The Willow Tea Rooms

Would highly recommend. Very reasonable and able to accommodate our food intolerances. Two had the GLUTENFREE afternoon tea and I had a mix between the vegetarian and vegan afternoon tea as I’m dairy free. We shall definitely be back soon!

Rundown, shabby, poor service, overpriced average food — pretty sure that’s not authentic. Avoid.

We had a late breakfast here during the week. I don’t write in all caps often, but…
**SCOTTISH RAREBIT**
Your arteries may constrict a bit when reading that, but order it anyway. It’s amazing… a rich, velvety, sharp cheese sauce atop beautifully grilled bread… under the broiler, I think. In rainy Glasgow, it’s a perfect way to start the day. They have a nice tea selection, and a very tempting pastry display. The scones are also quite good here, served with clotted cream and jam. But that rarebit was one of the best meals I had on my trip to Scotland.

Very lovely as a tea room for Macintosh fanatics, but as a tea room itself it isn’t too impressive.
The sandwiches were your basic cucumber, egg salad, smoked salmon, and sliced beef. The scones were probably the best part because of the browned, caramel-​y sultanas. All the pastries had too much clotted cream. I was very excited to dig into one of the pastries that look like a hill of custard, but I was soon disappointed because it was filled with EVEN MORE CLOTTED CREAM!
I would opt out next time and go to a tea house with more variety in their high tea.

Yup, we’re tourists, but we are tourists who live in a tourist town. So this was fine. The tea experience was nice, the sandwich was GREAT (I was fearing ‘finger food’, but the club was more than I could eat. Plan it out and get a ‘higher’ room. We ate at the lower room because we didn’t know better. Good food and tea.

My boyfriend and I made plans to check out The Willow Tea Rooms, after a string of recent outings that involved Rennie Macintosh. He was also keep on getting a Rennie Macintosh frame from their gift shop, so mid week, we booked for a Saturday and away we went.
We arrived earlier than our reservation to browse the gift shop, fully intending on purchasing at least a frame for a rather important picture my boyfriend has. To our dismay though, they didn’t have any to purchase. I wouldn’t say that set the mood to be a bit of a downer, but we were a bit sad that they didn’t have what we were looking for.
Nonetheless, we walked upstairs to the dining lounge and announced our arrival and we were directed to a second dining area through to the front side of the building. Once we made our way through a packed house, we entered a room that was rather odd looking. Small, and packed full with about 10 – 12 tables, all with Rennie Macintosh style chairs, high backs and wonderful. This made for a weird view upon entering, as everyone who was already seated had their coats hanging atop these tall chairs and we could not see a single actual face. We sat down at our table and entered our own little private world. (At least that’s how these chairs made us feel).
We went in having no idea what we were going to eat, although we had looked at the menu at home before– there is so much on the menu to choose from, one can imagine needing a few extra minutes to review the menu. In the end, we thought it be best if we went for the afternoon tea option. As per usual afternoon teas, it came with a selection of sandwiches, a plain and a fruit scone with cream and jam, shortbread, and a choice of cakes each, plus two teas or coffees. My boyfriend went with a strawberry tart and I went with a toffee apple pie.
At first glance, we thought we might need to order a bit more food, but by the time we finished the cakes, we were quite stuffed and satisfied. The waitress who served us was really friendly and chatty, which made for an even lovelier experience.
Once we paid, we made our way to the wee museum just up one flight of stairs from the café. There, we read more about the building and the furniture held in it. Loads of interesting stuff I’m certain we’ll bring my family here when they’re in town– it’s a sure treat for anyone!

Apparently Charles Rennie Macintosh designed the interior at the Willow Tea Rooms. It is a very cute, quaint shop on Sauchiehall Street. I really wanted to have tea here but my friends wanted to wander around Glasgow. We ended up having a look around and checked out some of the wares. There is a small shop downstairs and a tea room café upstairs. They serve breakfast, lunch and tea. It’s a really nice place but I didn’t get to enjoy much time here.

Very cool place to have my first lunch in Scotland. Eating in a place of art is as much of a treat as my tasty vanilla tea.
The server was quick and friendly, and we all enjoyed our lunch. There were lots of local dishes, and it was a good introduction to traditional foods… and actually the only Scottish food we ate in Glasgow because Indian food. That’s why.
They have a gift shop on the ground floor with a nice array of Mackintosh inspired pretty things.

