Sonas Café Bistro in East Dunbartonshire

After spotting this little place on the way to the waterfalls we had to stop for something to eat. If you're lucky enough to get a seat outside when it's sunny. You won't be disappointed as the view is awesome. However. Once you do sit down, be aware you will likely have to ask for a menu as we waited for a good twenty minutes before we realised the waiting staff were walking past us. Pleasent though once they realised we hadn't been seen. The food itself was not up to scratch for the prices. My girlfriend got a baked potato with cheese, I got an £8.50 goats cheese salad which was literally a handful of chopped lettuce, two super thin slices of goat cheese, sprinkle of pine nuts and zigzag of balsamic. No where near worth the 8.50. my girlfriend's dish was a hard skinned potato, a teeny bit of cheese, iceberg and some crisps. We were both disappointed. This place is missing a trick. A reduced menu with some locally sourced ingredients focusing on a more homely and better cooked and presented product would be best. Maybe due to the weather they were low on ingredients, but until I see some better food, I'd be reluctant to go back. The place is now called The Glen Cafe and Bistro.

We used to go to this cafe years ago. It has changed management/ name twice since. Now is called The Glen Cafe, dog friendly. I would struggle to remember the old name, Sonas. To pop it in the map search for the location. Problem solved now. It has a nice vibe and relaxed atmosphere . The service could be faster. The only cafe around so its quite busy usually for the people stopping for coffee or lunch before or after setting off for the hill walk.

Was at the bistro prices have gone up . There's no vegan or vegetarian dishes.The waitress tried to take plate away even though not finished maybe come back don't no

Excellent little Bistro, great food and a lovely, friendly host and staff. Recommended.

My husband and I had our lunch at this little gem today. The food was lovely and the staff were very friendly. We will visit more often.

Staff were very helpful when I left my wallet behind. Very kind and many thanks

Lovely cafe - great friendly service - delicious snacks and cakes.

Stopped in here twice in the last month while out offroad cycling, first time outside and second due to hail inside, no dramas at all about been inside with cycle clothing. Caramel lattes are something else and great selection of cakes. Staff were polite and friendly.

New ownership. Asked if we wanted coleslaw with BLT (which included side salad) and we were charged for it- very poor and it felt like the waitress was being deceptive. Onions rings were clearly frozen and was only given three.

We were 2nd in the queue and this young woman kept serving every customer behind and ignoring us stood for 20 minutes before getting served, horrible customer service

Everything was amazing Food, coffee, tea and even the water was lush It's the best lunch I've had in a long time

Ordered a piece of cheesecake while it was available at the counter and waited 15 minutes for it. The staff didn't ever care to tell me that it's sold out! I went to the counter and got to know there. Such incompetent staff with poor coordination

Been going here twice a month for the last 2 years. Says it's dog friendly but the manager asked us to remove our dog when my dog was whining when he was excited.( not barking) A Customer complained. Put my dog in the car came back in and 2 other dogs were barking like crazy inside and they were allowed to stay... seems a bit unfair to me. You're either a dog friendly cafe or your not.

Beautiful setting, cafe nicely refurbished, food lovely but not a “ warm welcome on the hillside.” Young staff trying their best but clearly not trained in customer service. The lady in charge ( dark hair, behind the counter) ignored us standing waiting for a table ( doesn’t say “ find your own”) a good ten minutes and when approached was dismissive, bordering rude! Her face was tripping her and she didn’t do anything to help us or direct anyone else to do so. Not a good example for inexperienced staff. Such a shame as it really is a perfect spot! Left standing ten minutes to pay our bill, without even being acknowledged! Owner needs to invest in staff training and customer service with a smile should be top of the list. If staff can’ do that and lead less experienced staff to do the same then find another job perhaps?

Very happy to have a cup of coffee that is hot enough after a wee walk. The staff are very friendly.

This maybe one of the best places I have ever been!! The food was lovely, the atmosphere was nice and the staff were just incredible. There were multiple handsome young men in, I only go in Sundays, they were very friendly and had big bulging muscles. Definitely will be back!

Great service, lovely cakes and food. Really accommodating with mucky pups and humans too!

45min wait for food!! Every time I go here I say I won't go back as it takes so long to get food. The amount of people sitting looking at there watches and shaking their heads should tell them they need to be quicker! The food is nice when it does arrives but who has 45min to sit and wait. I believe it's up for sale and can only hope the new owners get this cafe back on track. This time I won't be back!!

