Cafe 52

I can see how people are taken by the Bohemian nature of this spot but that is the only box it ticks. Not sure how letting Dogs in to a restaurant is a plus ?
What drew me in was the Cullen Skink on their menu, perfect in the Winter to warm your soul. Unfortunately their version consists mainly of potatoes. I found 2 small pieces of Smoked Haddock and that was it and the bread that came with it was stale.
To follow I had the whole Baked Sardines supposedly served with tomato, dill and caper tapenade toasts. Didn’t happen. The Sardines were in the bowl but accompanied by a roughly chopped house salad. Whoever baked the Sardines needs a culinary school intervention …
What really sank the boat was the bill. Nowhere on the menu did I see mention of a service charge and when I paid I did so based on trust. Fail. Only a few days later when I came to look closely at the bill (see photo) did I see that the sneaky bastards had added a handwritten 10% surcharge. Caveat Emptor.
#Pickpockets

I can’t praise this restaurant enough. My pup was allowed to go in, and the owner (Steven) came over for a wee chat while we were waiting for our food. He is a gem, very welcoming and genuine, easy to be around.
We both got soup and different sandwiches (my friend and I, not my dog) and the food was exquisite. The music and art were great, we didn’t feel rushed in the slightest, and there wasn’t anything about the place that I would change. I’m so happy I went, and you can be sure that I’ll be returning as soon as I can!
Five stars in a heartbeat. What a wonderful place.

I only had tapas because they were between lunch an dinner. A good place to stop and take in the scenery. The food was ok I just had the assorted meets and a smoked salmon salad. It was ok not good they were store bought meats and some cut up bread. I was expecting a variation charcuterie board but it was 3.50 so what could I really expect. Salad with the dressing that was used was different and I could tell it was house made so that showed that they have talent in the kitchen. I wish I could have gotten some lunch or even dinner to see what kind of food they can do. I will go back and update my review then.

Finally managed to make a welcome return to Café 52 for lunch recently. Probably one of my favourite restaurants in Aberdeen, fantastic food at a reasonable price. Despite being hidden away on The Green it is always very busy and I was relieved we could get a table without booking ahead. The atmosphere of Café 52 is always relaxed and welcoming in spite of its cosy dimensions. Having only a short time for lunch I went for the soup and sandwich option. A generous bowl of creamy delicious Cullen skink and an amply filled pastrami sandwich all for £6.50. The service was friendly and efficient as always.

Used Unilocal to find the place. No regrets! It was memorable. All dishes were made with a unique touch. The restaurant had a cozy atmosphere with kind and friendly service staff. We will be back soon!

My favourite place in Aberdeen. I cannot count how many times I’ve been there. It looks super cosy inside and the food is delicious and not overpriced. The staff is always very nice and makes you feel very comfortable. Thumbs up!

Nice Indian food
Quality
Generous
And clean
I tried it once and really like to try all items in the menu

Eaten here 3 or 4 times now. Food is excellently presented, delicious and service is relaxed and knowledgable. Great veggie options, seafood and a small well-​thought out ever changing menu.
Good for a celebratory meal, business dinner or simply a bite with friends.

I had been dying to try Café 52 but the first day I had free was a Sunday and they are unfortunately closed for dinner that day. However, as fate would have it I randomly was able to have dinner here the night before leaving the Granite City (a Wednesday). Some locals I was with had suggested a restaurant across the street, which ended up being full, so we just walked in to Café 52. We actually thought we were going into a pizza restaurant because there is this enclosed-​outdoor pizza place right in front of Café 52’s door (or maybe that’s Café 52’s outdoor seating and no one was in it because of the rain?). Imagine my giddiness when I realized we were actually in the place I had been wanting to go to all along!
The locals told me I needed to try the cullen skink given it’s a traditional dish. I had been leaning towards the beat hummus, but talked the waitress into bringing me a small cappuccino cup of the soup. I don’t know if this is how the soup is supposed to taste, but it was DEVINE. As in, I wish I had ordered that as my starter. The hummus was great, don’t get me wrong, but that soup. Oh many — I’m still thinking about it two days later. I had the beet falafel (ya, I was in a beet mood I guess) that completely surprised me when I took a bite because the sauce it was sitting in had coconut milk in it. It was a wonderful surprise — so many times it’s just falafel with the traditional tahini, etc. but this just made me want to eat and eat it. The falafels were cooked perfectly as well, and were probably an inch thick.
We had two red wines, can’t remember which ones, but they went well with the food and were of decent value. The food here was amazing and if you haven’t eaten here yet, then get in there!

Wonderfully presented food in a very cosy environment. The menu changes regularly — try the fish creations! Staff are super attentive and friendly.

The first night in my hometown after 20 years and my brother chose to take my friend and I to Café 52 for dinner. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meals, which included the Cullen Skink, a salad with smoked salmon and crayfish, duck with a blackcurrant sauce and another fish entrée that I don’t exactly recall.
The wine list was another matter with a limited offering requiring that I tasted every red before finding something that was acceptable. Our waitress, however, was incredibly patient and helpful throughout the process.
After our meal, we had a chat with the owner who, we found out, was the artist in residence i.e. all the artwork was his.
Nice ambience… cozy and we could hear ourselves talk. If I lived in Aberdeen, it would definitely be a regular spot especially since their menu is based on seasonal items and constantly changing.
As we say in the film world, two thumbs up!

The husband and I decided to hit up this café based on the reviews on qype. We certainly were not disappointed!
They have a huge outdoor seating section for when the weather is nice, but the inside is quite small, so I suggest making a reservation in advance. The menu is quirky and everything we tried was delicious. The desserts at this place are to die for. I found out from the waitress that the owner’s mom makes all the desserts. I would go there just for the dessert, it was that good.
I will definitely be going back there again!

One of my favourite restaurants in Aberdeen; they have a unique menu, helpful staff and excellent desserts! Book early though as it is so popular. It’s a great place to go for lunch too.

One of the best independent and alternative cafes in Aberdeen. Varied menu. Good beer. External seating in the summer.