Charles Rennie Macintosh designed the interior here and they serve Scottish breakfast all day on a Sunday. It’s a small café with a gallery style centre overlooking the shop below. They serve breakfast, lunch and snacks as well as afternoon tea. Breakfast deal was a full Scottish and a pot of tea for £6.95. My friend went for the giant bagel with Scottish smoked salmon and scrambled eggs which looked lovely and fresh.
Cute café upstairs from a small shop selling jewellery and Rennie Macintosh inspired crafts. They have a fabulous room on the third floor called the room de luxe which has all mirrors on the wall and stained glass designed by the man himself. Would be lovely to have afternoon tea here watching the world go by out of the fab windows.
Nice gifts in the shop. There are 2 cafes in Glasgow both Rennie Macintosh designed worth a visit

With a friend for afternoon tea won’t rush back.
You have to go through a small gift shop then upstairs to the café initial thought was cute but slightly unloved feeling. The tea room/​café was quite busy and had to wait briefly for a table again feels a little shabby and cramped. The menu is pretty big and reasonably priced, I’d already decided before sitting down I was having afternoon tea as I’m a glutton :). Tea list was brilliant I ordered the Keemun which was light and refreshing. However was disappointed with the quality of the food. Finger sandwiches were pretty standard but that’s ok, gone a little heavy on the cheap margarine on the smoked salmon one which wasn’t good. Scones were super fresh and very tasty. You had to pick your choice of cake from the glass cabinet. I chose cheesecake, maybe a bad choice as its was pretty heavy but all the cakes were huge portions.
Cute tearoom would feel more special if there was just a little more thought put into the food.

As someone who isn’t a great lover of fish, this place just whiffs too much of salmon for my liking. I was sitting on the first floor, the area that is a tacky Rennie MacKintosh gift shop come tearoom.
There was barely room to swing a cat let alone move your arms to eat. I had an afternoon tea that came with a few small sandwiches, a strawberry tart, a scone and a pot of tea. The sandwches were disappointing and not particularly filling. The tea did not stay particularly warm for long either.
What just about saved this afternoon tea for me was the gorgepus scone with jam and clotted cream. I don’t often eat scones but this was the best scone I’ve ever had in my life. The strawberry tart was also absolutely amazing.
The Willow Tea Rooms have fantastic cakes. They do. I would eat all the cakes every day.
Their sandwiches really let them down, however. I could make a better sandwich myself. What would get The Willow Tea Rooms more stars on Unilocal is if they had better sandwiches or allowed customers to choose their own sandwiches because I personally hate: salmon, cucumber and egg.
And their staff weren’t all that pleasant either. For my first experience of afternoon tea, I was rather disappointed.

The ONLY thing this tearoom has going for it is the architecture and décor. While that is reason enough to visit, the food is incredibly disappointing. The only truly positive thing about my lunch there was the rose-​infused tea I had, which was lovely. I also ordered a cheese and pickle sandwich which was mediocre to say the least. The cheese was the shredded kind from the grocery store, so it was coated in some kind of anti-​caking agent. Also, there was no salad on the sandwich, JUST cheese and pickle. I could have gotten a more satisfying cheese and pickle sandwich down the street at Pret! I also had a scone with cream and jam, which was just okay. Not worth the calories.
I am glad I visited because the space is beautiful. If you do go, make sure you make a reservation; you will be seated in the room overlooking Sauchiehall, which is gorgeous.

The Willow Tea Rooms, is a small establishment located above a jewelry shop. Go through the store, and up the stairs, dont stop in the first tearoom but go to the right and up the next flight of stairs to «The Room DeLuxe», much more space, and worth all the stairs.
There is an extensive selection of teas, but the food selection is basic, just snacks.
Worth a visit if you enjoy Charles Rene Mackintosh.

