Come and get it... Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks has unveiled the line-up of eateries getting ready to serve up a feast of delights with delicious dining deals from as little as a fiver.
With nearly 60 restaurants, bars and cafes taking part and cuisines ranging from Asian to Scottish, Mexican to French, there is something to suit all tastes when the foodie fortnight returns from Monday, February 24, to Sunday, March 9.
Organisers Aberdeen Inspired said the event’s recipe for success includes fun events – like a “Sundae School” with Mackie’s 19.2 Ice Cream Parlour, a chance to dunk your own donut at Dough & Co and even an invitation to go zen with a mix of yoga and food packages at Second Home Studio.
Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks will see many established favourites taking part, along with new places joining the fun, such as Pera Mediterranean Restaurant on Holborn Street along with two of the Granite City’s iconic pubs, The Prince of Wales and the Dutch Mill.
Also returning will be the popular “Foodie Passport” – with a £500 Aberdeen Gift Card up for grabs – and the Secret Supper dining experiences which last year sold out within hours of being put on sale.
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “We know Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks is one of the most popular events in the city’s calendar with diners hungry to discover delicious deals served up by their favourite places and also sniff out hidden gems.
“It is just as popular with all the restaurants, bars and cafes, as the foodie fortnight helps them find new customers – and welcome back old friends – at what is traditionally a quiet time of year for the hospitality sector.
“More than anything else, Aberdeen Restaurants Weeks is a celebration of the first-class cuisine the Granite City has to offer and a reminder that you can find a dining experience to rival anywhere in the country.”
One of the returning favourites for Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks is Poldino’s. Lee Godinni, a partner in Poldino’s, said: “Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks has firmly established itself in the Aberdeen foodie calendar, generating a real interest in the restaurant scene every time it comes around.”
Lee said Poldino’s use the event as a chance to offer something a bit different, with dishes not normally found on their menu, such as the regional plates they offered last year, which proved popular with diners.
“This year we are doing a ‘La Cucina Povera’ menu. Literally meaning ‘the poor kitchen’, we are going back to our roots and celebrating the ingenuity of recipes passed down by those before us, creating plates of hearty nutritious food using the limited ingredients available to them, minimising waste, maximising flavour.
“This is something we hope our customers old and new will enjoy.”
Six by Nico also make a welcome return offering their newly launched Murder on the Orient Express menu at a special ARW price point of six-course tasting menu and welcome drink for £35pp or with matching wine for just £60pp.
Nico Simone, Owner Six By Nico, said: “Six By Nico is thrilled to be part of Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks this year and connect with our local community.
“We believe this is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our creative tasting menus to new customers and existing customers across the city, with what’s set to be sell-out promotions available exclusively for restaurant week.”
Café Boheme, Aberdeen’s popular French-inspired bistro on Windmill Brae makes a long-awaited return to the event with a tasty lunchtime deal for £15 which they hope will attract customers who have perhaps not visited them for a while.
There are great deals on offer all over the city centre and in the West End. You can enjoy two courses and a cocktail for just £25 at the Spiritualist; a superb choice of Italian food at Amarone, Mi Amore, Da Vinci or Al Fresco; a rich and spicy six-course tasting menu at popular Nepalese restaurant 8848
and even three Mexican tapas at Dos Amigos for just £15.
As well as fantastic lunch and dinner menus at special prices – from £5 to £30 – Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks has some fun special events, said
Shona Byrne, Aberdeen Inspired’s project manager for the Foodie Fortnight.
“We try to find something new and memorable to offer during these Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks, the sort of experience that people will be talking about for days and weeks afterwards,” said Shona
“We think the ‘Sundae School’ at Mackie’s 19.2 certainly ticks that box when you can create your own sundae with your favourite ice creams, toppings and sauce, then let your imagination run riot when you decorate it with your favourite toppings, cream and wafers.
“Not only that, customers will get their own graduation certificate, a souvenir digital photo with your sundae and graduation hat.”
The Sundae School will run on Sunday, March 2, and Sunday, March 9 at 11.30am and costs £15 for two sundaes and two drinks.
Meanwhile, Dough & Co is inviting families to come along during Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks, get behind the scenes, learn about the products then make and dunk your own donut.
Shona said: “This promises to be a fun event for all the family, suitable for four-year-olds up. It’s a chance to get together, make your own creation and find out what goes into making one of these tasty treats – putting the ‘oh’ into donut.”
Second Home Studio + Cafe and Breathing Space Studio are coming together for Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks, to offer deals for yoga and breakfast; yoga and lunch and even yoga, coffee and cake.
Shona said: “It’s not as much of a stretch as you think to go from having something healthy to eat, then a spot of invigorating – or relaxing – yoga. We think these sessions will prove to be hugely popular.”
She is also anticipating the return of the Foodie Passport will be popular, with diners asked to validate their visits to four different restaurants then be in with a chance of winning a £500 Aberdeen Gift Card.
Shona went on: “What could be better than enjoying four top-class meals at excellent prices over the two weeks? Well, winning a £500 gift card to spend in your favourite eateries – or any of the other 300 plus places that take the gift card – might just be the icing on the cake.”
Also returning – but under wraps for now – will be the successful Secret Suppers dining experiences. Unique one-off themed social dining events which encourage diners to be brave by putting their trust in the hands of the chefs and teams who are creating these extra special evenings.
Shona said: “These really captured the imagination last year, with diners signing up for a special experience where they don’t know which restaurant they will be going to or what they will be eating until the day itself.
“They were so popular, they sold out within hours of going on sale and we expect that to happen again – so watch out for our on sale announcement in the coming weeks.”
Shona said she has been delighted with the way Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks has grown since Aberdeen Inspired first launched it in 2017.
“We were confident it would be well-received, but had no idea just how popular it would become," she said.
"It has now grown to be one of the best-loved festivals in the Granite City and there is always a sense of excitement about who will be taking part and what their menus and deals will be.
“We have pulled out all the stops to make this Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks something people will savour at the time, then relish as a memory for weeks after.
“So, come and get it!”
For a full list of participating restaurants and events during Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks click here.