The Best Bars To Wet Your Whistle In Aberdeen
It’s famous for its granite architecture, proximity to the North Sea oil fields and being steamrolled over by Donald Trump to make way for another one of his golf-courses, but where do the good folk of Aberdeen go for a wee dram? Here is our definitive guide to the best bars in Aberdeen.
1. The Grill
Pub, Pub Grub
Price: Mid-range
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday: 10am – 12am
Watch out for: The historic pub interior Alan Jamieson/Flickr
2. The Tippling House
Cocktail Bar, Cocktails
Price: Mid-range
Opening Hours: Sunday to Thursday: 4pm – 2am; Friday and Saturday: 4pm – 3am
Watch out for: The ‘Dufftown Boilermaker’ Bernt Rostad/Flickr
3. Brewdog
Bar, Pub
Brewdog
The founding member (and now flagship bar) of the Brewdog craft beer pub empire, Brewdog Aberdeen still remains one of the Granite City’s finest watering holes, in spite of moves to commercialise the brand with t-shirts and placards decorating the pub. In 2010, the former Marischal pub was thoroughly sledgehammered and given a fresh lick of paint to make way for this pioneering on-premise brewery, which still features a healthy selection of its own draught beers on tap, not to mention a rotation of one hundred or so Brewdog favourites and guest beers from the likes of European and international brewers such as Mikkeller, Stone, Nonge O and Three Floyds.
Price: Mid-range
Opening Hours: Sunday to Thursday: 12pm – 12am; Friday and Saturday: 12pm – 1am
Watch out for: A UK craft beer pioneer
17 Gallowgate, Aberdeen, Aberdeen City AB25 1EB, +44 1224 631223
4. Bos'n
Bar
Bos’n
Bos’n is variously a tapas bar, social club and dive bar with an overall Latin-American theme. The concept adheres to the popular bar decor style of upcycled and repurposed furniture, with its palette boards and coffee sacks lining the floors, but manages to steer clear of pretentiousness with playful touches such as mini umbrellas in the cocktails. Those cocktails are indeed the real stars of the show, reflecting the bar’s love of sugarcane and agave-based spirits, Red Stripe lager and slushy drinks. Try out the ‘Bos’n Michelada’ (Arette Blanco Tequila, tomato juice and a house blend of mixed spices topped up with beer) and the classic Mai Tai. The Latin American tapas plates include lamb quesadillas, pressed pork cheek and mango, and Shetland blue mussel, fiesta veg and wasabi mayo. Bos’n is situated within The Aberdeen Academy, an upscale retail mall in a converted school replete with designer brand stores and additional fine dining, so Bos’n patrons can satisfy their retail therapy cravings after drinks, or alternately refuel after a shopping session.
Price: Mid-range
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 10am – 6pm; Saturday: 9am – 6pm; Sunday: 12pm – 5pm
Watch out for: The Bos’n Michelada
Belmont St, Aberdeen AB10 1LB, +44 1224 633009
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