Scone Spy: Glasgow's Coia's Cafe is an old classic

It seems there are more than 20,000 places to sip and nibble across the UK.

Maybe it’s the case that as pubs shut, cafes boom.

There’s always a new kid on the block – which is like winning the lottery for Scone Spy.

Well, actually, let’s not get carried away. A lottery win would be nicer. A lot nicer.

Still, it’s lovely to have a never-ending choice of new places.

Today, though, we’ve decided to check out an old kid on the block. In fact, when this kid first opened for business you could get there by tram.

Flappers were all the rage, the First World War was only a decade past and thoughts of a smoking ban or teetotal drink drive limits would have had you laughed out of town.

That’s to say, Coia’s has been dishing up nosh in Dennistoun since 1928.

It was one of the original Glasgow Italian cafes and the fact that it’s still around means it has, naturally, moved with the times.

We can only imagine the original fag-puffing locals in the city’s East End scratching their flat caps at the wording on the windows saying you can now book online.

With 90 years’ experience you’d think service would be second nature but, frankly, it doesn’t start well.

We’ve entered what looks like it may be the café, rather than the restaurant, however it’s actually the delicatessen.

We’re told, pretty robustly by the lady behind the counter, we need to go back out to the street and along to the main entrance if we want to sit in.

Thankfully, things take a turn for the better in the restaurant and café where we’re greeted perfectly pleasantly and ushered to a table.

There’s a combination of booths, both window and wall, and tables.

The décor is now very smart indeed and again we can only imagine what the original punters would have made of the glass cabinets filled with Moët & Chandon champagne.

It’s lunchtime so the place is buzzing with families and couples heartily tucking into really big hearty-looking plates of pasta dishes and late breakfasts.

We can see now how the place has not just thrived but survived.

Being an old Italian cafe we have to try their ice cream which comes in traditional metal bowls. Very nice it is, too.

The coffee’s a creamy cracker but service takes a dip again with it taking three reminders to get the accompanying soft drink.

There’s no faulting the scone, though, so good we order another.

Warmed through, they are solid but not dense, fruit-packed and served with loads of jam and butter. Gorgeous.

Lots of things have changed since Coia’s opened but a cuppa and some nice baking is, happily, not one of them.

Coia’s Cafe, 477 Duke Street, Glasgow

WARM WELCOME 7/10 LOCATION, LOCATION 8/10 SCONE SCORE 10/10

The Court House in Kinross has a sumptuous and varied menu