Aberdeen’s specialty coffee scene has blossomed in recent years, transforming Scotland’s Granite City into a haven for cafe hoppers.
From vegan-friendly brunch spots with plant-based menus to hipster cafes featuring artisan roasters and exposed brick aesthetics, the city offers independent cafes that rival Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Whether you’re exploring Old Aberdeen’s cobbled streets or the beach promenade, these 9 cafes showcase cozy atmospheres, local Scottish coffee, and welcoming service that make Aberdeen a true foodie destination.
If you’re heading south, don’t miss the best cafes in Edinburgh where similar specialty coffee culture thrives.
Foodstory
Best For
Vegetarian brunch and community events
Foodstory started as a tiny Kickstartered dream in 2013 and has grown into Aberdeen’s vegetarian and vegan flagship.
The Thistle Street cafe feels like a rambling atmospheric hideaway with big windows flooding light across mismatched furniture and reclaimed wood bars covered in chalkboards.
I loved watching baristas work the La Marzocco Linea PB, pulling shots from Dear Green and Obadiah Coffee roasters.
The chickpea, aubergine, tomato and feta salad paired beautifully with my Moccamaster drip coffee.
Upstairs, they host yoga sessions and reggae dance parties, making this west end spot feel like a community hub.
It reminds me of the vibrant community scenes I’ve found at the best coffee in Glasgow city centre, where cafes double as social spaces beyond just serving great brews.
Atmosphere
Rambling space with fairy lights, chalkboards, mismatched furniture, and big windows flooding natural light
Menu Highlights
- Chickpea, aubergine, tomato and feta salad
- Vegetarian pastries with salad choices
- Dear Green and Obadiah Coffee
- Seasonal changing brunch range
- Manual brew methods and Moccamaster drip
Bonobo Café
Best For
100% vegan breakfast and rooftop dining
Bonobo Café wins for Aberdeen’s most stunning 100% vegan breakfast spot.
Located on Skene Street, this stylish eatery hides a tranquil rooftop terrace painted bright turquoise with hanging baskets creating genuine holiday vibes.
I demolished their smoked tofu eggs benedict paired with an iced Americano – absolute perfection.
The glass domes at the counter tempted me with fondant fancies, carrot cake, and chocolate brownies.
Despite being busy and short-staffed during my visit, the warm welcoming service never faltered.
Whether you’re vegan or just curious, this sun trap terrace makes every breakfast feel special.
Atmosphere
Turquoise rooftop terrace with hanging baskets, leafy plants, and sunny holiday vibes
Menu Highlights
- Smoked tofu eggs benedict
- Vegan fry up
- Fondant fancies
- Carrot cake
- Chocolate brownies
The Long Dog Café
Best For
Dog-friendly dining and Instagram-worthy interiors
The Long Dog Café on Claremont Street perfectly combines dog-friendly vibes with Instagram-worthy interiors.
Famous for their freakshakes in Biscoff, Kinder Bueno, and Unicorn flavours, I came for breakfast after an early morning beach walk.
The bacon naan with tzatziki and spicy firecracker sauce was the perfect hot-and-cool combination my starving appetite needed.
Cosy booths with navy wood panelling, marble table tops, and leafy wallpaper create the cutest backdrop for food pics.
They offer vegan sausage rolls and bagels too.
Next door, the Long Dog Boutique sells treats and harnesses – your pup will love you.
Atmosphere
Cosy booths with navy panelling, marble tops, leafy wallpaper, and floating shelves with plants
Menu Highlights
- Bacon naan with tzatziki and firecracker sauce
- Freakshakes (Biscoff, Kinder Bueno, Unicorn)
- Vegan sausage roll
- Bagels and breakfast rolls
- Wraps
BioCafé
Best For
Healthy food and specialty coffee
BioCafé on Rosemount Viaduct proves healthy food doesn’t mean boring.
This five-star Tripadvisor gem serves scrambled tofu, gluten-free waffles, and Korean kimchi burgers alongside keto-friendly buddha bowls.
The exposed brickwork and dark ceiling create an intimate atmosphere despite the bright windows, while a wood-burning stove adds cosiness.
I perched on window stools for people-watching with my matcha latte – they also do bullet coffee with ghee butter and coconut oil.
Artisan Roast provides the beans with rotating guest roasters.
Mismatched tables and leafy potted plants complete the artful design.
Downstairs seating handles overflow crowds.
Atmosphere
Exposed brick, dark ceiling, wood-burning stove, mismatched tables, and leafy potted plants
Menu Highlights
- Scrambled tofu
- Gluten-free waffles
- Korean kimchi burgers
- Keto-friendly buddha bowls
- Matcha latte and bullet coffee
The Craftsman Company
Best For
All-day brunch and gluten-free options
The Craftsman Company sits near Union Square on Guild Street, billing itself as a coffee and ale house with serious brunch credentials.
Their Turkish Eggs – poached eggs with dill yoghurt and chorizo oil served with toasted bread for dipping – completely won me over.
The steampunk stools and rustic tables mixed with exposed stonework create a relaxed, industrial-cool vibe.
I’d read reviews warning about rude service, but my experience couldn’t have been more opposite.
