Aberdeen City Centre Beer Gardens

Prior to 2020 should there ever be a glorious sunny day in Aberdeen many of us would rush to try and bag a table at one of only a couple of spots in the city with outdoor seating. Cue covid and the new normal and suddenly if we want to enjoy a drink then certainly for now it invariably needs to be outdoors - whatever the weather! I've pulled together a summary of beer gardens in the city centre - there may well be more - let me know and I'll add them. Some are large and fully covered, others are small - perhaps only a couple of tables - with or without umbrellas so choose wisely and dress warmly!

In Level 3 alcohol is only permitted outside and a maximum of six people from six households can book and be present on any one table. Venues will have to close by 10pm.

Please check directly whether pre booking is required and/or if walk ins are accepted and what each individual venue allows with regards to table numbers as it may not be the same as what the legal limit is. Please follow all social distancing measures, only visit if you are feeling well, stay safe and be respectful of all staff and customers.

Sandman Signature Hotel & Spa Aberdeen

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Review post in collaboration with Sandman Signature Hotel & Spa Aberdeen

Relax and escape to an oasis of calm in Aberdeen city centre at the newly opened Spa in the Sandman Signature Hotel. Rest, recovery and pampering in stylish surroundings with the full range of Ishga face and body treatments plus a steam room, sauna and relaxation room. Open 7 days a week to residents and non residents.

I promise I am both smiling and relaxed behind my mask. After a week of the stresses and strains of covid, the US election and a house sale falling through it was a delight to escape to the stylish tranquility of the Sandman Aberdeen Hotel and their new Signature Spa. In what is a tough time for hospitality the new Spa facilities provide a much needed boost to the city centre hotel’s offering. 

Have you even been to The Sandman if you don't take a photo of the brollies?!

I'd previously visited, eat and drunk in the hotel but this was my first stay and as with everything in 2020 things were a bit unusual. With a friend as my plus one we each had separate rooms as per current restrictions. Masks were worn unless sat at a table eating or drinking, only one household in the lift at a time, plenty of hand sanitizer throughout, sneeze guards at reception, limited housekeeping, track and trace upon entry to the restaurant with reservations essential for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That's just how the new normal is, for now. We felt safe throughout our visit with all precautions in place, the public areas are ideal for social distancing, large and open and very stylish even with some non essential items removed.

I’m no stranger to The Sandman building having studied there during its previous role as Robert Gordons University School of Computing. Whilst the majority of my Business Studies degree was based within the Hilton Campus we matriculated and picked up our grant cheques (remember those?!) at St Andrews Street and had Quantitative Business Methods classes and exams there. It certainly looked nothing like this on the inside in the 90's. For this stay we both had king suites with kitchenettes and shower rooms on the third floor overlooking the centre courtyard car park. They were a touch stark due to the removal of cushions and soft furnishings, but spacious, practical and comfortable.

Just along the corridor from us on the third floor is the new Signature Spa where were were welcomed by manager Liam Downie and team. Alas covid prevents the use of the fitness facilities, sauna and steam room for now along with facial treatments that would require the removal of masks. But there’s still plenty on offer featuring product from Ishga Skincare - organic seaweed from the Hebrides. Sandman are the only spa or salon in the city to offer the product which in addition to smelling divine, contains a powerful seaweed extract renowned for anti-ageing and antioxidant properties.

The spa space is stylish and relaxing with reception, treatment rooms, nail room, relaxation room and changing rooms. Alas for now the sauna and steam rooms remain closed. I enjoyed a relaxing massage and my friend had an indulgent hand recovery treatment, the perfect antidote to all that hand sanitizer! My therapist Gaby was fully kitted out in PPE and I was required to keep my mask on throughout the treatment. In my mind there is nothing worse than a wishy washy massage but this was the real deal with firm pressure and divine product. Following our treatments we headed to the relaxation room. The stylish wavy loungers were a bit tricky to get in and out of but super comfy to chill in prior the obligatory photos at the flower wall before padding back to our rooms in robe and slippers. 

There are some fantastic welcome offers for the Spa in November and December which can also be bought on gift cards with a 12 month validity so you can treat someone - or even better treat yourself. (go on, you deserve it!) There are also excellent room rates available if you fancy a wee staycation. It was so nice to be able to escape for real life for a short while even with restrictions in place, I highly recommend it.

