My favourite place in Glasgow for a cup of very special tea. Tucked away on a cobbled street in the West End, this wee gem is a haven from the chains of coffee shops in the city centre.

With so many teas from all over the world on offer, the menu is like a book. I confess to never having tried any of them apart from the Yogi Yogi chai – it’s so good I can’t bring myself to have anything else. Definitely the best chai I have ever tasted.

The atmosphere here is most definitely laid back. I like to stretch out on the cushions in the Zen Room at the back and listen to the chill-out music. For those who remember sunny summer days smoking shishas in the garden, alas, it is no longer (so they can’t sell shishas anymore). Nasty developers have seen to that, unfortunately.

It’s not unusual to hear conversations going on in three different languages here. Tchai Ovna attracts a very international clientèle.

They serve really good quality vegetarian and vegan meals and snacks and portions are on the large side. There are great home made cakes too.

Check out the events page on Tchai Ovna’s website for gig listings. There’s something on most evenings including jazz, folk, blues, sitar recitals and poetry readings.