Ravenous diners across the city will get the chance to choose from almost 50 venues’ menus at a fraction of the price as Aberdeen Restaurant Week gets under way.
A total of 47 restaurants have signed up to the ninth instalment of the popular food event which is organised by business Improvement District, Aberdeen Inspired.
From now until Sunday, January 29, diners can enjoy a huge variety of exclusive food and drinks offers starting from £10 at local restaurants, cafes and bars.
Each venue has curated a special offering for Aberdeen Restaurant Week, from delicious tasting menus to sharing platters with a glass of wine.
New firms signed up
Several new establishments, including Six by Nico, Common Sense Coffee House, Padthai Hot Pot and Grill and Bar and The Terrace at His Majesty’s Theatre, will take part, as well as many regular participants who have been involved in the event since its inception in 2018.
Thousands of guests are expected to take advantage of the special offers while sampling global cuisines ranging from traditional Scottish fare to tapas, vegan, Thai, Indian, modern British and Italian dishes.
Restaurants are already reporting a huge uplift in bookings for the next two weeks.
Six by Nico will be offering a complimentary glass of fizz to diners who quote ‘ARW’ when they book to experience the new Neverland tasting menu, which launches on Wednesday (January 18) in Aberdeen.
Taking guests on a magical flight with Peter Pan, the six creative courses include The Lost Boys, Captain Codfish and Food Fight.
Nico Simeone, director of Six by Nico, said: “We’ve been welcomed to Aberdeen with open arms and were made to feel like part of the community instantly. It’s been amazing to see the positive response from everyone in the city and afar, we hope this small token of our thanks goes down well with everyone.
“We’re really excited for our future in Aberdeen and hope to see more familiar and friendly faces around.”
Exclusive events
With Burns Night taking place during the two-week event, two venues have also organised Burns Suppers. The first is Siberia Bar and Hotel on Belmont Street and the second is at The Esslemont on Union Street which will dish up a five-course tasting dinner.
Siberia will serve up its three-course Burns celebration for three nights from January 25 to 27, while the Esslemont Burns Supper is for one night only on the Bard’s birthday – Wednesday January 25.
Set to be a celebration to remember, diners can look forward to a welcome cocktail specially crafted for the night – The Tropic of Laurencekirk, based on Fettercairn Whisky – at The Esslemont event.
Everything you need to know about Aberdeen Restaurant Week – plus the menus
While some city centre businesses are already levy payers, others outside the catchment area have paid to get involved in Aberdeen Restaurant Week, which traditionally takes place within the BID footprint.
The area covers Union Street and the surrounding streets, including Broad Street, Market Street, Bridge Street, Huntly Street and Holburn Junction.
Chief executive Adrian Watson added: “We are excited to be launching the first Aberdeen Restaurant Week of 2023, which is now a well-established and much-anticipated event.
“We are proud to have almost 50 different restaurants, cafes and bars signed up to take part this time. Among them are 210 Bistro, The Pigs Wings, Jewel in the Crown, Faffless, Pinehurst Lodge and Books and Beans, which choose to pay a voluntary levy to be part of Aberdeen Inspired and be involved with Restaurant Week.
“There is a huge selection of cuisines and offers for diners to choose from, whether they want to try something new or return to an old favourite. We know January can be a quiet time for hospitality venues so this encourages people to get together with friends or family and enjoy new dishes and special offers.”
All Aberdeen Restaurant Week bookings should be made with the restaurants directly.