To book Sandman signature spa call 01224 945554 (during office hours) or email them spa_aberdeen@sandmanhotels.co.uk. Either way - be sure to tell them I sent you.

Dinner and Drinks at CHOP Bar & Grill

Disclosure: This is not a paid post. We stayed, relaxed, ate and drank as guests of Sandman Signature Aberdeen.

As always, all views expressed are my own. 

Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me as a passionate Scottish Food Blogger to continue to share my Edible Food and Travel Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.

Plastic Free, Zero Waste Refillery Shops in North East Scotland

With climate change and single use plastics high on both the environmental and political agenda, an increasing number of zero waste shops have been popping up in the last couple of years across the county. The North East corner of Scotland is no exception so bring your own own tubs, jars, bags and containers and fill them up to your heart's content at these plastic free, zero waste refillery shops in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Moray and Dundee.

Surely we're all now aware that for the sake of our planet we really should be cutting down on single use plastics. One of the ways we can do this is to purchase goods from a refillery shop where you bring along your own containers and fill them up with products such as nuts, seeds, pasta, rice, pulses, grains, oils, herbs and spices etc. Likewise for refillable cleaning and toiletry products and plastic free homewares. You can buy as much or as little as you wish and you don't need to be a knit your own lentil vegan hippy to shop there. 

Although all shops work slightly differently the basic premise is that you weigh your receptacle before you fill it and again afterwards. Effectively it's weigh and pay without any wasteful packaging. Less food waste as you only buy what you need and a lower price as up to a fifth of our shopping bill in supermarkets goes on packaging. 

Bring your own jar, box, tub, bottle, bag - the choice is yours, pretty much any container goes. If you don't have enough with you or it's an unplanned visit most shops will offer the option to use a paper bag or a recycled glass jar. 

Such shops are popping up all around the country at the moment and the North East corner of Scotland is no exception so bring your own own tubs, jars, bags and containers and fill them up to your heart's content at these plastic free, zero waste refillery shops in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Moray and Dundee. 

Shop Local and Home Delivery in Aberdeen/shire during Covid 19 lockdown

16th June 2020 - Stay Loyal Stay Local

After 13 weeks of constant updates, I've just made my final weekly amendments to this listing and won't be updating it further moving forward. 

Many of you have told me how useful it has been but as we ease into a 'new normal' and places reopen it's now served it's initial signposting purpose. However as the supermarket shelves are once again full, do keep in mind who/where was able to feed you when the usual supply chain broke down. Please continue this local support and direct connection with talented food and drink producers and retailers going forward. #StayLoyalStayLocal

We're in the midst of strange times at the moment and one of the things that has become apparent is how well local producers and food businesses across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have stepped up to the mark to offer delivery and collection services.

To try and help folk track down what's available in the area I created a post on my Facebook  page with a list of local businesses selling and delivering groceries etc  This grew arms and legs and escalated in size and sale very quickly. Facebook only allows you to tag up to 50 pages in a post so I had to include lots of unclickable links. My initial list was based on geography and as the situation developed and lockdown commenced it became apparent that may not be the best classification and that the facebook post despite being seen by thousands and shared by hundreds was somewhat unwieldy.

Cue this new blog post where I've compiled an updated list by category of foodstuff of where in Aberdeen/shire you can shop local for your groceries and/or have them delivered. This list is for groceries only not take away or cakes/sweets etc (with the exception of afternoon teas as folk keep messaging me about that) In current circumstances this list is ever changing and is by no means comprehensive. There will be errors, there will be omissions and for that I can only apologies. I'm doing this entirely off my own bat just to try and support local businesses and help both them and those of us who are doing the right thing by social distancing, isolating or shielding.

Ultimate Visitor Guide to the New Aberdeen Art Gallery

The ultimate practical guide for those wishing to visit the new Aberdeen Art Gallery. After a four year wait and a £34.6 million transformation it has been re-imagined, re-born and is ready to be re-discovered. Reassuringly familiar yet distinctly different. Open to all from Monday 4th November 2019. FREE entry, open 7 days. Full onsite facilities with accessible for all toilets, cafes and gift shop.

