Key Points
- Matteo’s, a new sandwich shop and deli, has opened on High Street in Glasgow city centre.
- The venue is next to Through The House coffee shop and occupies a former tattoo parlour.
- The menu includes loaded “Major League” subs, cold cuts, vegetarian and vegan options, breakfast rolls, coffee and sweet baked goods.
- Featured dishes include the Thai-inspired Grapow sub, the Turkey Club with all the trimmings and the Stone Cold Cuts sandwich.
- Matteo’s is open from 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday and from 10am to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
- The team has hinted at possible future additions including chicken wings, ribs and alcoholic drinks such as beer.
Glasgow’s (Glasgow Express) August 24, 2026- High Street has officially welcomed a vibrant addition to its culinary landscape following the launch of Matteo’s, an ambitious deli and sub shop operating in the heart of the uk/local/city-centre/">city centre. As reported by Sean Murphy, What’s On Editor at Glasgow Live, the new food destination has officially opened its doors to the public, occupying a site directly adjacent to the popular Through The House coffee shop. The venue, which formerly housed a tattoo studio, has undergone a complete interior transformation over recent weeks, with the operators teasing step-by-step progress to social media followers prior to the unveiling.
What is Matteo’s bringing to Glasgow’s High Street culinary scene?
As reported by Sean Murphy of Glasgow Live, Matteo’s operates as a dual-purpose sandwich shop and traditional deli catering to both sit-in diners and takeaway customers.
The establishment’s culinary lineup is headlined by its substantial “Major League” sub offerings, alongside stacked cold cut choices. Specific items featured on the opening launch menu include the Thai-inspired Grapow sub, a fully loaded Turkey Club, and a signature creation named the Stone Cold Cuts sub.
In addition to its primary sub sandwiches, the shop maintains options catering to vegetarian and vegan dietary preferences. Morning trade is served via a selection of hot breakfast rolls, supplemented by brewed coffees and various sweet treats throughout the trading day.
According to details confirmed on their official website, the opening hours run from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm from Monday through Friday, shifting to 10:00 am to 6:00 pm across Saturday and Sunday trading.
Looking past the initial opening schedule, management has hinted at expanding the menu concept further. As reported by Sean Murphy of Glasgow Live, the shop team has teased that items such as wings, ribs, and craft beers could be integrated into the venue’s selection as operations settle.
How does this launch fit into Glasgow’s expanding sandwich ecosystem?
As reported by Sean Murphy of Glasgow Live, the arrival of Matteo’s coincides with broader activity within the city’s independent food sector. Nearby, the team behind Smokey Trotters Kitchen has separately revealed plans for a sub-project situated at 237 London Road near The Barras.
Titled Sando Slut, the neighboring concept aims to offer loaded sandwiches, traditional Morton’s rolls, fresh salad bowls, soups, specialty lemonades, and ice cream products, reflecting an ongoing surge in specialized casual dining venues across Glasgow’s central and eastern districts.
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Background of the Glasgow city centre food sector development
The launch of Matteo’s on the High Street highlights a sustained movement toward independent food and beverage traders revitalizing urban storefronts in Glasgow.
Over recent years, High Street and the neighboring Merchant City zone have seen a structural pivot away from traditional retail outlets and service units, such as tattoo parlours, toward experiential food offerings. This shift relies heavily on localized footfall, driven by surrounding student housing developments, university campuses, and heritage tourism along the historic High Street corridor.
Additionally, the physical proximity of complementary traders—demonstrated by Matteo’s opening directly next door to Through The House—follows a growing urban trend where independent operators cluster together to create dedicated micro-destinations for lunch, coffee, and daytime dining.
Prediction: Impact on local businesses and city centre consumers
The opening of Matteo’s, alongside concurrent launches like Sando Slut on London Road, is set to directly affect local consumer trends and surrounding independent businesses:
- For City Centre Consumers and Office Workers: Residents, university students, and local employees gain an expanded set of quick-service dining options during daytime hours. The availability of diverse menu items, ranging from vegan choices to specialized cold cuts, increases mealtime choice within walking distance of key central hubs.
- For Nearby Hospitality Businesses: The arrival of a visually distinct deli with strong social media visibility is likely to drive higher footfall to the immediate High Street block. While neighboring food outlets may face increased competition for lunchtime spend, adjacent non-competing businesses, such as beverage-focused coffee shops, stand to benefit from joint footfall.
- For Commercial Property and High Street Regeneration: The successful conversion of a former tattoo parlor into a thriving food destination provides a working template for landlords dealing with vacant unit space. Continued success in these ventures may accelerate similar redevelopments along Glasgow’s historic thoroughfares, further establishing the area as an independent dining district.
