Relax, West End ... a new restaurant is set to fill the void left by the departure of a local favourite.
Award-winning Sri Lankan street food brand Kochchi Glasgow is moving into the premises formerly occupied by The Hanoi Bike Shop on Ruthven Lane.
The launch marks the brand’s first standalone restaurant and follows its debut at Bonnie & Wild in Edinburgh’s St James Quarter - the acclaimed Scottish food marketplace.
Popular
Since opening there in 2022, Kochchi has become one of Bonnie & Wild’s most popular kitchens, “celebrated for its bold, flame-cooked dishes and modern take on Sri Lanka’s rich culinary heritage”, according to its press release.
The opening in Glasgow marks a major milestone for Kochchi as the brand evolves from its street food roots into a fully-fledged restaurant and bar concept.
The half a million-pound investment into the Glasgow West End venue will build on its success in Edinburgh with an expanded menu and dedicated bar.
Founded by friends Shehan Fernando and Suki Jayaratne, Kochchi was born from a shared love of the country’s diversity and food.
Though they grew up in different parts of Sri Lanka, it was Colombo - the country’s bustling capital -that united their culinary vision.
When you sit at our table, you taste more than Sri Lanka — you taste Colombo, the city where the island comes together - Shehan Fernando
Kochchi Co-founder Suki Jayaratne said: “Shehan’s childhood was spent among his family’s hotels in Nuwara Eliya before discovering Colombo’s kitchens and streets, where food was rhythm and theatre.
“I grew up in Kandy’s gardens and coastal markets but found in Colombo the energy of a city where every influence collided — from black pork curry and seafood fried rice to lunch boxes filled with dosas, sambols, and biryani.”
Shehan Fernando, co-founder, said: “When you sit at our table, you taste more than Sri Lanka — you taste Colombo, the city where the island comes together.
“At Kochchi Glasgow, we want to share that rhythm and warmth — a place for rich curries, street snacks, and seafood dishes that carry the flavours of home. The space will have the same character and soul that shaped us, brought to life with a Glasgow energy of its own.”
The menu will showcase the dishes that have defined Kochchi’s reputation at Bonnie & Wild, alongside new creations exclusive to Glasgow.
Expect regional curries, grilled seafood, street-style snacks, and flame-fired plates that celebrate Sri Lanka’s coastal and urban flavours.
When it opens this winter, Kochchi Glasgow will have a dining capacity of 80 covers spanning over two floors plus an external seating area.
Neighbourhood
There will also be a dedicated bar area with a carefully curated drinks list — featuring Sri Lankan-inspired cocktails, craft beers, and tropical softs — these will complement the food’s energy and heat.
Designed as both a neighbourhood restaurant and a late-evening hangout, the venue will capture the rhythm of Sri Lanka and the sociable spirit of Glasgow’s West End when it opens this winter, creating 15 new jobs for the local economy.
Hanoi Bike Shop in Glasgow opened in late 2012 as the first Vietnamese canteen in Glasgow, and soon established reputation for authentic Southeast Asian dishes.
In 2022, Metropolitan Pub Company bought the restaurant alongside Stravaigin and Ubiquitous Chip from the legendary Clydeside family.
Reports this summer said the building had been sold to Stefan King’s Scotsman Group and Hanoi Bike Shop closed for the last time on 25 August.
Visit www.kochchi.co.uk/glasgow to sign up for first access and to learn more about the brand.
Follow KOCHCHI Glasgow on Instagram; www.instagram.com/kochchi.uk
