Sylvan — Restaurant in Scotland

Currently my favourite restaurant in Glasgow having been several times now. The food, drinks and vibes are just perfect.

I’m a veg forward omnivore so I adore restaurants like this that have veggie menus where everything is seasoned perfectly, has impeccable flavours and interesting combinations amongst some more classic flavour profiles done very well. You don’t even notice that meat is missing, and they don’t overly market themselves in this way which makes it a great place to appeal to all diets in your party. It is vegan and veggie made indulgent - the flavours speak for themselves.

Price wise it’s definitely more on the bougie side and every time I go the prices sadly seem to increase but in my opinion it can be worth it and a real treat for a birthday or other special celebration. If it was a little cheaper I would be here much more often.

My only tiny nag is that although the staff are lovely their timings can feel a bit rushed - in the past we have had to ask them to slow down and allow us to have a cocktail before ordering food. And on my last visit we did feel the staff hovering over us at the end of our meal to collect our plates/get us to pay at the end of our slot which can be a bit offputting, despite them ironically being hard to get the attention of earlier in the evening. But this isn’t a major issue as they may have just been trying to be attentive.

Extra brownie points for gender...

This was good but not excellent. It had the potential to be excellent but was let down by a few things:

Firstly the service was glacially slow. The staff were attentive and professional but it took over one hour to receive our food - which is too long given the relatively small menu and the fact that much of the food is served cold. This is no reflection on the individual staff.

Secondly the menu is not as adventurous as it thinks it is - and at 8:30 three of the hot main courses were already sold out. Combing these two points meant we had to order everything that was left on the menu and although there are definitely moments of brilliance (peanut salad, tofu, were both excellent) some of the food is just “good” (roast tomatoes, broccoli).

As this is small plates the biggest negative was the fact that the dishes do not all work together as a single dining experience- eg we’re eating, rice, fried bread, stilton, and broccoli in soy sauce … hmm

Other small plate vegan restaurants I have been to have a more cohesive menu - where the dishes are not just good in their own right but work together - after all you will be eating them together.

Would like to see Sylvan consider how each dish can complement the others..

Wine list is excellent Decor and ambience is excellent.

Overall - nearly but not...

We had dinner at Sylvan on a Monday night in late June, and it was an absolute hit. Our group of six included a few Glasgow regulars, a London-based friend who goes to Sylvan every time he’s in town, and three out-of-towners — and everyone left raving.

Sylvan is ideal for a bigger party since the menu is all share plates. And honestly, you’ll want to try just about everything. The smoked tomatoes were the universal favorite, but I personally loved the polenta with mushrooms. Others couldn’t stop talking about the fried goat cheese. Even the peas surprised us in the best way … complex, fresh, and layered. You don’t need to be vegetarian to leave happy; this is a place where thoughtful flavor trumps any need for meat.

The space is cozy, warm, and easygoing, with tables, high-tops, and a bar (though I’m not sure how often it’s staffed). We sat at a high-top and felt totally welcome. I actually messed up our reservation time, but they were incredibly accommodating. Perhaps helped by the fact it was a Monday, but still appreciated. The only real downside? It got a bit warm inside as the night went on, and I ended the meal slightly sweaty from all the good food and good wine. Still: five stars, without hesitation. If I were in Glasgow for a week, I’d...