Quality get along and experience this Gem of a place, ideal after a dip in the Falls just a short walk just up the path to the right of the building

A blessing to have a cafe in a spot like this for the neighbourhood, and for people passing through/hiking/cycling. Very welcoming to dogs also. Only thing I would suggest is getting an ice machine! Nice to see some vegan options too🥰

Very nice atmosphere, friendly staff. Soup of the day, excellent!

Discovered this great little bistro whilst hiking in and around Campsie Glen. It's now a favourite place for coffee and lunch whether I'm hiking or not. The food and coffee is great quality and value for money. There is an outside seating area for when the weather allows. The bistro is also dog friendly for well behaved pooches, with water bowls also provided. Parking is limited although roadside parking, just a short walk away, is available. Some lovely walks close by with walk details and local history.

Tea and cakes excellent. My friend had a toasted sandwich. Fabulous portions. She really enjoyed it. Service was excellent and friendly. Thanks Sam H. Lovely atmosphere.

Fabulous food, friendly service and a relaxed atmosphere. Dog friendly too! Good variety on the menu for breakfast and lunch or just coffee and cake. (I had the biggest pineapple tart I’ve ever seen in my life!!!!!) We’ll definitely be back!!! There are lots of lovely walks close by and Sonas is ideally suited for a wee treat at the end of your exertions 😋.

Goats cheese, black pudding and caramelised onion toasty was so good! Great cafe in lovely location just outside Glasgow

Really great service, good menu, great coffee and cakes

I had a lovely coffee with freshly frothed hot milk - excellent quality. In my top 20 coffees of all time. And in 75 years I've had a lot of coffees! You can possibly get better coffee in Italy, Switzerland or France if you hunt - but that's harder to get to than Campsie Glen. Outside seating available, friendly service was quick enough, nice enough setting. I didn't sample the food. I'd happily give Sonas my custom again. Prices seem reasonable enough.

I had a lovely coffee with freshly frothed hot milk - excellent quality. In my top 20 coffees of all time. And in 75 years I've had a lot of coffees! You can possibly get better coffee in Italy, Switzerland or France if you hunt - but that's harder to get to than Campsie Glen. Outside seating available, friendly service was quick enough, nice enough setting. I didn't sample the food. I'd happily give Sonas my custom again. Prices seemed reasonable enough.

WRONG BREAKFAST DELIVERED TO US BOTH POT OF TEA WAS LUKEWARM THIS CAUSED A N INCIDENT AS WE GOT SOMEONE ELSES ORDER SERVICE WAS VERY SLOW

Stopped for a Saturday lunch with family. Food was delicious - we had the carrot and coriander soup (with a hint of - I think - cumin, which added a lovely edge, just the right amount to notice but not overpowering) which was piping hot and in generous bowls. The goat’s cheese, black pudding and caramelised onion chutney panini was a thing of beauty!! Coffees, tea and a hot chocolate all good. The service was very friendly and perfectly efficient. Nice clean decor and a nice vibe. Would 100% return.

This is the second year we have visited and each time the food and service have been excellent. The setting is exceptional within the village and close to beautiful walks.

We had a very warm welcome, and there is a varied menu. Sadly, we did not enjoy our selection. The chicken burger was pressed chicken and the coating was spicy but a little soggy. The bun was good as we're the chips. My macaroni cheese tasted like a boxed version rather than fresh. The cafe is in a lovely setting.

Great outlet for food& refreshments.was very busy.

Nice coffee but if paying by cash check your change. Charged £11.90 for a cappuccino and latte but was quickly rectified when challenged.

Really disappointing visit. Visited for lunch and ordered a tarragon chicken Mayo ciabatta. Was so disappointed. There was very little mayonnaise and chicken. Not sure if the kitchen had run out due to mr visiting late in the afternoon. I won’t be rushing back.

The lady that owns it was so passive aggressive she acted like she was running a james Martin kitchen her attitude was awful Sat on one of her broken tables outside and she had the cheek to pull us up saying that we weren’t paying the extra to sit on it Yeh avoid she’s awful and her scone was crap

Amazing food fantastic prices polite staff great surroundings at the campsite glen

Beautiful surroundings and the decor inside was lovely. We all had tea and empire biscuits which were very nice, but sadly won’t be returning as our server made us feel like she just couldn’t be bothered with us. No smile, no interaction whatsoever. Management, you seriously need to teach your young staff a little bit of customer care.☹️

Great location and food alright but too many rules. Rules about who can use the toilet, how long you can expect to wait to get your food, when they stop taking orders. Ruins the general atmosphere

Came here for a coffee after hiking, never been before, staff member was rude taking my order, i waited 10minutes for a take-away coffee & only reason i got it was after asking for a refund after noticing that my ticket order was being moved by staff so that bigger orders were dealt with 1st! Also used incorrect milk that i asked for, dont come here!!!