Re-imagined, re-born and ready to be re-discovered... 

Aberdeen Art Gallery is once again open to the general public. Within this post I'm going to give you the ultimate practical guide to visiting Aberdeen Art Gallery. I'll answer the where, what, why, when, how and provide you with the information you'll need to make your visit as smooth and enjoyable as possible. I'm going to focus on the practicalities rather than the exhibits themselves. They are undoubtedly stunning and quite frankly speak for themselves. Suffice to say the redevelopment project has transformed the Art Gallery, Cowdray Hall and the Remembrance Hall into a major cultural attraction in the heart of the granite city. 

Dog Friendly places to Eat in Aberdeen

Over fifty dog friendly places to eat and drink in Aberdeen City and Shire. Your four legged friend will be made very welcome in this selection of Cafes, Restaurants, Coffee Shops and Pubs. 

Originally posted Feb 2018, updated June 2019

Much to my daughters disgust we don't have a dog. Because of this we are the worst parents ever. As such she takes every opportunity possible to engage with four legged friends and is always happy to doggy walk and sit for friends (or complete strangers!) For her the Long Dog Cafe is all about the dogs and the freakshakes are secondary! Today's post came about due to a series of interrelated events. A couple of weeks ago I received a call from a researcher from the Kay Adams show on BBC Radio Scotland wondering if I'd like to appear on air and object to the proliferation of dogs in eateries. I declined. Despite not being a dog owner, give me a well behaved dog in a cafe over a badly behaved human any day of the week! 

Where to eat at Aberdeen Indoor Market

Where in Aberdeen can you eat at an avocado cafe alongside authentic Thai food, ramen and sushi? Aberdeen Market is admittedly not the most glamorous of dining locations in the city but it is home to a handful of hidden gems namely The Sushi Box, Madame Mew's and AVO. Nuart has given Aberdeen Indoor Market a new lease of life on the outside and the food offerings are doing the same inside with an increasing selection of Aberdeen Market Restaurants.

Unless you are in the know, I suspect that Aberdeen Indoor Market is not somewhere that many would tend to venture into in search of food. Once a thriving shopping hub in the city centre it has become increasingly tired over recent years, even moreso with the closure of British Home Stores. Sushi Box and Madame Mew's Thai cafe have been longstanding favourites of mine serving up authentic cuisine with a warm welcome and offering great value. The new kid on the block is AVO. Aberdeen's very own avocado cafe. 

Small things make a big difference to Community Groups

Advertisement Feature in association with the Aviva Community Fund

Across the UK, community projects work tirelessly with often very little resources to help change and improve their local areas and services. This is something that I have seen first-hand through my own involvement over the years with various groups on both a personal and professional basis. Personally, I’ve been involved in a number of groups as my kids have grown up from toddlers to playgroup, PTA and out of school club, uniformed organisations, sports clubs and more. I’ve also volunteered for wonderful causes including the environment, cancer care, family support and running. Professionally I’ve worked with a number of fantastic organisations on food education projects for adults, children and disadvantaged groups. All of these initiatives help make a lasting difference and bring communities together. 

Northern Lights - Aberdeen Airport Lounge

Review post in collaboration with Aberdeen International Airport

Start your trip in style in the Northern Lights Aberdeen Airport Lounge. Located on the first floor of the main terminal, guests can enjoy a relaxed pre-flight atmosphere with a complimentary selection of proudly local Aberdeenshire food and drinks. Escape the hustle and bustle of the departure gates and chill out in style before you fly. The Northern Lights executive lounge is available to all airport passengers on a paid for basis and the entry price includes free food and drink. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for Aberdeen Airport lounge discount codes and special offers for even better value.

The Northern Lights of old Aberdeen, mean home sweet home to me

The Northern Lights of Aberdeen are what I long to see

I’ve been a wanderer all of my life and many a sight I've seen

God speed the day when I'm on my way, to my home in Aberdeen 

Perhaps best known now on the terraces of Pittodrie sung by AFC fans, my Mum used to sing this traditional Scottish song to me as a lullaby. Alas despite a trip to Iceland I've never seen the Northern Lights so they remain on my bucket list. Something else that many folks may wish to tick off their bucket list is to make use of an airport lounge prior to a flight. Once seen as elite and exclusive, only for those travelling in first class or suited and booted business travellers, many lounges are now available to all airport passengers on a paid for basis. You too can escape the hustle and bustle of the departure gates and chill out in style before you fly whether that be for business or pleasure.