Staff greeted every customer like old friends with super warm welcomes.
Their dedicated gluten-free menu impressed me too, covering everything from pizza to poke bowls.
Atmosphere
Industrial-cool with steampunk stools, rustic tables, exposed stonework, and painted brick
Menu Highlights
- Turkish Eggs with dill yoghurt and chorizo oil
- All-day brunch menu
- Dedicated gluten-free options
- Sandwiches and pasta salads
- Pizza and poke bowls
The Cult of Coffee
Best For
Specialty coffee and rotating roasters
The Cult of Coffee on Esslemont Avenue plays with occult-inspired branding – logos and symbols adorn the windows – but don’t expect pentagrams and candles inside.
This corner cafe floods with natural light from four huge windows illuminating booths along one wall and a wood-burning stove opposite.
The subway tile-clad bar showcases glass domes displaying latest cake options, while the La Marzocco Linea PB with Mahlkönig E80s grinders handles espresso duties.
Artisan Roast from Edinburgh supplies beans, plus rotating UK guest roasters.
Hario V60 and Moccamaster offer filter options.
I grabbed a window perch for people-watching, though downstairs seating accommodates overflow.
Atmosphere
Corner location with four huge windows, booth seating, wood-burning stove, and subway tile bar
Menu Highlights
- Artisan Roast coffee
- Rotating UK guest roasters
- Hario V60 filter coffee
- Moccamaster drip
- Selection of cakes
Figment Coffee
Best For
In-house roasted coffee and American brunch
Figment Coffee represents founder Neil Glover’s 2018 vision after years in oil and gas inspired him during Texas work trips.
The former Blockbuster Video became a big, airy minimalist space featuring exposed steel beams, slatted blonde wood, and low-hanging intimate lighting.
They roast in-house on a Diedrich IR-12, brewing on a Synesso MVP Hydra three-group or Wilbur Curtis Gold Cup with Mahlkönig EK43 and Peak grinders.
Glover wanted proper American brunch in northeast Scotland – the seasonally-changing morning fare delivers, plus local food truck pop-ups.
An extended evening wine menu is developing.
This feels authentically Texan transplanted to Aberdeen.
Atmosphere
Big, airy minimalist space with exposed steel beams, blonde wood, and low-hanging intimate lighting
Menu Highlights
- In-house roasted coffee (Diedrich IR-12)
- American-style brunch
- Seasonally-changing morning fare
- Local food truck pop-ups
- Evening wine menu
Mount Cafe
Best For
Local makers and Marischal College views
Mount Cafe opened in October 2022 on Upperkirkgate, founded by two avid hillwalkers creating “an outdoor experience, inside.”
This lifestyle store-cafe hybrid features a central bar clad in vertical wooden strips between white block pillars, with simple tables lining the wall and a comfy sofa semi-secretly tucked behind the bar.
The front window stools offer an amazing view of Marischal College – absolutely stunning.
Long Walk Coffee, a local roaster, supplies beans for their custom-painted green La Marzocco Linea and Compak grinder.
Partner baker Just One More delivers an ever-changing array of fresh baked goods.
The thoughtfully-designed space beautifully integrates retail from local makers.
Atmosphere
Minimalist white space with vertical wooden strips, simple seating, and stunning Marischal College views
Menu Highlights
- Long Walk Coffee
- Ever-changing baked goods from Just One More
- Local maker products
- Specialty espresso drinks
- Lifestyle goods and retail
The Coffee Apothecary
Best For
Countryside cafe and seasonal menus
The Coffee Apothecary sits in tiny Udny village, a short glorious drive north from Aberdeen.
This hidden gem run by a husband-wife team has become a cyclists’ must-stop, featured on Sprudge for its modern approach despite its rural setting.
The La Marzocco Linea PB handles espresso while a Marco SP9 offers automated pour-over, supported by Ceado E37T and Mahlkönig EK43 grinders.
Artisan Roast currently supplies beans, but a crowdfunded brand-new roastery is taking shape behind the cafe.
Locally sourced, seasonal menus range from hearty breakfasts to refined evening fare with plenty of afternoon cake.
A second location opened in bustling Ellon.
Atmosphere
Rural welcoming setting in tiny Udny village with modern coffee approach and countryside charm
Menu Highlights
- Locally sourced seasonal food
- Hearty breakfasts
- Refined evening fare
- Afternoon cakes
- Artisan Roast coffee
What is Aberdeen known for?
Aberdeen earned its “Silver City with the golden sands” nickname from granite buildings that glitter when sunshine hits, though its reputation centers on North Sea oil and gas as the offshore industry capital.
Scotland’s third largest city with nearly 200,000 residents sits incredibly far north – sharing latitude with Sitka, Alaska – bringing wild, windy, unpredictable weather from coastal North Sea shores.
Historically a fishing, textile, and shipbuilding hub, Aberdeen now hosts two prestigious universities and stunning architecture like Marischal College.
Beyond Union Square shopping and oil stereotypes lies the real Aberdeen: cobbled streets in Old Aberdeen, hidden street art in nooks and crannies, and specialty coffee slowly arriving to this remote northern gem.
