Edinburgh vegetarian restaurant Hendersons is set to open its first venue outside the capital, with a new site planned for Glasgow’s Southside.
The family-run business will take over the former Seven21 unit at 721 Pollokshaws Road in Strathbungo.
The menu will follow the restaurant’s established approach, focusing on seasonal produce and ingredients sourced from small Scottish growers and makers.
Dishes will feature independent producers’ Lion’s Mane and oyster mushrooms, along with organic Scottish oats.
Customers can expect several of the restaurant’s well-known dishes, including Hendersons’ vegetarian haggis, salt‑baked celeriac and a plant‑based version of Cullen skink made with foraged dulse seaweed, sea leeks and house‑made smoked tofu. A weekend brunch service will be introduced, alongside vegetarian and vegan Sunday roasts.
The expansion carries personal meaning for founder Barrie Henderson, whose grandmother Janet Henderson opened the original Hendersons restaurant in 1962. Born and raised in Glasgow, her influence still shapes the business today.
Barrie said: “My gran started the restaurant originally. She was born and raised in Glasgow. She passed away in the 1970s, but she really set the path we’re still following today. We still use some of her recipes, and a lot of the ethos came directly from her.
“She discovered vegetarianism while travelling and came back focused on healthy eating, salads and local ingredients, really a farm-to-plate approach before people used that term. That is still at the core of what we do.”
The original Hendersons closed in 2020 after nearly six decades of trading. Barrie, who was made redundant as part of the closure, relaunched the business the following year with a new site at Bruntsfield Links, retaining the original name.
He said opening in Glasgow marks both continuity and a new step for the relaunched operation.
He added: “Coming to Glasgow has been a move we’ve wanted to make for a while, but now the timing is right.
“In some ways this is a totally new venture, but it also feels like returning to our roots by going back to my gran’s home city and where some of the original recipes came from. That connection is really important to us; continuing her legacy.”
As part of the expansion, head chef Anna Czapiewska will move into a new executive chef role overseeing kitchens in both cities.
She said: “I spend a lot of time in Glasgow’s Southside and I’m genuinely excited that Hendersons is going to be part of such a vibrant food and drink community.
“Stepping into the executive chef role across both venues gives us the chance to develop the menus together, sharing ideas and produce while letting each restaurant keep its own identity. The focus will always be on seasonal cooking, strong relationships with suppliers, and food that feels thoughtful and accessible.”
The Southside restaurant will operate from morning to evening, offering coffee, soft drinks, a full food menu and a bar serving cocktails, beer and wine. Evenings will feature a relaxed dining menu aimed at both casual visits and celebrations.
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Barrie said he hopes the new venue will make vegetarian food approachable for a wide audience.
“People hear the Hendersons name and often think of our very first restaurant, with my grandmother at the helm and a more rustic, classic style of 1970s vegetarian cooking.
“Our Edinburgh restaurant is already very modern in how it looks and feels, and the Southside venue builds on that – offering contemporary vegetarian and vegan food, table service, and everything made fresh to order. It’s a modern dining experience, but one that still has strong links to the past.
“We want Hendersons to be a positive influence – serving healthy, sustainable food, encouraging more omnivores to eat this way, and creating a happy, supportive working environment in hospitality. That’s what really drives us to expand.”
Environmental considerations remain central to the business, with long‑established practices such as avoiding single‑use plastics and using green electricity.
Barrie said the decision to open in the Southside was shaped both by personal ties and the area’s strong independent food scene.
He said: “The Southside has such a rich, independent food scene, and it feels like a great fit for Hendersons.
“Even when we were reopening in Edinburgh, we found ourselves looking to the Southside for inspiration. In a way it’s always been part of our story, so opening here feels really natural.”
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