Maggie's Kitchen Table and Aberdeen Culture Crawl

Last Friday I had a fantastic day as a result of a not so fantastic life event. Back in January 2016 my Mum was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is now doing really well and has a fantastically positive mindset following a double mastectomy and a tough couple of years of treatment including both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. It's only when you are faced with something like this at close quarters that you come to appreciate the network of care that is available outwith the NHS. For our whole family Maggie's Highland provided practical, emotional and social support. It really is everyone's home of cancer care and it felt only right to give something back.

Cookery Courses & Foodie Experiences in Aberdeen City & Shire

Looking for a Cookery Class or food experience in Aberdeen City or Shire? Learn a new skill in cooking, baking, butchery, chocolate, BBQ, breadmaking, fine dining, vegan, plant based and more with one of these providers or tutors. Public classes, corporate team building, children's cookery classes, private lessons, confidence to cook, chef for a day, kitchen hire, birthday parties - there's something to suit every taste and budget.

Please do let me know of any other Cookery Courses or Foodie Experiences in Aberdeen City and Shire that I've missed as I'd be happy to include them in this listing.

Cook at the Nook 

CFINE, 2 Poynernook Rd, Aberdeen 

www.cfine.org

Public Classes 

CFINE's fully equipped modern training kitchen in Aberdeen offers professionally led cookery courses. 

Each class is run by a trained chef/food enthusiast who will guide you in the art of cooking in a number of disciplines including Indian Cookery, Modern Scottish, Fine Dine and Italian Cuisine, sharing their skills and experience in a hands-on environment. 

Trainees will leave ready to impress friends and family with a host of newly acquired skills. 

Corporate team building 

We offer a range of options for your staff team to get involved as part of a team building away-day. The activities can be suited to your needs and are fun and informative, and can prove eye-opening for participants.

The day can be arranged around a number of themes including food waste and food poverty/insecurity.

In the past we have done:

· Ready-steady-cook style competitive games using surplus or 'waste' food

· Creative cooking with an emergency food parcel

· Scenario based challenges like budget planning/cooking on a very low income.

Community Classes

Cook at the ‘Nook are running cooking classes where we aim to use surplus food where possible to make healthy, tasty meals on a budget. Also part of the course is that we work with our partner organisation who could help you or your group whether that be:

· Home Efficiency

· Employability

· Balancing a Budget

What services can we offer the community?

· Join one of our own Cooking on a Budget Courses

· Run your own Cooking on a Budget Course

· Hire Cook at the ‘Nook for a Community Event

· Basic Cooking skills

· Basic Knife Skills 

The Bread Maker

50/52 Rosemount Viaduct, 

Aberdeen

£100, 10am - 3pm, max 6 in a class, everything you make you take home

www.thebreadmaker.org.uk

The Bread Maker is a commercially focused social enterprise. Situated in the heart of the city it offers a very unique course taking participants through the bread making process. 

We will give you the confidence to produce bread in your own kitchen, giving you a real talking point of any meal. 

The course covers every aspect of bread making from scratch, including hand mixing, proving, finishing and firing. Breads covered are un-yeasted breads, various whites, wholemeal, ciabatta, foccacia and pizzas. 

Garioch Community Kitchen 

Wyness Hall, Jackson Street

Inverurie

www.gariochcommunitykitchen.org

Garioch Community Kitchen is a Scottish Charity that provides practical cooking sessions for members of the local community.

• Adults Cookery Classes
• Childrens Cookery Classes
• Children's Birthday Parties
• Private or Commercial Hire

The Mixing Bowl

www.mixingbowlaberdeen.co.uk

The Mixing Bowl is a community food interest group that meets monthly for talks, tasting, demonstrations and cooking workshops. The events are run by local food enthusiasts.

