The Aberben - Aberdeen

16/06/2026

Opening soon in Aberdeen city centre...

16/06/2026

When you find one of those places where you instantly understand why it's so popular
Spider on a Bicycle

I was absolutely gutted to miss out on coming here during Aberdeen Coffee & Cake Week, but I'm glad I finally made it out to Spider on a Bicycle in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.

The first thing that struck me was the space itself. The ceilings are incredibly high, giving it a real sense of openness, but somehow it still feels cosy and welcoming. Everywhere you look there's something interesting to catch your eye, whether it's the décor, artwork or little details dotted around the café. It's the kind of place where you could happily sit for ages if it was a quieter day.

It was busy when I visited, but after experiencing the friendly service and seeing how lovely the space is, that wasn't a surprise at all.

I kept things simple with a latte and a slice of apple cinnamon cake, and both were excellent. The coffee comes from Glasgow-based Papercup Roastery, who have been supplying Spider on a Bicycle for years, and it definitely showed in the quality of the cup.

Another thing I loved was how genuinely welcoming the café feels. It's dog friendly too, so your four-legged coffee date won't feel left out.

It's always nice when somewhere lives up to the recommendations, and Spider on a Bicycle absolutely did. A wonderful space, great coffee, delicious cake and one I'll happily return to next time I'm in Royal Deeside.

📍 Spider on a Bicycle
Unit 3, Station Square, Aboyne

🕐 Tue–Fri 10am–3pm | Sat–Sun 10am–4pm

🐶 Dog friendly

16/06/2026

🎏 OUR NEXT POP-UP LOCATION HAS BEEN REVEALED 🎏

We're so grateful for the incredible support you've shown us at our recent pop-up events, and we're excited to share where you'll be able to find us next ❤️

This Saturday, we're delighted to be part of the Dragon Boat Festival Market at Cults Academy.
A much-loved annual celebration, the Dragon Boat Festival brings together culture, food and community, making it a wonderful opportunity to discover and enjoy authentic handcrafted Japanese cakes and pastries.

Lovingly handcrafted by our baker from Kyoto, we'll be bringing along:
🍓 Japanese Strawberry Shortcake (per slice) £5.50
☁️ Japanese Cotton Cheesecake (per slice) £4.70
✨ Japanese Choux Cream (each): Original £2.50 & Uji Matcha £2.70
🍰 Japanese Financiers (each) £2.00
🧁 Handcrafted Cupcakes (each): Uji Matcha £3.20, £3.00 each for Biscoff, Cookies & Cream and Vanilla.

Each product reflects the flavours, techniques and craftsmanship that form part of our baker's heritage and experience in Japan.

As everything is handcrafted in small batches, pre-orders are highly recommended.

✨ Pre-orders will close at 12 noon on Thursday or sooner if we become fully booked, we encourage you to reserve your favourites early.

📍 Cults Academy
🗓 Saturday 20th June 2026
⏰ 12:00pm – 4:00pm
📩 To pre-order, simply send us a message or WhatsApp 07404 127304.

We'd love to see you there ❤️
P.S. If you've been wondering where we'll be popping up next, this is your sign to come and say hello 👋

14/06/2026

throwback to Winter Wonder Wander in 2024. tickets are now available for WWW 2026 in November in Duthie Park!

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Had the best time at the Winter Wonder Wander at Duthie Park Winter Gardens! (2024)

The gardens were transformed into a mesmerising rainbow-lit wonderland, creating an enchanted and magical vibe. Couldn’t have asked for a better evening with friends, soaking up the beauty of the lights and the festive spirit of the gardens.

I often go for a walk to Duthie Gardens during the day when I'm on my work break, so I'm very familiar with how they look during daylight. It's impressive how much of a transformation a few colours lights and LEDs can cause. The entry price of £9 felt very reasonable for the hour slot to walk around the enchanted gardens.

