Granite City food and drink fans rejoice, for the first 2024 installment of Aberdeen Restaurant Week is taking place sooner than you think.
Running from Monday, January 22 to Sunday, February 4, the popular foodie fortnight will return with its biggest line-up yet – 74 restaurants, bars and cafes based across the city.
Aberdeen Inspired, which runs the event, has been able to expand it thanks to a £5,000 grant from the Scottish Government’s Regional Food Fund, announced today in Aberdeen by Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon.
This means that not only will familiar favourites be in the line-up, but plenty of new options for foodies, too.
Expect ‘more choice than ever’ in next Aberdeen Restaurant Week installment
In usual fashion, Aberdeen Restaurant Week will serve up a globe-trotting range of cuisines as well as homegrown Scottish fayre.
Menus – offering breakfast, lunch and dinner deals – will cost from £10 to £30 or feature a tasting menu with a set price decided on by the venue.
Expect Italian cuisine from Da Vinci, Amore, Alfresco and Amarone, as well as South African and Caribbean-inspired dining at Gidi Grill.
The Braided Fig, The Atrium, McGinty’s Meal An’ Ale, Mac’s Pizzeria, Chop Bar and Grill, The Pig’s Wings and All Bar One are also taking part again.
All Bar One general manager, Roy Morrison, said: “We took part in Aberdeen Restaurant Week for the first time in August last year and it was a fantastic result for us.
“We can’t wait for the January edition of the promotion. It’s definitely a boost for hospitality businesses at this time of the year.”
Food and drink fans can stop by The Tippling House, too.
The business will have a mouth-watering menu which features hake, sea trout, pork belly and celeriac risotto with two courses for £20 and three for £25.
Milk Jug, Mackies 19.2, Cup, Common Sense, Books and Beans, Tucan and Suma Café are among the other participants.
More about the NEW venues taking part – plus the special events running
Mixed into the West End scene is a host of new spots to try.
They include Mara Wine Bar on Thistle Street, the first city centre venture for chef-owner Ross Cochrane. He is formerly of The Rothesay Rooms in Ballater.
Ross said: “As a new entrant to the city centre we are delighted to be able to participate in the popular Aberdeen Restaurant Week promotion.
“We are offering a selection of small plates and wines at set prices to tempt people into our new spot. We look forward to welcoming everyone into Mara over the foodie fortnight and beyond.”
Others making their debut are The Albyn, who are offering three courses for £30 from their menu that combines local ingredients, heritage and modern tastes.
Also joining is authentic Thai restaurant Madame Mews, who relocated to Summer Street when the Aberdeen Market closed down.
The team will be serving up a cracking two-course menu for £15.
Closer to the middle of the city centre you’ll find the new home for Second Home Studio + Café, on Gaelic Lane, where you can enjoy any of their open toasts with a hot drink and a brownie for £10.
For those wanting to explore their creative side, you can have the same menu with the addition of a mystery art project for £15. Booking is required for this option.
There are also some special events as part Aberdeen Restaurant Week with both The Esslemont and The Albyn hosting a Burns Supper, and Namaste Delhi are offering 30-minute ‘taster’ cooking classes which must be booked in advance.
It’s almost time to tuck in to the extended offering…
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “I’m sure fans of the foodie fortnight will be delighted to see more choice than ever in this latest outing for the hugely popular Aberdeen Restaurant Week.
“We are delighted this grant from the Regional Food Fund has allowed us to build on the success of Aberdeen Restaurant Week, which we first launched in 2018, and offer a real feast of so many venues taking part later this month.
“Now, with so many new restaurants taking part, there is a real feast of fine food for everyone to enjoy. Tuck in.”
For more information on the first 2024 Aberdeen Restaurant Week, visit www.aberdeeninspired.com/festival/restaurant-week
The full line-up:
- 210 Bistro
- 8848 Restaurant
- 99 x How Bao Now
- ABERDAM Dutch Fries
- Aberdeen Art Gallery
- Alfresco
- All Bar One
- Aloft Aberdeen TECA
- Amarone
- Amore
- Bev’s Bistro
- Big Mannys’ Pizza x The Adam Lounge
- Books and Beans
- BrewDog Union Square
- Cafe 52
- Cafe Andaluz
- Cafe Harmony
- Chaophraya
- Chop Grill and Bar
- Common Sense Coffee House and Bar
- Cup Tea Salon
- Dos Amigos
- Faffless
- Ferryhill House Hotel
- Gidi Grill
- Grape & Grain
- Kin Kao Thai
- Kohinoor
- Mackie’s 19.2
- Mac’s Pizzeria
- Madame Mews
- Mara Wine Bar
- McGinty’s Meal ‘an Ale
- Milk Jug
- Milton On The Corner
- Molly’s Bistro
- Namaste Delhi
- OGV Taproom
- Poldino’s
- Quarter House Bar and Restaurant at Hilton Aberdeen TECA
- Resident X (four vendors, including Acropolis, Baby Jewel, Burger Lab, and Mac Street Boys)
- Resting Brunch Face
- Revolucion de Cuba
- Second Home Cafe
- Shahbaaz
- Shipyard Street Food
- Smoke and Soul
- Station Hotel Brasserie
- Suma Café
- Sweet Mumma’s Kitchen
- The Albyn
- The Ashvale Fish Restaurant
- The Atrium
- The Braided Fig
- The Esslemont
- The Exchange
- The Globe Inn
- The Grain Store Bar and Restaurant at the Aberdeen Copthorne Hotel
- The Pig’s Wings
- The Pinehurst Lodge Hotel
- The Silver Darling
- The Spiritualist Aberdeen
- The Terrace at His Majesty’s Theatre
- The Tippling House
- The Townhouse
- Tucan Belmont Street
- Tucan Rosemount
- Under The Hammer
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