Meetings are usually held at St Devenick’s Church Hall in Bieldside unless otherwise specified. Costs vary depending on the event content but are generally between £10 to £15. Everyone is welcome but places need to be booked in advance via the website

Cook’s Day Off - Samantha Pack

www.cooksdayoff.co.uk

Samantha Pack, the owner, Italian-British, passionate about food 

I love teaching; my style is “hands-on” workshops hence the groups aren’t more than 8/10 people (depending on the type of class).

Best selling class is Macarons: people will learn all the tricks of the trade and they are able to reproduce this beautiful delicacy. All my classes are open to any skill level.

Classes I am currently teaching:

• MACARONS
• GLUTEN FREE: I finally nailed the right flours combination that allows me to prepare the best fresh gluten free tagliatelle and pizza. 
• ITALIAN BAKERY: Ciabatta bread and Pizza, restaurant style. 
• ITALIAN DESSERTS: Tiramisu, almond Biscotti and Amaretti.
• PASTA PARTY: how to prepare fresh pasta and learn how to use the pasta machine. Preparation of three sauces: tomatoes, basil pesto and Bolognaise.
• CONFIDENCE TO COOK: open to THREE students only. Allows me to run almost a 1 to one class. It’s perfect to who has a very low confidence on cooking. My program covers all the possible skills. We will start from knives skills and then bakery, pasta and sauces making, puddings.

Angus & Oink
www.angusandoink.com
BBQ School

Cocoa Ooze 

New Jasmine House, Greenbank Place, East Tullos, 

Aberdeen 

www.cocoa-ooze.co.uk

2 hour workshop - £38.50 

Come and try our tasty chocolate making workshops with our master chocolatiers. Whether it's someone's birthday, hen party, girls day out or just an excuse to get together and learn the art of chocolate making, Cocoa Ooze can cater to all occasions. 

You and your group will learn how to make truffles & chocolate bars and experiment with flavours. Taste testing is a crucial part in making the chocolates so you will be delighted to hear that we do encourage this. Whatever you make on the day you will be able to package and take home with you. That is of course if you don't eat it all at the workshop.. 

Wark Farm 

Cushnie, Alford, Aberdeenshire

Butchery Experience - half day £75 (Butchery & Meat Cookery) whole day £120 (Butchery, Farming and Meat Cookery) 

www.warkfarm.co.uk

Wark Farm is offering vouchers for half and whole butchery and meat cookery days, giving you the opportunity to test your knife skills, learn more about how to cook different cuts and find out what's involved in rearing organic sheep and cattle. 

Eat On The Green 

Udny Green,Ellon 

Chef for the day - half day £100 - includes a light lunch, full day £200 and includes a 4 course dinner 

www.eatonthegreen.co.uk

Offering a unique experience for people of all cookery skills and abilities the Chef for a Day package gives you the opportunity for some one-to-one tuition and the chance to experience the buzz and excitement of a busy professional kitchen; learning new skills and techniques, whilst producing mouth-watering dishes which can be re-created at home. The day starts with a chat with Craig Wilson, owner/proprietor, following this you will meet with the kitchen brigade and then will be put to work helping to prepare for the busy lunch and dinner services. 

Kincardine Cookery 

Kincardine Castle, Kincardine O'Neil, Aboyne 

Group courses start at £75 and include a delicious lunch. Private lessons are tailored to your own foodie interests and tastes, and prices start from £150 plus ingredients. 

www.kincardinecookery.com

Louisa and Rupert were teachers at Leiths School of Food and Wine in London before moving up to Aberdeenshire in 2015. They currently run Kincardine Cookery, a private catering company, that also offers cookery teaching. They run regular courses throughout the year at Kincardine Castle and can provide private lessons for individuals or small groups in your own home. Courses cover everything from how to chop an onion to advanced pastry, bread and butchery skills. 

Brunch & Learn
Classes can be booked at www.joshealthycupboard.co.uk

Nicola and Jo's plant-based classes are held once a month at No1 in Banchory in beautiful Deeside.
The classes are aimed at those who want to learn more about plant-based cooking and desserts.
Nicola has cooked her way around the world bringing international flavours to your plates and Jo runs Jo's Healthy Cupboard and has been making healthy treats and desserts for over 3 years.
Neither are trained chefs but both extremely passionate about plant-based and healthier cooking.
At a brunch & learn workshop you will watch as Nicola and Jo prepare delicious savoury and sweet treats with a different theme each month.
Guests also get to eat their food in a relaxing and fun environment. Everyone goes home with the recipes to make delicious plant-based food at home.

