurant. During the day, the menu offers one thing: a cooked breakfast. For ã1, you can get sausage, egg and a potato scone. And a cup of tea thrown in, if the waitress likes the cut of your jib. All the other customers are pensioners and the waitresses know them all by name. I look forward to the day, sometime in 2030 I suppose, when the waitresses will call me Mr. Mottram. At the moment they all just call me ‘son.’
Anyway, when I first happened upon the Trees Restaurant, in 1997 or thereabouts, there was an old lady sitting sternly at the till by the door, next to a black-framed photograph of her late husband. She never said anything except the price owed by a departing customer, but I rather got the impression that she was a kind old lady, if a little intimidating.
When I went in this morning, the old lady and her photograph were gone, but her daughter was manning the till.
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Sounds interesting enough. Where can we find this restaurant in the city centre?
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It’s on Union Street. I was vaguely attempting to keep it a mystery, but then noticed that the address is on the sign reproduced above.
If I walk in there the next time to see a load of young folk tapping away at their Powerbooks, I shall be forced to kill myself.
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Union street? It must be pretty well camouflaged. I’m on Union Street daily and I’ve never seen it. Must pop in soon.
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my cousin Vicky managed Trees for years , until recently in fact ..i worked there for a while in 94/95 n never have i seen acrew so fussy about the food , service n standards .. i used to watch the boss then Sergio , check every bit of fish for bones , so it well earns it’s rep …it’s agood wee place for those in the know …so enjoy xx
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I passed today &remembered i used to get dragged along with my ma, back in the fifties, Q. when did this fab wee place first open?
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Do they still do a breakfast for ã1 and how did the restaurant get its name, the trees,
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I remember my gran taking me there when I was just a wee “Yankee” spending the summer with her in Scotland, back in 1973. We spent the day together, taking a city bus tour, going out to the Green and Kelvingrove, then finally back to Union Street to get the train to Hamilton, then by bus to High Blantyre. But first, we had oor tea at The Trees.
Gran worked as a matron at the Central Hotel for many, many years, and sometimes she and the lassies frae the Central would have their tea at The Trees. She though it was special to bring me there.
The meal was “Braised Beef” with mash and peas. I still remember that afternoon well. Thanks for reminding me.
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I have known about this little gem for years. My gran takes me. My grans mother went as well. Good old fashioned food. Mmmm.
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Go to the third floor on that building.
For a family restaurant it makes me sick to think that there’s a brothel above it.We told the police….
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i would like to think that the best restaurants would serve very delicious and healthy foods -.’
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Tommorow (everything going to plan) the trees should have a new owner. My first memory of Trees is sitting in a high chair beside my Grandfather in the 1970s. It was a busy place with no less than three waitresses at any one time. I remember the then proprietor (Angelo) who would sit at the cash desk and sometimes we bought home made tablet. I would never have thought all those years ago that I would one day run this renowned Glasgow landmark. Most of the clientele are regulars nowadays and i have even seen a few “old regulars” who emigrated and have come home to visit. I have found some interesting photos of former staff and there are also menus from the 40’s and 70’s when 65 pence would buy you a three course lunch.
nobody panic, it won’t become an internet cafe or coffee shop! But my wife and I intend to make gradual improvements as we want another generation to remember either lunch, high tea or afternoon tea at the trees. We look forward to welcoming customers old and new at the Trees. -
When I was growing up in the 70’s we would go to Glasgow once a month and the thing I remember most was our visits to The Trees, I have very fond memories of my times there.
My Gran used to go there when she was a girl and in turn My Aunt and then me, I now live in England but return home every year with my son and the first thing we do when we get to Glasgow is to visit The Trees, I so glad it’s still there It’s a link to the past I would be very sad to loose…..hopefully my son will be able to take his kids there in the years to come.
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