Die Einrichtung der Tearooms wurde vom schottischen Architekten Charles
Rennie Mackintosh (
) geschaffen. Es ist eines seiner Werke, die bis heute zumindest
in Teilen erhalten geblieben sind. Dieser Tearoom ist in jedem Reiseführer
aufgelistet. Ich ahnte schon, dass es voll sein könnte. Trotzdem wollte ich mir
den Ort gern einmal ansehen.
Photo link:
Heutzutage sind die Tearooms auf das 1. OG beschränkt. Im Erdgeschoss
befindet sich ein Juweliergeschäft. Wir liefen durch das Geschäft zur Treppe,
die hinauf in die Tearooms führte. Mein Begleiter peilte die Lage. Klar, um die
Mittagszeit waren alle Tische besetzt. Kurz darauf standen zwei Damen auf und
gingen. Der Tisch wurde umgehend von uns belegt. Wie wir feststellten, waren
nicht nur Touristen anwesend, sondern auch Schotten, die auf der Einkaufstour
einen Zwischenstopp einlegten. Wir studierten die Speisekarte und warteten auf die Bedienung. Wir
warteten und warteten Schließlich wurde unsere Bestellung doch noch
aufgenommen. Das zog sich durch den ganzen Besuch: es waren mehrere Bedienungen
anwesend, sie waren auch freundlich wenn sie denn mal kamen. Um diese Tageszeit wollten wir etwas Herzhaftes essen. Ich entschied
mich für den Lunch, bestehend aus einer Spargelcremesuppe und Sandwich-​Ecken. Mein
Begleiter nahm ein gut belegtes Sandwich mit Salatbeilage. Beides schmeckte
lecker. Dazu bestellten wir Kaffee, der ordentlich war. Die Preise bewegen sich
an solch einem Ort im leicht gehobenen Bereich. Eigentlich wollten wir hinterher noch den leckeren Kuchen oder ein
Scone probieren. Da die Bedienungen sich wieder mal nicht blicken ließen,
beschlossen wir, den Kuchen woanders zu essen. Die Tearooms sind sehenswert. Wer nur mal schauen möchte, kann sich
umsehen und wieder gehen. Noch einmal würden wir hier nicht einkehren. Es hat
einfach zu lange gedauert, bis wir bedient wurden, und auch das Essen ließ auf
sich warten. Es gibt eine Filiale in der Buchanan Street. Vielleicht ist man dort
besser organisiert. Fazit: kann man machen, muss man aber nicht.

How lovely are the Willow Tea Rooms? They look so quaint (and a little cramped be warned if you have baggage) and exactly the type of place you want to go to ‘take afternoon tea’. They do a wonderful range of cakes, and a well match range of proper, loose-​leaf teas. I’ve tried their Earl Grey & house blends and both are among the best teas I’ve had.
Don’t fancy tea & cake? Well try one of the breakfast/​brunch options. My hubby had the scrambled eggs and I was jealous just looking at them they looked the colour and consistency of perfect eggs no microwaved plasticky eggs here. If you’re looking for something traditionally Scottish, they offer salmon, or the more interesting Arbroath Smokie (yum yum).

I think it says a lot that of the three sets of friends that have visited me so far in Glasgow, I have taken not one to the Willow Tea Rooms. There are other ways to expose visitors to the charms of Glasgow’s favorite architect & designer. I’d have to agree with the poster below who noted that the glutinous levels of primer and slightly battered furniture took away from the whimsical grace of Mackintosh’s designs. I also agree that the shredded cheese on the sandwiches was an abomination. And finally I agree that the uniforms the waitresses wear are a bit stuffy and silly, and must be the reason they are all a bit crabby.
So, meh. There are better ways both to appreciate some Rennie Mackintosh or to have a quaint afternoon tea.

I enjoyed our little visit to the Willow Tea Rooms while in Glasgow a few years back. We went mainly to see the Mackintosh craftsmanship, but enjoyed the setting and the tea. Definitely a tad touristy (As Suchiehall St. tends to be), but enjoyed it anyhow!

We went to Willow Tea Rooms for two reasons: to see the handiwork of Charles Rennie Mackintosh with our own eyes, and to enjoy high tea during our holiday. We were confused to enter the establishment and see a jewelry store before the tea rooms, but this isn’t as unusual as one would think when visiting other tourist locales with similar offerings (Mackintosh notwithstanding).
I wish the interior space was treated with a gentler hand in terms of upkeep: somehow I doubt Mr. Mackintosh would have instructed people to paint as many coats of primer as possible on the wood. The chairs could stand a bit of restoration love, but I suppose that’s the price of tourist attractions over time.
High tea wasn’t stellar as cake selections were down to whatever was left. Also, a cheese & tomato sandwich made with shredded cheese is just wrong. I mean really, did I order a sandwich or uncooked nachos?
I felt sympathetic toward a young woman dressed like in a maid’s costume who was left to tend the tea room floor. I don’t think the experience would at all dwindle if she was allowed to wear something more clean and minimal – in keeping with the interior.
The retail experience was dreadful. Cupcake teapots. Need I say more? Why not just sell Mr. Mackintosh as a bobblehead?

