The dinner gong has sounded as Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks dish up delicious delights with the much-loved “Foodie Fortnight” kicking off today (Monday, September 2).
A total of 70 restaurants, bars and cafes – offering a dizzying range of cuisines – are taking part in this celebration of the finest food the north-east has to offer, with fantastic deals and special menus to make your mouth water.
And even before it begins, venues are already reporting a boost in business thanks to Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks, delivered by Aberdeen Inspired, which will again boast special lunch and dinner menus – priced at either £10, £15, £20 or £25 – as well as special dishes and pairings to tantalise the tastebuds.
Kevin Dalgleish, of Amuse by Kevin Dalgleish, said: "We are excited to be part of Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks for the first time. Festivals like this really help showcase all the great places to eat in the city whilst of course giving us the opportunity to raise our profile.
“We have already seen a steady stream of reservations for our pre theatre offer and look forward to welcoming many guests into Amuse during the Foodie Fortnight."
His ringing endorsement of Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks was shared by The Atrium.
“As a family run restaurant Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks are huge for us. Our bookings are filling up for the next two weeks and from previous experience we know that there are a lot of walk-ins, so we are getting prepared for the madness,” said Merryn Duncan, The Atrium’s social media coordinator.
“Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks create an incredible buzz, not just within our restaurant but city-wide, with people meeting friends and family to try out all the different restaurants available. We are so excited to be a part of it for another year and can’t wait until it kicks off.”
Shona Byrne, project manager for Aberdeen Inspired, said: “The venues taking part aren’t the only ones looking forward to the return of Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks – we know food fans can’t wait to tuck in this feast of food at prices that won’t break the bank.
“Already, we have seen our Secret Suppers – where diners don’t know until the day which restaurant they are going to, or which chef will be cooking for them – sell out almost as soon as they went on sale. The first three were so popular we added a third whisky-themed one – to tie in with Aberdeen Whisky Week. The tickets were snapped up within minutes.”
Shona added that another new twist for this outing of Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks is the “Foodie Passport” where diners can pick up one of our special cards, visit five participating restaurants to collect a stamp, then enter a prize draw to win a meal out for two every month for a year!
There is also the great addition is the offer of a free return bus journey into town with First Bus Aberdeen for diners who have booked an ARW meal.
Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks will see some old favourites returning to the line-up along with other eateries making their ARW debut, including Amuse by Kevin Dalgleish, Moonfish Cafe, The Howff and Ma Cameron’s.
Shona said: “The next two weeks offers a fantastic opportunity for diners to discover new places, to revisit much-loved favourite haunts, and to do it all at prices that are mouth-wateringly tempting.
“Not only that, with such a rich variety of cuisines from across the globe, you can eat your way around the world, right here in Aberdeen.
“It’s not just a great fortnight for food fans, but also gives our vitally important hospitality sector a much-needed boost, while attracting thousands of people into the city centre.”
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said he hoped this outing for Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks will repeat the success of the event in January which served up a £500,000 boost for the local economy and boosted city centre footfall by 20%.
“There is no question of the massive benefits Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks brings to the city centre in terms of economic impact and giving restaurants a much-needed boost in business. It really is one of the biggest success stories for the Granite City and everyone at Aberdeen Inspired is proud to deliver it.
“As we sound the dinner gong for the start of the next Foodie Fortnight, I urge everyone to get along and enjoy this feast of delights with their friends, families and colleagues. Tuck in, folks.”
You can find the full list of places taking part in Aberdeen Inspired’s Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks aberdeenrestaurantweek.com