Cafe Moyo: Aberdeen coffee shop is owner's dream come true

Opening her own cosy cafe has always been Nadia Clarke’s dream.

But as she navigated the twists and turns of life, her career and family commitments took priority.

It wasn’t until she was sipping a coffee in a tiny cafe in Hong Kong this summer that this idea once again began brewing away.

And now she is weeks away from making this dream a reality…

Nadia at the Thistle Street premises as the finishing touches are being added. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

“A friend of mine recently reminded of this – how I dreamed of having this little, cosy cafe where I can welcome everybody,” Nadia recalls.

“It’s been 23 years since we had this conversation, I had even forgotten about it – but I feel like I’ve always had it at the back of my mind.

“And now the time is right to just take a leap and follow my dream, my passion.”

Nadia tells me:

What sparked the idea for her own cafe – and what got in the way
How inspiration came from 6,000 miles away
And why she chose Thistle Street

The long and winding road to get to Thistle Street cafe

I meet Nadia in another west end coffee shop not all that dissimilar to the one she is preparing to open on Thistle Street.

After bonding over our shared caffeine habits at a secluded corner table in Parx Cafe, the mum-of-three tells me all about her plans.

Her passion for the industry was instilled in her at a young age when she helped her parents out at their restaurant in South Africa.

The spot was formerly part of the Therapace shop. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

But life took her in many different directions – moving from there to Ireland about 25 years ago, and running a clothes boutique before relocating to Aberdeen in 2014.

And she didn’t stop there.

In the years that followed, Nadia raised three children, worked as a self-employed therapist and even had a stint at an oil and gas company.

Aberdeen coffee fans will soon have a new place to try out at Cafe Moyo. Image: Shutterstock

When the 51-year-old was made redundant in June, she took this as an opportunity to at last follow her heart.

Aptly, this is exactly why she named her new venture Cafe Moyo – which translates to heart in Ndebele, a language spoken in South Africa.

“This cafe is my heart, my soul, everything that I am on a plate,” she beams.

What is the new west end cafe all about?

Nadia can barely contain her excitement as she takes me through her plans for the cafe – and I don’t think it’s just because she’s had three cups of coffee today.

It will be inspired by her travels to Hong Kong, which has lots of intimate, independent coffee shops.

Nadia has been planning this for a long time. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

Little makes Nadia happier than snuggling up with a good book in one of these charming spots, and this is what she hopes to replicate in Aberdeen.

The food will be “high end but affordable”, while the interior will be “Japandi” – a mix of Japanese and Scandinavian styles.

There will be just four tables, a window bar and a little snug area for customers looking for a spot of peace and quiet.

“Hong Kong is one of my favourite cities in the world – the people, the smells, the diversity, the vibrancy…And that’s what I’m hoping to bring to this cafe.

“Cafe Moyo is going to have a bit of everything I am, and all of the places I have been to and are important to me – my home in South Africa, Hong Kong, Ireland and Scotland.

“I just want it to be a place where people can unwind and feel comfortable.”

‘I’ve always loved that little street’

And what about the Thistle Street location?

Well, there’s no better place for a start-up in Aberdeen than the lane known for its high percentage of independent businesses.

“I’ve always loved that little street,” Nadia shrugs with a smile.

“I don’t know, there is just something about Thistle Street – it’s vibrant, it’s diverse, and you have all of these little independent places popping up.”