Great destination for a cycle or walk, much needed coffee/hot chocolate/soup/cake 😊

We had coffee and bakewell cake. The coffee was good, the the cake was good, service was also good, pleasant, and efficient. Returned today, had the vegetarian breakfast, pineapple tart, and coffee, all good. There are a number of good walks, of varying lengths around the area, and the cafe is refreshing place to reward yourself afterwards. Or you could just sit with a coffee, enjoying the peaceful surroundings, doing the walking in your head.

Having visited this coffee shop for many years have to say new owner has updated establishment with new seating etc. Only come here for coffee and cake so cannot comment on hot food but always have been served by pleasant staff and good coffee and cake.

A nice wee place with a great selection of breakfast and lunch. Ideal to visit after some hiking/outdoor activity in the beautiful Campsie area. Why a 4 star only? Usually the staff is very friendly but today (31/01/23) the 2 young girls working had an attitude of “why are you coming in?” Coffee and food were thrown at the table without a word. Upon paying for the bill they seemed annoyed disturbing their chat. Customer Service: ⭐️✖️✖️✖️✖️(today) If this happens with new customers they might think twice coming in again.

Been here lots Coffee and cakes first class Staff could do with cheering up take the warmth out of this wee place

Dropped in for lunch while back packing. 👍

My friend and I popped in for a bite to eat on Sunday 27th November 2022. We both ordered sandwiches - a BLT and Tuna with cheese, and a pot of tea. I asked the waitress, who, it transpires, is the manager, if I could have a large cup for my tea. Her reply was that a pot of tea comes with small cups! On checking the serving area, larger cups were available. A nice, polite young waiter brought our tea with said small cup. I asked if it was possible, could I have a larger cup. With no hesitation, he asked if I would like a mug! The sandwiches we had were very disappointing. The bread wasn't buttered, with virtually non existent filling. Tasteless! When the waiter came to collect our plates and ask if everything was ok for us, I explained our didappointment with the sandwiches.The waiter advised that the bread should be buttered. We were asked if we would like to see the manager, which we agreed to. Turns out, the manager was the same female who took our order. We explained our general disappointment regarding lack of filling and bread being dry. Her response was that they don't butter the bread, quickly trying to qualify it by saying "most people have toasties." The menu title is "Sandwiches/ Toasties" Her response to our disappointment was a lackluster "I'm sorry to hear that", before quickly scuttling away. We paid £18.95 for sandwiches, which looked like they were made by a five year old, and tea. The manager is of Irish descent. We won't be back. It used to a lovely little cafe. Shame!

Lovely tea room. Very clean, lots of choice. Friendly staff. Will definitely return

Horrible management, telling a recently let go employee he was “not worth the money”, despite receiving funding for his employment and being the hardest working.

Gorgeous wee café tucked away on a beautiful wee hamlet. I had a roll and Stornoway black pudding with a potato scone which was delicious. Staff were lovely and friendly. Now I've found Sonas I'll be back probably on a Sunday cycle with friends.

Had a lovely lunch served by friendly helpful staff. Excellent value for money l

Had a lovely toasted BLT sandwich with side salad and crisps ,then coffee and strawberry tart I took 1 star of as the strawberry tart had 1 tiny strawberry ,staff pleasant and loved the wee shop next door which I bought some crystals Will definitely be back

Peacefully drinking coffee at the foot if the beautiful Campsie Fells ❤️

The way they treat their employees is deplorable!! A guy with special needs who was devoted to the cafe, worked practically every day with 3 days off a month (they also get funding for him), the vile owner let him go because he’s ‘not worth...

Nice food, lovely coffee and dog friendly

Nice breakfast rolls etc, decent coffee, nice views and both indoor and outdoor seating. Car park with several spaces reserved for the staff 🤔

Lovely stop for coffee and cake. Lush.

A friend and I stopped for coffee and cake after cycling down the Crow Road. Lovely coffee and delicious lemon drizzle cake. Staff were helpful and friendly. Good distance between outdoor tables and good storage facilities for our bikes. This place has a nice atmosphere...

Average food and coffee, and a pretty unwelcoming owner, who put a dampener on our experience. There is more emphasis on everything you are not allowed to do there, than anything you are! Lovely location, although there are currently serious construction works going on which...

Went for lunch. Not very welcoming. Notices about what you cannot do posted at the door. Noone asks if the meal is ok. Had soup and a sandwich coffee & cake.soup was supposedly lentil but it was thin and watery and resembled nothing like any...