Thaikhun 

Union Square, Aberdeen 

Learn to cook Tasty Thai at Thaikhun - £59 per head 

www.thaikhun.co.uk

Our Cookery and Cocktail classes run every Sunday at 10am and can hold up to maximum 15 people.

Course includes - One cocktail (Coconut Mojito), two courses, recipe cards and a Thaikhun apron. 

Chaophraya 

1 Union Terrace, Aberdeen 

Escape your home kitchen for a session learning how to master Thai food with us here at Chaophraya. 

Sessions run every Sunday at midday. £69 per person. 

www.chaophraya.co.uk

Cooking classes feature: 

• Welcome fruit punch on arrival 
• Introduction to Thai ingredients and where to source them 
• Watch a short demonstration by our Chef 
• Try your hand at cooking two dishes 
• Tasting session 
• Chaophraya Apron 

Shirley Vass Venezuelan Cooking

shirleyvass@gmail.com

Originally from Venezuela Shirley has lived in Aberdeenshire since 2003. 

Cooking workshops are held mainly at Number One, Banchory AB31 5SE. 

Workshops usually last 2 hours and the cost per person is £30.

I am not a trained chef, just a Mum who loves to cook and enjoys teaching others. I just want to initiate people into the world of the Arepa, perhaps the most famous and loved dish of the Venezuelan cuisine. During the workshop, participants will have the chance to learn more about the origins and evolution of the Arepa and actually prepare it along with the 3 most popular fillings. We would also enjoy a traditional Venezuelan homemade lemonade and time permitting we'll learn how to prepare some quick side dishes/tapas. After the workshop, we would all enjoy the product of our efforts. At-home cooking sessions, hen parties and Birthday cooking parties are also available. Arepas are gluten-free, and very versatile, which allows you to adapt it to a vegan or vegetarian diet. 

Little Buddha Bakes
Debbie Thornton
https://www.facebook.com/littlebuddhadebbie/
Raw & Vegan Food Workshops

North East Scotland College (NESCOL)

Aberdeen City Campus, Gallowgate, Aberdeen

www.nescol.ac.uk

Part time courses to help you master the art of recreational cooking and baking.

Subjects include breadmaking, cake decoration, can't cook need to cook! fine dining, Thai, Japanese, Indian, Itallan, Scottish, gluten free, vegetarian, home baking, desserts and more.

Bothies & Bannocks – Calum Lockerbie 

£85pp for a morning trip to the market, cookery class and 3 course meal (drinks not included). 

www.facebook.com/Bothiesandbannocks

calum@bothiesandbannocks.co.uk

Bothies and Bannocks has been set up by myself, Calum Lockerbie, a local lad with a passion for top quality, seasonal local produce. My aim is to provide chauffeur driven food tours and experiences in Aberdeenshire. 

Our monthly “Market Day Cookery Class” is a cookery class with a difference. With a maximum group of 8 we will meet in Aberdeen in the morning for a brief introduction before I drive us out to one of the many fantastic local Farmers Markets Aberdeenshire has to offer. 

Here we will get a chance to chat with producers and learn about seasonality and what makes their product so special. As a group we will decide, based on seasonality and availability, what to buy for our cookery class. Obviously, we will have time for nibbles, coffee and a yap before we head back to the bus. 

On the way back to Aberdeen we can stop at a speciality drinks shop and choose some, wine, beer or soft drinks to go with our meal. We will then arrive back at the cook school where we will meet our very energetic, fun and talented chef. Using a good balance of hands on cookery and chef’s demos we will produce a three-course meal to enjoy with some drinks. 

Expect a fun, informative casual day out where we will meet great people, hear stories and eat some excellent locally produced food. 

