Aberdeen's 10 Best Restaurants And Pubs

Scotland’s third largest city, Aberdeen, lies on the bracing North Sea coast and has long been known as a booming city thanks to the oil industry. Given its proximity to the sea and the Highlands, you can expect fresh fish and hearty beef and venison dishes at these ten noteworthy spots.

1. Adelphi Kitchen

Restaurant, Seafood

The Adelphi Kitchen is primarily a meat and seafood restaurant offering big, full flavours. All of the cooking follows the methods established by Marcus Bawdon, the barbecue guru, who pioneered cooking directly over charcoal. The Adelphi has an open pit barbecue in the kitchen as well as hot and cold smoking units. Produce is all locally sourced and there is a big effort to build links with local suppliers. All beef is handpicked and dry-aged for 40 days.

2. Fusion

Bar, Bistro, Restaurant, Pub Grub, European

Fusion is situated right in the city centre of Aberdeen. The décor is fresh and modern, with lime green furniture and fresh flowers giving the place a relaxed feel. There is a Perrier-Jouët Champagne Bar in the downstairs area with the main restaurant sited above. Fusion has received the Restaurant of the Year accolade at the Grampian Hospitality Awards, with the chefs also being handed various prizes for their work. The menu at Fusion has a contemporary feel to it, with Scottish classics made with influences from North Africa, the Continent and the Far East.

3. Moonfish Café

Restaurant, Cafe, Bistro, Seafood, British

The Moonfish Café is located in the centre of Aberdeen on the historic Correction Wynd on which once stood a House of Correction for vagrants and delinquents back in the 17th century. The menu at the Moonfish Café is not hidebound to tradition and the chef and owner Christian Recomio takes inspiration from ingredients and flavours discovered on worldwide travels.

4. Musa

Restaurant, European

Musa is a unique combination of chic contemporary restaurant, art gallery, and live music venue. Offering a relaxed and trendy feel, Musa is located in the Merchant’s Quarter in Aberdeen’s harbour area. The menu brings together traditional Scottish dishes with the finest contemporary execution and techniques. You will find starters such as Cullen skink with oatcakes, and spiced crab and crayfish with avocado purée, as well as hearty main coursess. There is live music hosted each weekend and an open-mic spot every Monday. The artworks are changed every 2 months and all are for sale.

5. Rendezvous at Nargile

Restaurant, Turkish

Rendezvous at Nargile has a contemporary Turkish menu, but you will find lots of Middle Eastern as well as modern western influences in there as well. The dishes are all of an excellent standard and Rendezvous at Nargile has been voted the Best Mediterranean Restaurant in Scotland. You’ll find a wide selection of traditional mezes including falafel (chickpea and herb croquettes with dip). Speciality main courses include the geyik antrecot izgara, which is the finest venison chargrilled and served with a brandy and redcurrant jus.

6. Silver Darling

Restaurant, Seafood, French, British

The Silver Darling provides the highest standard fine dining. The name is taken from the colloquial Scottish term for the herring and reflects the strong emphasis on fish on the menu. Opened back in 1986, the restaurant is owned and run by French chef Didier Dejean. It has a unique location, situated in a large glass conservatory on top of a castellated former customs house on the quayside, enabling diners to look out over the North Sea. The restaurant has been continuously recommended in the Good Food Guide and boasts an impressive menu. Starters served at dinner include pan-fried scallops with leek and onion fondue and Serrano ham, whilst the mains menu features steamed turbot, poached monkfish and fillet of sea bream.

7. Yatai Izakaya

Yatai Izakaya

Yatai Izakaya offers the finest modern and traditional Japanese cuisine. The chef, John Jones, started out cooking for executives at Honda before heading to London to work in leading Japanese restaurants such as Zuma in Knightsbridge and the Michelin-starred Umu Kaiseki. After this he travelled the length of Japan discovering flavours and the finest ingredients, as well as working in various restaurants including the prestigious Tokyo Park Hyatt. His menu at Yatai Izakaya features lots of excellent seafood such as squid, eel, and prawn and dishes including salmon with teriyaki, tuna loin with spicy butter Sauce, and Japanese beef flank.
Yatai Izakaya, 53 Langstane Place, Aberdeen, Scotland +44 1224 592 355

8. Shri Bheema’s Indian Restaurant

Restaurant, Indian, Contemporary

Shri Bheema’s Indian Restaurant is the most popular and highly-regarded curry house in Aberdeen. The restaurant is named after a character in the ancient Indian epic poem the Mahabharata, who was famed for his strength, cooking ability and appetite. The menu includes both North and South Indian dishes with a range of tempting curries. You’ll find old favourites such as korma, as well as more unusual curries like patia, kadai, and kulambu.

9. The Stage Door

Restaurant, British

As the name suggests, there is a distinct theatrical theme to The Stage Door. Located close to His Majesty’s Theatre and the Music Hall in the centre of Aberdeen, the restaurant has been a favourite of thespians and theatre-goers for over 14 years now. The Stage Door prides itself on providing excellent food and efficient staff. Good relations are built with the customers through regular wine tasting events run by the restaurant sommeliers. The menu is traditional Scottish with a hint of Continental influence, expect lots of steaks and seafood. There is a pre-theatre menu as well as a dinner menu.

10. Granite Park

Bar, Restaurant, British

Granite Park has a reputation for offering a refined and sophisticated fine dining experience. There’s a bar on the lower ground floor level, ideal for sampling some cocktails and aperitifs before heading up to the restaurant for dinner. You can choose from classic cocktails such as a bloody mary, long island ice tea or a soor loon, along with signature Granite Park creations conceived by the barman Miro. The lunch and dinner menus feature contemporary Scottish cuisine full of big flavours ad innovative combinations.

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