Willow Tea Rooms boast the famous Mackintosh interior design… kind of reminded me of a Frank Lloyd Wright
Sat beside the fireplace so we could lookout on the whole restaurant & take in the décor — it was nice
Mom chose the Chicken Salad w/​Avocado — no dressing but even w/​oil & vinegar it was flavorful.
Haggis w/​turnip carrot & potato. Dad likened it to Shepherds Pie & he loved it.
Veggie High Tea for me. Sandwiches included Cheese /​Cole Slaw; Cheese /​Tomato; Cucumber; Egg Salad. Nothing really stood out & there sure was an abundance of cheese sandwiches but I like cheese, so wasn’t a big deal
Scone was pretty bad — cold & dry w/​whipped cream-​butter hybrid. I had loaded my scone w/​the stuff before realising it wasn’t clotted cream. Boo!
Toffee Apple Tart was chosen as the «tea dessert» — omg yummy. Caramelly & appley & the crust was nice & flaky.
Mom & Dad had the Strawberries & Cream for dessert — were expecting heavy cream poured on top but instead it was the same whipped cream-​butter hybrid I was served w/​my scone. On the good side, they said those were some of the best strawberries they’ve ever had.
Waddled out! Staff very attentive even when the place got super packed. Pretty darn hot up there & fans going fullblast
Overall, this wasn’t the best tea we’ve ever had but it was a strong A-​OK

As others have mentioned, the main reason to eat here is to see the original Mackintosh-​designed tea room. We went on a Friday in October and did not have to wait in line and the service was fast and friendly.
The variety of teas was nice. All four of us enjoyed our entrees. We had the Scottish rarebit, St. Andrew platter (smoked salmon, smoked trout, prawn salad), Haggis, and the Arbroath smokie.
I wish that we had continued up another flight of stairs to the Deluxe Tea Room which was much nicer and virtually empty. Also, don’t be turned off by the tacky jewelry store on the first floor.

Have had a very pleasant afternoon tea there. Great assortment of cakes and sandwiches. Was fairly impressed by getting the afternoon tea choice of cakes and sandwiches on a 3-​stage tablet. Fine!

We absolutely loved this place. Reading the other reviews, I think much of your experience will vary, depending on where you sit in the restaurant — -since both the tea and food is excellent. (Just take a look at my uploaded picture and it will give you an idea of what is in store for you.) The detail in MackIntosh design also lends itself to the charm of this place.
If possible try to get a table near the window looking down on to the street below. Not only does it give you the opportunity to people watch below, but it allows you to be out of the way of the servers buzzing about the restaurant. I will agree that service does need a little help, but overall a great experience.

Il existe deux Willow Tea rooms à Glasgow. elles sont toutes deux le fruit de l’architecte Mackintosh. il a conçu autant l’extérieur que l’intérieur, jusqu’aux petites cuillères et ceci en 1904. sauf que ce né sont pas des pièces de musée mais bel et bien de vrais salons de thé ou vous pouvez manger un morceau (Sandwichs, salades, plats écossais) ou prendre un verre dans ces lieux qui sont identiques à l’époque. C’est un peu cher et chic. Le chocolat chaud est excellent.
Les deux Willow tea rooms n’ont pas la même architecture et cela peut valoir la peine de visiter les deux.
Horaires d’ouverture (valables pour les deux salons de thé) Du lundi au samedi: 9h00−17h00 Dimanche: 11h00−16h15
Accès
Willow Tea Room, SauchieHall Street: 5mn de marche à pied à partir de l’arrêt de métro Cowcaddens, 10mn de marche à pied à partir de la gare Charing Cross.
Willow Tea Room, Buchanan Street: A mi chemin entre la gare centrale de Glasgow et la gare de Queen Street