Stopped on walk from Strathblane for a nice cuppa and slice of sticky toffee loaf with friends who had a selection of beverages and cake/empire biscuit. Dog friendly but we sat outside at the rather rickety picnic benches. No toilets if you're not sitting inside though.

Lovely soup and amazing coffee with a cheeky sponge cake after a wee walk in the rain.

Had been to this cafe when under previous ownership and it was wonderful. Has now been taken over by one of the most unhelpful people who I have met. Miserable and very officious, can't blame the young staff waiting as they were very friendly and...

Excellent wee place, informal atmosphere with fantastic food and great service 👍

Great location for a wee cafe stop, either before the crow to get a caffeine boost for the climb, or after the crow to replenish some carbs with anyone of the fantastic cakes available.

Great, great burger... Staff so nice... Definitely need to come back...

Service staff were amazing, food was tasty but jot a lot of it, however I had a long wait to pay my bill.

Underrated cafe and food and staff unbelievable. A must visit?.

Busy and friendly, great for food and for start of the short but steep walk up Campsie Glen to the waterfalls, as far as the carved 'stop' hand.

Lovely coffee and toasties today . Just what we needed after a good walk with the dog

Always love cycling here and sitting outside looking at the Campsies. Great coffee, if a little strong, and a fab caramel slice!!

Very clean 👌 food not cheap and staff slow but OK

Clean fresh decor and quiet for a Sunday midday when adjoining streets were littered with cars, people hill walking. Staff were pleasant but not amazingly friendly, cakes were not homemade and not appealing. Coffee was cold but they did have dairy free milk

Grt cafe with good quality food served by friendly staff. Coffee is particularly good and dogs made to feel welcome. Highly recommend this hidden wee gem

Lovely food and good customer service

Have been a number of times in the past. Food is generally good if a little overpriced for what it is. Has a great location at the start/end of a number of different walking/cycling routes. Most recent experience not so good. Walked up to be...

Freshly made food with hearty portions. Good variety on the menu. Nice pot of tea. Lovely and relaxing ambience. Friendly welcoming staff. 😊

Nice little find at the bottom of the hill. Enjoyed our Latte and Hot Chocolate. Cakes are good too, especially the carrot cake. The scone would have been better if it wasn't heated up in the microwave (we didn't ask for this). Prices not too bad. Nice staff. Will be back.

Had a lovely lunch with my husband, staff very nice and attentive, will be back.

Warm day so sat outside in the pretty square. Generous coffee and very tender and tasty steak pie. Reasonable prices. Good staff, thanks, we'll be back

Fabulous wee gem nestled at the foot of the fells! Great food, coffee and service 🥰👌🏻

Great coffee and friendly service

Visited with friend for coffee and asked waitress (older lady) if we could place order. She then proceeded to tell me that we were at a bench and it was carry out so bad to go into cafe and order. Told her that we wanted...

The Coffee ☕😍was perfectly 🥰made " lovely looking Cafe/ bistro " attentive staff" and the meals looked stunning. 😋 I would recommend this little venue.X

Lovely setting, great food and fantastic cake. What more could you ask for.

Dog friendly in and out. Has outdoor seating great coffee and food

A first visit, The outside area was quiet (just the way I like it as a panic attack sufferer). coffee was perfect, Will certainly be back.

Lovely wee place to stop.for just a coffee but do full meals that are great also,highly recommended,beautiful waterfull just 100yds away,cant understand why the close at 4 when the area around is so busy during these summer nights ,thought it would stay open till at least 6 to take advantage of the sunny days

Lovely Cafe, close to Schonestaat Convent and gardens, one of our favourite places to visit and walk. went just before noon on a lovely sunny weekday and no outside tables left ! Inside was not quite as sunny but equally pleasant. Staff very pleasant and attentive. Food very good and coffee was excellent. Got busier as 1pm approached. We've been before and no doubt will return.

Great lunch in a cracking setting.

Friendly, helpful staff. Tasty food options, including breakfast choices.

A real find and will definitely return.

While visiting Schoenstatt, we walked through the grounds, down a short road and discovered this excellent cafe. Sonas is a great find for us and we will make it a regular place to call in. The coffee is excellent and the cakes fresh and tasty....

Nice wee cafe in a great location, good service and tasty food

Lovely place with friendly staff

Staff member on duty was rather offhand but not rude. Cappuccino was very weak but not undrinkable. Situation is perfect in the heart of Campsie Glen. There is an ancient graveyard to explore on one side and a short forest walk round the back with...

I loved this place. Great food. Staff very very nice. A good place to chill and eat. I would definitely comeback here... i had great time

Staff are friendly and the food is good

Lovely coffee and cake and a seat in the sun. Life is good

No atmosphere....could do with revamp.