by Nicola Walker
Bar & Tender Restaurant and Cocktail Bar is the newest addition to Glasgow’s Woodlands Road and the site has undergone a dramatic refurbishment.
The venue now looks bright, classy and opulent. Ryan told me, “With Park Circus just on our doorstep we wanted to create a look that was of a certain level. We have made all the design decisions ourselves with some recommendations from our great contractors of course. It’s now got a classy vibe, with great food and a really cool cocktail list.”
The exterior has a 1920s feel with large open windows, a forest green façade and bold gold and white signage. In a way it feels like you are entering an eatery of a bygone era. The interior has been beautifully crafted to create a smart but relaxed feel. The first thing that strikes you is the bar area.
There are spectacular long curved pieces of highly finished wood that come out from the ceiling at the back of the bar into the middle of the restaurant. At the rear they progress down the wall and join together to create shelfing on the back bar. These have a highly finished, almost driftwood like appearance. These are eye catching and are the focal point for a beautiful bar area. I was stunned to find out that these are not in fact wood but have been painted to look like this.
Ryan says, “We used a fabulous painter called Martyn McGinley. He has done all the painting affects you see including the wood on the bar and our pillars/bar top which now look like marble.” These touches are a stroke of genius and make use of some things that were already on the site but have transformed them into something completely different. It incredibly hard to believe that these elements are not wood and that the pillars and bar top are not actually lustrous light grey marble.
The bar and some of the walls are clad in glossy, dark green bricklike tiling to match the exterior and this tones in beautifully with the wood and light marble effects. There are also smart dark wood and green leather stools lining the bar.
The round booths are also a talking point. The rear of these curve all the way around the tables on a downward angle and are decorated with vertical thin wooden slats and black velvet upholstery. They are adorned with a mixed design of decadent green and gold cushions which offset beautifully against the black and wood.
The other chairs also compliment the design perfectly and are mix of wood/black leather and stunning curved chairs imprinted with a 1920’s style gold graphic.
They have also cleverly used large mirrors on the inside wall of the restaurant to really open up the space and create the appearance of even more ambient lighting.
As for lighting they have opted for large, low hanging black pendant lights that are softly lit and really do become part of the table you are dining at. In other areas the lights are hung at different lengths to compliment the mood and the candlelight from the tables. Small touches such as various candle holders and large leafy green plants are dotted around the other spaces and brings the whole look together to create a warm, intimate feel.
Ryan tells me, “We wanted to create a place that embodied being relaxed but still with a clean cut, professional look. I think the classy low lighting and the wood effects all contribute to this and create a place where lovers of food and beverage can come to relax, enjoy, be surprised and hopefully find something they haven’t seen before.”
Well Bar & Tender is certainly that. The place is beautiful, highly finished and the food looks amazing. I certainly cannot wait to try it out.