It’s time to grab your coat and head out to explore Aberdeen’s thriving dining scene as the city’s favourite foodie week returns for its eighth instalment.
Thousands of diners will be able to try new dishes, cuisines, and venues as part of Aberdeen Restaurant Week which returns later this year for 12 days from Monday March 7 to Friday March 18.
Bringing the event back to basics, organisers city centre BID Aberdeen Inspired, have encouraged those venues taking part to showcase what they have to offer by launching £10 and £25 price points.
The event will highlight a range of cuisines including Italian, Indian, Nepalese, Scottish and more, and it will further help position Aberdeen as a food-lover’s destination of choice.
The line-up so far…
Around 40 restaurants usually participate in the event and more than 20 venues have already signed up including:
- The Tippling House
- Amore
- Namaste Delhi
- Kirk View Café and Bistro
- Al Fresco Italian Restaurant
- The Ashvale
- Da Vinci’s Italian Restaurant
- 8848
- The City Bar & Diner
- The McGinty’s Group venues: Meal ‘n Ale, The Stag, Mac’s Pizzeria, The Esslemont and Ferryhill House Hotel
- The Globe Inn
- Foodstory
- Jack’s Grill
This year’s line-up also includes newcomers Under The Hammer, The Howff and Soul.
Aberdeen Restaurant Week regulars Kirk View Cafe and Bistro will welcome guests to their new Belmont Street home for the event.
Other venues are being encouraged to sign up to take part before the deadline later this week.
Venue’s first-hand experience
The event last ran in November 2021 which saw more than 40 restaurants take part, with many reporting a higher number of bookings in comparison to normal weekly figures.
Some eateries saw a 60% increase in covers.
Martin Widerlechner, marketing manager for The McGinty’s Group who have added iconic city bar Under the Hammer to their line-up of venues included, is excited to see the pub get involved after it reopened last November.
He said: “Under the Hammer is an Aberdeen institution which wasn’t previously known for its food offerings so we are delighted that the event allows us to showcase this.
“Aberdeen Restaurant Week provides us with an ideal opportunity to introduce the venue to a new and extended customer base. We plan to offer a choice of small plates and sharing platters with two cocktails or wines for £25. We look forward to welcoming customers.”
Many venues who took part in the last installment commented on how the scheme is a huge benefit to small local businesses, enhancing their own marketing activity and attracting customers in both midweek and at weekends.
They also reported a rise in visitors from further afield who had travelled to the city for the event.
One of those business was Union Street-based Nepalese restaurant 8848.
Krish Bhetuwal, director of the venue, said: “We are proud to be part of the event.
“Our approach is to become a little bit more innovative through offering an experimental menu which, we believe, makes us stand out and gives us an advantage over other places.
“It’s also an opportunity to motivate staff to create something new and also exceed customer expectations. Overall being part of Aberdeen Restaurant Week is a celebration here at 8848.”
Getting involved
Open to all Aberdeen city centre eateries, all they must do is create a unique fixed-priced menu exclusively for the event which gives customers a flavour of their usual offering.
What the menu consists of is entirely up to the restaurant and they can offer two courses, three courses, a tasting menu, include additional drinks or side dishes, the choice is theirs.
Chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, Adrian Watson, said: “Aberdeen Restaurant Week always creates a buzz in and around the city centre and helps to drive footfall as diners take the opportunity to visit our shops, bars, stay in hotels and take in other attractions and activities while they are in town.
“The event has provided a much-needed boost to hundreds of local eateries since it launched in 2018 and is now a firm favourite on every food lovers calendar.
“Diners should feel confident about getting back out and about, I’m sure that they will not only experience fantastic food but also receive the warmest of welcomes from everywhere and everyone in our hospitality sector who quite literally put their heart and soul into serving up some of the best food the city has to offer.”
For more information about Aberdeen Restaurant Week visit www.aberdeeninspired.com/festival/restaurant-week
