Caffe Royale is an underrated gem of a restaurant located just outside of Glasgow in Paisley, Scotland. I recently visited with a small group and enjoyed an incredible Italian meal that highlights why Caffe Royale has been shortlisted for the Scottish Italian Awards for Best Trattoria and Best Chef (Colin Guthrie).
The atmosphere at Caffe Royale is warm, inviting and intimate - perfect for a special night out. We were greeted by friendly staff who were attentive without being overbearing throughout our meal. Claire was an absolute delight and she and the rest of the staff seen to all that was asked, and more.
We began with Caffe Royale's freshly baked rosemary focaccia. It was delightfully chewy and flavorful, the perfect accompaniment for the meals to come.
We had seafood pasta, overflowing with prawns, mussels and calamari in a light tomato sauce. The seafood was incredibly fresh and cooked to perfection.
I had the carbonara, which was rich and flavourful but with a thoughtful twist - no heavy cream, which allowed the pancetta and egg to shine. Amazing.
The rabbit stew featured fork-tender meat in an herbaceous broth with root vegetables.
The Scallops and Ayrshire pork belly was the stand out for me. Melt-in-your-mouth delicious and balanced by the mildly spicy butternut squash curry velouté.
The beer and wine selection was great, I even opted for an amazing espresso martini. At the end of the night we finished with some whisky (Balvenie), which is always a treat.
Everything we tried at Caffe Royale was thoughtfully prepared and expertly executed. Chef Colin has a strong command of Italian flavors and ingredients that shine through in each dish. The cozy atmosphere paired with delicious food makes Caffe Royale a must-visit for outstanding Italian cuisine in Scotland. I can't wait to return and try more on the menu and highly recommend you do too.
We called in with the Portree Gaelic choir (my husband is a member) for lunch, whilst taking part in the Royal National MOD. What an amazing cafe, wish I lived nearer.
The staff were so helpful, the food was delicious, we had a selection of sandwiches and soup. A lot of us sampled the delicious cakes too. I would love to revisit sometime to try the rest of the menu. The choir even did a practice whilst there.
I was in a couple of weeks ago , with my friend and guide dog Wee Skye
There was only outside seating available which was fine as seemed quite warm inside but got a table with shade for Wee Skye.
Very happy to have been asked if Skye would like a bowl of water which we accepted for her.
I had the mac n cheese which was really nice. Was lovely and creamy and quite rich. Garlic bread was nice too. A little side salad would have been nice too to help break up the rich creaminess of the mac cheese. It was a lovely smooth cheese and not too strong which I liked too
My friend had the French toast with Nutella , she said it was nice but would have liked extra Nutella with it.
Overall was very good, I need to try the carbonara ( without cream ) next 😊
Brilliant food.
Exceptional Staff.
Great wines.
Very good value for money.
Always a fantastic experience in this place. Authentic Italian food in great surroundings.
Fabulous food, Great Atmosphere and made to feel very welcome. Staff were very attentive and knowledgeable about the food. We will come back again when are through from Dundee. Truly recommend this place.
Brought three friends for lunch today - one was having a birthday.
The food we had was lovely. We were absolutely spoilt for choice with each of us seeing items we would like to try “ next time “. However, the occasion was made perfect by the lovely friendly service from a very smiley cheerful young waitress and her colleagues. This included serving our birthday cake for us 💜💜💜- can’t thank you enough- we’ll be back for sure !!
Arrived around 1pm for lunch and there were no tables showing the popularity. We were able to sit at the bar table. Told that it was busy and it might be a wait for food but they would be as quick as they could. Can have no issues with up front communication.
Service friendly, helpful and attentive. Food was all great. Went for the halloumi sandwich and everything about it was good. Filling with the hand cut chips. Will be back to try some of the other dishes. I am not huge into desserts but they did look great too.
Highly recommend, we had a delicious meal my husband had the fish stew which he really enjoyed full of fish and prawns I had my favourite sphagetti carbonara, all was fresh and homemade.
Staff were lovely and attentive and were helpful with recommendations.
Will definitely be back
Championing the small businesses @caffe_royale_paisley is a fantastic example of a great small business, delivering high quality ingredients for fresh tasty meal.
We used to come here years ago for brunch as I lived in Paisley but kept meaning to come back for dinner as I always sat looking at the specials board those many times we visit salivating at the thought of the dishes.
I was meant to meet a friend, who cancelled but I still wanted to come so the hubby obviously got brought a long.
I love the decor and feel in here as an old converted bank to a charming cosy restaurant it just has the right vibes.
The food was incredible 😋
For starters we had
the special of calabrese crispy chicken thigh - calabrian njuda and pepperoni sauce.
Uovo cotte con prosciutto- poached egg with roasted peppers, peas, chilli, napoli and garlic bread
Both dishes seasoned well and very tasty.
For mains we couldn't decide so we picked two dishes that we both really wanted and then we split, so we had
The special of octopus, pork belly, cauliflower and a hazelnut puree. The pork belly cooked to perfection, juicy with a nice crisp bit of skin, octopus had a lovely char to it 😋
And Gnocchi con salsiccia- potatoes dumpling with Italian sausage, peas, caramelised red onion, chilli napoli and mozzarella.
When I tell you this is one of the best gnocchi dishes I have ever tasted, I wish I had that whole dish to myself but in saying that the special we just as delicious.
We had no room for dessert but took home some tiramisu and cannoli.
This is an absolute gem in paisley, one thing Paisley does do well is small independents but this place is well under the radar, its food is spectacular and cooked fresh to order. Staff are so welcoming, accommodating and attentive. Was lovely to speak to the staff and have a wee chit chat even though the restaurant was busy. This place has it spot on
My partner and I love this restaurant. We eat there very regularly and it is somewhere we are always made to feel welcome and it has a lovely atmosphere. The food is excellent quality and they really take great pride in preparing dishes to a high standard every time. It’s a great place for various occasions, a special celebration, a meal with the family or just a coffee and a cake. We always receive great service each time we visit. The staff are all extremely friendly and polite and nothing is too much bother. There are also outside tables which is handy.I definitely recommend visiting.
Heather
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