The 5 Best Restaurants in Aberdeen, Scotland’s Rising Culinary Capital

Edinburgh and Glasgow have earned top billing on the global stage, but right now, foodies should be flocking to Aberdeen. More than just a passing-through point to the rolling hills and iconic distilleries of the Highlands, Scotland’s third-largest metropolitan area boasts multimillion-dollar upgrades to charming 19th-century gardens, the fabulous Aberdeen Art Gallery, and that most covetable type of food scene: homegrown and authentically buzzy but still low-key. Here, a selection of the best the city has to offer.

Moonfish Cafe

At this small dining room on a narrow cobblestone street in City Centre, the decor is minimal and the shelves are packed with dozens of gins, many British-made. Chef-owner Brian Mcleish changes the menu every six weeks in accordance with the phases of the seasons; his modernist dishes, which have earned the restaurant Michelin recommendations for the past six years, take cues from traditional Scottish cooking—think a clever interpretation of a fish pie in the form of baked scallops, roasted-cauliflower puree, basil pesto, and house-cured sausage under a puff-pastry top. 

Tarragon

Before opening his restaurant in 2022, Aberdeen native Graham Mitchell cooked for a luxury cruise line and made a habit of hitting the local eateries wherever the ships docked. His stops in Mexico, the Philippines, India, and beyond inspire the menu at this easygoing, window-walled space where dishes include molecular-gastronomy influences from the likes of chef Thomas Keller, of the French Laundry, who consulted on the cruise-line menus. But despite his global flourishes, Mitchell is fanatically loyal to local ingredients, a dynamic that results in dishes such as monkfish carpaccio with pineapple, mango, and chili, or prawn tikka accompanied by curry puffed rice and dotted with passion fruit and apple. 

Amuse by Kevin Dalgleish

A leisurely meal at this refined yet relaxed eatery is a study in contrasts: Tiny amethyst flowers spring from an ivory mound of horseradish cream; fried-onion threads crown a sweet, meaty roasted scallop; bits of peeled grape deliver a pop of sweetness in a zingy curry dressing. Through his previous stints at private castles and luxury hotels, Dalgleish curated a roster of local fishmongers, smokehouses, distilleries, and dairy farms going back generations, all of which supply the provisions for the incredible “Scottish larder” he makes use of in his kitchen. 

Mara

Before Mara opened in December 2023, the city’s Italian dining options were limited to pizzerias and a few red-sauce joints. But this light-filled neighborhood spot, which doubles as a wine shop focusing on Italian bottles, elevated the game with its menu of shareable plates such as venison tartare and pizzettas made with dough from neighboring Bandit Bakery, a local institution. The tattoos on chef-owner Ross Cochrane’s arm—an inky menagerie of Scottish wildlife from Highland deer to a lobster—showcase his commitment to sourcing from the region’s farms and fisheries. 

Faffless

To faff, in Britain, is to make an unnecessary fuss; to understand the message behind this restaurant’s name, then, is to know that chef-owner and sommelier Craig Thom adores wine—he just doesn’t faff about it. That laid-back attitude defines this casually glam bar slash art gallery in a Georgian townhouse with park views, where a pared-back menu of fish, beef, and vegetarian plates leaves plenty of opportunity to focus on the entirely organic wine list, with up to 80 selections offered by the glass. To end the night, head downstairs to Bonne Nuit, the fin de siècle Paris-themed absinthe and cocktail bar in the basement.