Kids in the Kitchen

Lynne Cartledge
Kids in the Kitchen Aberdeen
Tel No: 07764 852101
E-Mail: kidsinthekitchenaberdeen@gmail.com
Visit the website: www.kidsinthekitchenaberdeen.co.uk
Facebook: kids in the kitchen Aberdeen

This post was originally published in December 2016 and revised May 2018. 

Christmas Shop, Drop and Dine at Aberdeen Union Square

Post in collaboration with Union Square

Unwrap Christmas at Aberdeen's Union Square Shopping Centre. Extended late night opening hours, hands-free shopping via the Union Square PLUS app and plenty of restaurants to refuel at whilst shopping, no matter what your dietary requirements. 

I'm all for anything which can help make the chaotic run up to Christmas that little bit easier. Whether that be quaffing mulled wine at any opportunity, bribing my kids to wrap presents, delegating food preparation or a bit of out of hours shopping to beat the crowds. The folks at Aberdeen's Union Square invited me to visit them for a Shop, Drop and Dine evening to celebrate the unwrapping of the centre's late-night shopping hours, experience the convenience of their hands-free shopping service and taste a range of festive and free-from dining options. The plan was that I'd share my visit on Facebook Live however technical gremlins got in the way and my wifi connection wasn't strong enough as I moved around the centre to keep me broadcasting constantly. So where technology failed me here's a virtual walk through of what we encountered on our #USQShopDropDine

Late Night Opening Hours

Forget squeezing your shopping into a busy lunch hour or already manic weekend. Instead head for the shops after work or even later. In the run uo to the big Ho Ho Ho, Union Square's stores (over 50 of them!) are now open until 9pm on weekdays, 9am to 7pm on Saturdays, and 10am to 7pm on Sundays. The centre will also be open from 10am to 5pm on Christmas Eve for any last minute panic buys. (Gents - I'm talking to you here!)

Parking

After 6pm parking is just £1 in the College Street car park (accessed via the railway station) or £1.50 in the main car park. We arrived just after 6pm and got a parking space in the multi storey no problem. (I should confess that I made my husband park up for a couple of minutes to make sure it really was after 6pm. No way was I paying £2.50 for 5 minutes of the previous hour. Ever the Aberdonian!) You do need to leave by 4am the next morning or it goes back to normal rate - so no going clubbing!

Hands Free Shopping

Love shopping? Hate carrying the bags? The one thing I miss from when my kids were toddlers was the ability to pile all my shopping underneath the buggy and on the handlebars. It is so much easier to shop when your hands are free. Sometimes I do head back to the car midway through a trip and drop off my haul but that's not always possible or practical. However now I've discovered that I can can leave my shopping bags with the Union Square Customer Service Team for free! To take advantage of this service you need to download the Union Square PLUS app and register your details. Visit the customer service desk with your bags (at the bottom of the escalators between Costa and Patisserie Valerie), scan and redeem the QR code and agree to the T&C's. They'll place your bags in a secure container and you'll be given a receipt. You need to collect your bags 15 minutes before the desk and the shops close. If for some reason you get lured away by eating, drinking or the cinema they'll keep them safe until the next morning.

Click and Collect

Another service that's available that I previously had no idea about is Click and Collect. We all know how frustrating it can be to wait in for (and then miss!) your Internet shopping delivery but if you place an online order with a retailer who offers CollectPlus you can get your parcels delivered direct to Union Square where the Customer Service team will look after them until you are ready to collect. And if it isn't right you can also deliver it back using the same service – meaning no more waiting in for delivery drivers. Likewise for Amazon orders you can pick up your goods at a time that's convenient for you. You'll find the he Amazon Lockers in the East Mall, towards the bus station, just after WH Smith.

Child Safe

Ever so slightly tempted to use this on my husband but resisted. When shopping with young children check in first at the Customer Service Desk and pick up a Child Safe Band. Just write your mobile number on the band, put it around your child's wrist and if they wander off security staff will aim to reunite them with you as quickly as possible.