A huge thanks to Friends of Duthie Park and everyone involved for bringing this event back for a second year , no wonder it was a sellout.

If you missed it this year, definitely put it on your list for this November!

📍Duthie Park, Winter Gardens, Aberdeen

13/06/2026

A coffee shop, gift shop and tasting experience all rolled into one?

I popped into Wine Gogh and had the chance to chat with founder Artur Ghazaryan about the business and its relaunch.

While many people will know Wine Gogh for its carefully selected bottles and tasting experiences, the space has now evolved into something much more than that. You can now drop in for a coffee, a pastry and a relaxed catch-up, even if you're not there to browse the shelves.

What struck me most was the atmosphere. The venue is surprisingly spacious, yet still manages to feel warm, cosy and welcoming. It feels more like somebody's stylish living room than a traditional shop, making it an easy place to spend some time.
I also thoroughly enjoyed my almond croissant, supplied by local favourite The Bread Maker. It's always nice to see businesses supporting one another, and the pastry definitely hit the spot alongside a coffee.
Artur explained that the goal is to create a space centred around enjoyment, discovery and good conversation, without any of the intimidation that people sometimes associate with specialist retailers.
There are a few additions on the way too, including a range of zero-percent options for those looking for alcohol-free alternatives.

A few things worth knowing:
🎁 Complimentary gift wrapping on all bottles
☕ Coffee and pastries available daily
🌱 Zero-percent options coming soon
🏠 Warm, welcoming space to relax, browse and catch up with friends

It's always encouraging to see local businesses continuing to evolve and try new ideas, and

I wish Artur every success with this exciting new chapter for Wine Gogh.

📍 Wine Gogh,, Clifton Rd, Aberdeen
🕐 Mon–Thu 10am–8pm | Fri–Sat 10am–9pm (Closed Tues)

Have you heard of Wine Gogh before?

10/06/2026

09/06/2026

AD | Invite
One of Aberdeen's most colourful food establishments...

Found on Upperkirkgate, The Pig's Wings has been serving up creative small plates, tacos, burgers and more since 2018, and when you go in, you can see exactly why it's built such a loyal following.

From the outside it looks fairly modest, but don't let that fool you. Head up the funky stairs & you'll find even more seating, surrounded by one of the most vibrant and interesting interiors I've seen in a long time. Every wall seems packed with quirky artwork, signs, decorations and hidden details. We actually found ourselves spotting new things every time we looked around.

But the food is the real reason I was here...

The standout for me was the Steakhouse Special. Beautifully cooked medium rare steak, crispy onion rings and a peppercorn sauce that I could happily have eaten with a spoon.

The teriyaki pork belly bites were ridiculously tender, the halloumi bites paired perfectly with the straw and chilli jam, and the frickles dipped into the miso mayo were pretty damn good.

My pal went for the Queso-Birria Tacos with vegan cheese and absolutely loved them. It's also worth noting that they have dedicated vegan and gluten-free menus available, making it easy for everyone to find something they'll enjoy.

To finish things off, I took one for the team and had the biscoff cheesecake with salted caramel ice cream, which disappeared rather fast 😅

I was also pleasantly surprised by the Spicy Mango Margarita Mocktail. It actually packed a bit of a kick and was a great match for the food. Hopefully they'll start doing a proper mocktail menu soon 🤞

Another bonus? They're one of the few independent restaurants in Aberdeen that's actually open on a Monday, which is always handy when most places seem to take the start of the week off.

Current offers include:
🔥 5 Small Plates for £25
🔥 Buy 2 Dips, Get 1 Free

If you're looking for somewhere with plenty of character, great atmosphere and genuinely tasty food, The Pig's Wings is definitely worth having on your Aberdeen food list.

📍 The Pig's Wings
22 Upperkirkgate, Aberdeen

🕐 Mon 12pm–9pm | Wed & Thu 5pm–9pm | Fri–Sun 12pm–9pm
🐶 Dog Friendly