The Merchant City is right on my door step, and for better and for worse, for me it’s been defined primarily by the street market and overcrowded streets. While I appreciate fancy pancakes and several kinds of cheeses as much as the next girl, it was hard to get really excited about something I could just about manage from a really good shopping week at Aldi. The Heverlee at the Tontine was exactly what I needed to get me excited about events on my doorstep once more.
The Merchant City was abuzz with energy with last years Commonwealth games, and for many, the highlight was The Fish Plaice’s pop up restaurant. It’s not something we see much of in the Merchant City but for a short blast of time there is just this really unbelievable high quality food with the demand all the higher due to the time frame. Heverlee at the Tontine plays on this model, taking over a former bus station down Tontine lane for their 2 week bar and restaurant. Set under the Turner award winning Empire sign, it really feels like a hidden gem, with the unassuming lane tucked away in-between a cupcake shop and a greasy spoon.
To celebrate National Belgium Day, Betty and I popped down for a 6 course tasting menu paired with 6 different beers. Designed to offer a taste of Belgium in the heart of Glasgow we ate our way through steak tartar and radish snow to the more traditional Belgian waffles. It was a change from Heverlee at the Tontine’s main menu which includes classic dishes like moulles frittes and lobster macaroni, all set within an intimate industrial setting. With 4 different Heverlee Beers to try from including their limited edition Witte wheat beer for the Summer, the pop up bar is sure to be abuzz during the festival. With a no reservations policy it’s definitely a luck of the draw for getting a table here, but rest assured, will definitely be worth the wait.
Jeans & Polo – Topshop
Boots – Miista
Hood – Chouchou
Jacket – Vintage
With street art from the likes of Little Book Transfers and projections of Tin Tin on the brick walls, Heverlee at the Tontine us the perfect mix between Glasgow and Belgium. While the venue does offer blankets when it’s chillier, be sure to pack a jacket if you can’t manage to get a seat inside. Dogs are welcome and beers can also be served in tasting glasses if you can’t manage a full pint. All in all, sounds pretty perfect right?
Heverlee at the Tontine is there from the 17th of July to 2nd of August.