Halloween is more about spooking than cooking.
But if it’s eye of frog or toe of newt that you want with your witch’s brew then take a look at our list of haunted restaurants and venues in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to dine in.
Our varied list includes some of the on-site cafes of haunted castles mostly frequented these days by tourists – don’t forget to stop off at the haunted gift shop on the way out.
And there are also some haunting-adjacent restaurants that give you a box-seat view on some of the region’s spooooooookiest tales.
Meanwhile, for chills and spills guaranteed to have your soup spoon trembling with fear check out the ghost stories attached to some of Aberdeen’s best-loved pubs.
So, read on. If you dare!
Castle Fraser’s tearoom
Few places in the world look as likely a candidate for a ghost story than Castle Fraser in Inverurie.
The formidable slab of a building dates back to the 1600s and as one of the oldest tower houses in Scotland practically cries out to be haunted.
Sure enough, the ghost of a murdered woman – it’s usually a murdered woman – allegedly stalks the corridors here. For good measure, another ghostly apparition – a previous lady of the house – roams the grounds.
And when you get tired of chasing spirits, grab a seat in the tearoom, which sits in one of the oldest parts of the castle. You never know. A former inhabitant may well join you for a teacake.
Courtyard Cafe at Crathes Castle
Crathes Castle also boasts two female ghosts, which to avoid confusion come in two different colours.
The Green Lady and the White Lady make up almost a full traffic light set of wraiths that – as in Castle Fraser – roam the corridors and make irregular appearances to the many tourists that visit each year.
So, while you are waiting for them to show up, take the chance to visit the castle’s Courtyard Cafe, which is in the former stables.
It’s a fantastic location for a cafe that serves up sandwiches and a good selection of hot food.
Common Sense coffee house and bar
This Aberdeen coffee shop is way too new to have its own ghost.
Common Sense only opened last month, and is the first business to fill the rotundas at the new-look Union Terrace Gardens.
It does, however, command a grand view of His Majesty’s Theatre across the way, which comes pre-loaded with one of Aberdeen’s grisliest ghost tales.
In 1942, an employee at the theatre was killed by a wayward winch. His spirit is said to manifest itself around the venue, though many reports are of a kindly presence that looks out for HMT’s current – and more corporeal – staff.
Ma Cameron’s
A traditional Aberdeen boozer with a history dating back to 1746? Of course Ma Cameron’s has a ghost!
According to the Aberdeen tourist board, the spectre at Ma Cameron’s is something of a mischief maker, banging ceilings and turning on beer taps.
Whether the latter interference suggests an unearthly presence or more simply a customer chancing his arm remains open for debate.
However, the pub did invite some paranormal investigators to inspect the premises a few years ago. For what it’s worth, they reported at least one ghost on the grounds.
Krakatoa
Krakatoa is the spiritual home of the deep fried buttery – read all about it here. Forget Halloween, a deep fried rowie may well be the most terrifying thing you will see all year.
However, other chilling presences stalk the harbourfront bar, or at least its former incarnation as The Mooring’s.
This is where, according to Aberdeen’s tourism chiefs, cloths and mop buckets started flying around the room in what can only be described as a janitorial version of the famous library scene in Ghostbusters.
Whether the flying mop story is true or not, make sure you get down to Krakatoa to sample its unique hospitality and live music. And sample spirits of another kind.
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