I haven’t been to Foodstory in Aberdeen since I was in school.
The Thistle Street cafe is a social media phenomenon, with over 26,000 followers on Instagram alone.
Its navy façade looked like a tempting reprieve from the bitterly cold wind on the chilly day we made our trip. The condensation-fogged windows held promise for a cosy interior.
We made it inside, and found ourselves a table.
Everything at Foodstory on our visit was self service – save for plating up the food ourselves.
There are a few tables free when my boyfriend, Michael, and I visit for a late Saturday lunch, though the place is abuzz with conversation.
What to expect at Foodstory, Aberdeen
Everything about the cafe oozes a cosy, rustic charm.
There are exposed bulbs dangling over tables, worn wooden tables, an industrial-looking copper pipe on the ceiling and plenty of fairy lights.
An inked mural on the wall of some animals enjoying a meal at a table is an adorable touch.
I’m a fan of the fresh bread and deli products available by the till too.
A quick look over the menu, we spy salads, soups and toasties, all of which are calling our names.
Since we’d not long finished a rich hot chocolate from Sweet Toots Cakery at the beach, I was in the mood for some greens.
And there are greens aplenty at Food Story.
They don’t have any toasties left, but that is our own fault for visiting later on a Saturday afternoon.
We go for a trio of the salads they have available.
The canteen-style ordering food, and then getting no interaction with staff from then on takes us slightly by surprise.
Having to choose our own table, getting our own water and cutlery, it felt a bit impersonal. It’s nice to get a bit more conversation from staff.
How are the salads and bakes at Foodstory, Aberdeen?
Our plateful of three salads cost £14.25 each.
The ones on offer on our visit are the noodle salad, pesto pasta and sweet potato peanut satay.
We also go for some roasted seeds and nuts on top, which add a lovely salty, crunchy topping to every forkful.
The noodle salad has a great acidic dressing, combining chilli, lime and coriander in a sharp, spicy mixture.
The veg is a little soft though, and I’d have preferred more crunch to the peppers and mangetout.
The pesto pasta, though, was excellent.
The cashew pesto isn’t overly oily as can so often be the case.
It has a simultaneously creamy and light consistency, and each bite of the perfectly al dente penne is moreish.
The third of the salads hit the mark as well.
The sweet potato peanut satay is sweet and salty, with softened sweet potato that melts in the mouth.
It is very filling, and pairs well with the homemade hummus that tops our salads.
With plenty of salad to take home for our lunches the next day, we also have just enough room for something sweet.
I go up to the till again to order bakes from the display cabinet.
I choose one of their raw energy balls (£2.65) and an almond, lemon and coconut cake slice (£4.40).
The raw energy ball has a similar consistency to a chocolate truffle: it’s smooth, creamy and rich.
For something so packed with goodness, it tastes utterly delicious.
The traybake is just as delicious.
Exceptionally moist, and not at all dry despite being sat in a display cabinet.
This is an excellent treat alongside Foodstory’s faultless chai latte (£4.30) and cappuccino (£4.10).
Verdict:
I tend to prioritise three ‘A’s on my visits to cafes and restaurants: affordable, aesthetic and amicable.
That is to say, the menu is affordable, the eatery aesthetically-pleasing, and the staff friendly.
Foodstory in Aberdeen definitely hits the aesthetic mark, and the food isn’t as expensive as I expected either.
Given the nutritious, filling quality of the dishes, I’d say the food is well priced.
The staff were pleasant, but given the self-service style here, we had little to no interaction with the them.
The only conversation came when we ordered our food at the till, and there were no check-ins throughout our meal, nor did they come to take our dishes away before we left.
The food was near perfect though, and we left satisfied – with leftovers.
I would visit Foodstory again, but earlier in the day so that there is still a varied lunch menu available.
Scores:
Food: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Surroundings: 5/5
Information:
Address: 11-15 Thistle St, Aberdeen AB10 1XZ
Tel: There isn’t one.
W: https://www.facebook.com/TheFoodstoryCafe/?locale=en_GB
Disabled access: There are disabled facilities inside the café, but only a stepped entrance.
Dog-friendly: Yes.
Price: £43.95 for two hot drinks, two bakes, two large salad trio dishes.
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