Our Glasgow reviewer Mark Murphy visits new bar, 31.
The top floor of Banco di Roma Italian restaurant has rebranded as a cocktail bar named 31 after its number of signature cocktails.
Most are gin based, but the classics are available too, with prices from £10-16. It was a warm Thursday when we visited and sadly there wasn’t much ventilation, or atmosphere.
The bar looks on to the restaurant and kitchen below, and the aroma of cooking oil drifted upwards. To tackle the heat we needed something refreshing, a Hugo Martini (gin, St-Germain, lemon and egg white), which was deliciously refreshing. Also ordered was the Scorsa (Italian for ‘quick look’, comprising gin, maraschino, Green Chartreuse, lime).
It was overpowered by the Chartreuse so tasted overwhelmingly boozy. There are enough quirks (eg Biscotti Spritz) to tempt you back but, despite describing itself as Glasgow’s Most Glamorous Cocktail Lounge, you can’t escape the fact that you’re in an Italian restaurant.
SCORE: 5/10
» 31 Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow G1 3AJ