Mibbies Aye

Listed in the Lanarkshire Larder – order a print copy (free + p&p).

Mibbie’s Aye is cooler and classier than other sandwich shops. It might be the black slate that the foodstuffs are displayed on, or even the uniforms: petrol blue aprons on white t-shirts, black trousers. Certainly, the way that the sandwiches are presented – wrapped in wax paper then tied up in string and placed in a little brown bag – adds a wee sense of occasion. It’s like unwrapping a present. When owner Samy Salim, a chef to trade, opened in March 2013 the intention was for well-sourced, high-quality ingredients and little details to set them apart. So a chicken mayo baguette is livened-up by dill and lemon, while Parma ham on toasted ciabatta sits beneath layers of pesto, mozzarella and rocket. Best of all is the 12-hour slow-roasted brisket with a light, vibrant coleslaw and a hint of citrus, held together by everyone’s favourite breadstuff, the brioche bun. A sandwich on one’s lunch hour is often a dull necessity, the filling of a hole until dinner. But the office workers from the many buildings near here get something that, in Samy’s words, is “a real treat, put together with love”. Their breakfast rolls (bacon and black pudding from Ramsay of Carluke, square sausage from Buchanan’s) and homemade soups are top-drawer too. As we said: slicker, classier. Better.