Some restaurants occupy interesting buildings; Battlefield Rest is inseparable from its own. Standing beneath its distinctive octagonal clock tower on Glasgow’s Southside, this green-and-cream tiled landmark began life as a resting place for tram travellers more than a century ago, complete with its own newsagent kiosk and a reputation as a popular courting spot.

Built in 1915, the building became B-listed in 1981, but its future was far from guaranteed. By 1990, its deteriorating condition had led to a demolition order. More than 1,500 people signed a petition to save it, before Marco Giannasi took on the building and began a careful restoration in 1993. A year later, Battlefield Rest reopened as the Italian and continental restaurant that has occupied it ever since.

That history gives the dining room a character few purpose-built restaurants could replicate. Original architectural details sit alongside the warm, traditional feel of an old-school trattoria, creating somewhere that feels equally suited to a casual lunch, family celebration or unhurried dinner.

The food follows a similarly reassuring approach. Italian influences run throughout a broad menu of pasta, risotto, meat and fish dishes, while the kitchen makes good use of Scottish produce sourced from established local suppliers. Meat, seafood, vegetables and dairy arrive fresh, and the majority of desserts are made in-house. It is the sort of menu where a plate of antipasti can lead into pasta or a slow-cooked meat dish, before tiramisu and coffee make a convincing argument for staying a little longer.

Battlefield Rest is also somewhere you can use differently throughout the day. Coffee and scones are served from the morning, while a newly launched brunch offering has added another reason to visit earlier in the day. From there, lunch rolls into dinner from Monday to Saturday, and Sundays can be reserved for private functions.

More than three decades after becoming a restaurant, there is still something wonderfully individual about it. Glasgow nearly lost Battlefield Rest altogether; instead, one of the city’s most distinctive little buildings has become a restaurant with history, personality and a loyal following of its own.