The Ivy Asia is set to open its first Scottish restaurant in Glasgow on October 20, bringing Asian-inspired cuisine, striking interiors and a new dining experience to the city centre. Senior General Manager Olivia Wong tells Scottish News what customers can expect.
Glasgow’s restaurant scene has welcomed a new addition with the arrival of The Ivy Asia, which sits alongside The Ivy Glasgow Brasserie in the same city-centre building.
The restaurant features the brand’s signature green flooring, an extensive Asian-inspired menu and dishes designed for sharing.
The opening has also created 90 new jobs across front and back of house, with a team of around 150 staff now working across the two restaurants.
We spoke to Senior General Manager Olivia Wong about why Glasgow was chosen, the inspiration behind the restaurant’s design and what the opening means for the city.
Why was Glasgow chosen for the first Ivy Asia in Scotland?
Glasgow has always had such a great food scene. There’s an abundance of restaurants and bars on this street, and being part of this community in the city centre is perfect for us.
What makes The Ivy Asia stand out from other restaurants in the city?
Asia has the theatrics, great food and such a good vibe. We have the iconic green floors, so you know it’s an Ivy Asia when you walk through the doors. There’s nowhere else that looks like an Ivy Asia.
What can customers expect from the menu?
We have lots of iconic dishes on the menu, drawing inspiration from different parts of Asia.
We have our cream gochujang chicken, yellowtail sashimi, multiple sushi rolls and a hoisin duck pancake served on a gold duck, with smoke coming out.
If you’re not sure what to choose, we also have an experience menu that gives you a mixture of dishes. The Ivy Asia is all about sharing, so we recommend ordering family-style.
How does the restaurant reflect Glasgow’s multicultural culture?
Glasgow is already a very multicultural and welcoming city, so having The Ivy Asia here and bringing together a range of Asian-inspired dishes is great.
Alongside our iconic brasserie, we now have two restaurants under one roof.
What has the response been like from customers?
Everyone has been so excited about The Ivy Asia. Since the launch, I’ve been inundated with messages asking when people can book.
Our existing guests and regulars will get their first look at the restaurant, followed by friends and family. Everyone has been really looking forward to it.
With The Ivy Glasgow Brasserie, everything is still familiar, with the friendly faces and iconic dishes, and now we have our new Ivy Asia alongside it.
The opening has created new jobs. What does that mean for the team?
It’s amazing to stand there and look at a team of 150 members of staff, seeing everybody and getting to know everyone.
It’s been amazing. You need all these wonderful teams to get a place like this up and running.
What was the inspiration behind the interiors?
Adam Ellis, our designer, created the wallpapers for each Ivy, with designs that are specific to each city. You can spot little Easter eggs in the wallpapers, including wee thistles paying homage to Glasgow.
There are lots of little details around the building, so people should keep an eye out for those local touches.
We also found the tellers’ clock when we took over the building in January. We’ve refurbished it and are restoring it to its former glory.
The plan is to have it at the entrance, keeping a little bit of the building’s history alive. The building dates back to the 1800’s, so seeing it come back to life as the brasserie and Ivy Asia is amazing.
What are you most looking forward to?
I’m excited to welcome our regular guests through the door, meet new guests and build a new community.
I’m looking forward to seeing people enjoying food, drinks and music from day to night.
The brasserie serves breakfast from 8.30am, while The Ivy Asia opens from 11.30am, and both continue into the evening. We have DJ booths installed in both parts, so it’s a whole experience in one place. You can be here from breakfast through to dinner.
Could there be more Ivy Asia restaurants across Scotland in the future?
My lips are sealed!
Right now, we’re focused on Glasgow, and I’m so happy it’s here in our hometown.
The Ivy Asia, 30 St Vincent Pl, Glasgow G1 2HL