The Last Bookstore, a new book-themed bar and eatery concept, is set to take-over Fat Lobster on Hope Street at the end of the month. The bar, from the team behind bars Devil of Brooklyn and Tabac, will feature a cocktail menu inspired by famous authors, including Jack Kerouac, Dorothy Parker, and Ernest Hemingway and the walls will be lined with 8,000 books, including a literary archway crafted from 1,300 volumes.
“This is a new chapter in Glasgow’s dining scene,” said executive chef Stevie Holt, who is responsible for the menu and who says that his experience working abroad in Europe heavily influenced the menu’s design. “I left Glasgow at 19 and worked in Switzerland and Italy before settling down in Ibiza when I was 22. That’s definitely shaped my cooking, and this menu in particular.
“The Last Bookstore offers Mediterranean small plates, providing lots of variety. Each dish has European or Spanish origins, with a modern twist.
“One of my favourite dishes is the Popeye braised mince. It’s inspired by a dish I tried in Ibiza – I went back there just for this dish, so I thought, why not do my own version for Glasgow?”
The cocktail menu, designed for book lovers by a former English teacher, features drinks inspired by authors known for their connection to alcohol.
Head bartender Mick Quinn said, “We really wanted to create an atmosphere of having a dog lying on your toes while you drink something strong with this concept.
“The Last Bookstore is the perfect situation for me – I studied to be an English teacher before I became a bartender, so I’m a happy camper! I’ve used that knowledge when designing the cocktail menu; each cocktail is inspired by an author and a line or connection they’ve written about alcohol.
“We wanted to pair each drink with famous works from those authors. If the drink inspires you, you can go ahead and purchase some reading material to go with it.”