Union Square Gift Card

If in doubt - Gift Card! What do you buy the person who has everything? The Union Square Gift Card can be used in all the centre's stores and restaurants plus Cineworld and Jurys Inn hotel. Gift Cards are available in denominations from £5 to £500 and are valid for 12 months from date of purchase. Buy them from the Customer Service desk or online at www.unionsquareaberdeen.com

Don't Shop Hungry

Fuel up for your shop or enjoy a well deserved meal afterwards at one the centres nineteen restaurants. Many are offering special festive discounts and deals ahead of Christmas and you can find those on the Union Square PLUS app. Our mission was to go on a festive and free-from Safari Supper and sample cocktails, starters, mains and desserts in four different locations. Tough job - but someone had to do it!

After the stresses of a failed Facebook Live I was sorely in need of a cocktail and the festive offerings at Giraffe did not disappoint. Three Christmas Cocktails are available - Gingerbread Martini, Panettone Fizz and Smoked Pomegranate Margarita. Thankfully I'd brought along a designated driver so was able to sample them all. If I'd had to order just one it would have been Gingerbread, I'm kind of obsessed with it. It was amazing and armed with the list of ingredients (vanilla vodka, pear brandy, gingerbread syrup, pink grapefruit and lemon juice) I'm going to attempt to try and recreate it at home. The Panettone Fizz contained my favourite Amaretto and also went down a treat, not so much the Margarita - but then again I'm not a whisky or tequila fan. Sláinte Mhaith if you are.

Next stop for our Vegan and Vegetarian starters was Yo Sushi. Not somewhere that I'd ever have considered for those particular dining options. I reluctantly turned my head away from all the seafood goodies making their way round the conveyor belt. First up was Tofu Katsu Curry. Not a great start as tofu is not something I'd ever choose to eat. Avocado Maki, Vegetable Tempura and Yasai Roll were the other 3 of a total of 33 vegetarian dishes on the menu that we tried, of those 19 are vegan. When it came to the taste test we really enjoyed all of the dishes. Even the tofu (which has been Voted 'Best Vegan Curry' by PETA). I may have to rethink my stance. Avocado Maki would be something I'd opt for anyway but my eyes were certainly opened to colourful plates containing more than simply raw fish. 

Vegan, Veggie and Gluten Free in a burger joint? This could be interesting! Byron Burger. Not an obvious choice for free-from dining. We sampled a couple of dishes to suit each dietary requirement. First up gluten free. Classic Cobb Salad and Skinny Bun Free Byron Burger. Vegetarian - Holy Macaroni and Bean Patty. Lastly Vegan - Portobello Mushroom 'burger' and House Salad. As if that wasn't enough we also had sides of Onion Rings and Sweet Potato Fries. Suffice to say we did not manage to even get close to clearing the table. Thank goodness they offer take away boxes. Our server explained that as everything is prepared fresh to order they are happy to mix and match the menu to suit all dietary requirements and have allergen information available should it be required. We were particularly impressed with the Cobb Salad. Not something I would have ever considered ordering but it was a real showstopper (and the leftovers made a fab lunch the following day!) The Holy Macaroni is a Christmas special with a warming glow from roasted green peppers, green chillies. Oh so moreish. I'm a fan of bun free burgers as I'd rather fill up on beef, bacon and cheese rather than bun but it hasn't crossed my mind that this was a GF option. Any of their burgers can be served in this way with a small house salad replacing the bun. Always really useful to know which restaurants are happy to swap around items on a menu whether that be for allergies and intolerances or just picky eaters like my daughter.

It's a good job that there's always room for dessert as otherwise we would have really struggled at Carluccio's, our final stop of the evening. Aperol Spritz for me an a Cappuccino for my designated driver as we drooled over the Menu Festivo. Orders were placed for a Coppa di Limoncello Mascarpone and a Meringa al frutto della passione. Shall I translate? Mascarpone limoncello cream drizzled with limoncello syrup and served with raspberries and crumbled amaretti biscuits. Absolute heaven! Across the table was an equally delicious glass of meringue, passion fruit cream, fresh raspberries and raspberry coulis. Just when we though we could take no more, two Cioccolata Fiorentinas arrived. Thick Florentine drinking chocolate served in an espresso cup - the perfect end to our #USQShopDropDine

Time to head home with full bellies and a few more gifts crossed off Santa's list. And yes we did remember to return and collect our bags from the shop and drop point. Hands free shopping is for life - not just for Christmas!

Disclosure: This is a commissioned post for Union Square. As always, all views expressed are my own.

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