If you don’t feel like heading out for a meal, you can still make the most of Dundee Restaurant Week deals in the city’s cafes.
In a bid to scout out the best cakes, bakes and pastries on offer we headed into the city centre and up Perth Road. Fuelled by sugar and caffeine of course.
While the focus of restaurant week is, well, restaurants, it’s great to see other hospitality businesses in Dundee get involved with deals too.
Fancy something sweet? Here’s what we thought of the cake offerings for Dundee Restaurant Week.
Fika, Perth Road
It’s so warm inside the Perth Road cafe when I stop by in the late morning that owner Albany is sitting outside in the sun. It’s been almost a year since she took over Fika and she’s offering a large hot drink and cake for £6.
I had my reusable filter press mug with me, so I got a loose leaf earl gray tea in that. The cake counter had different pastries, traybakes, tarts and cookies on display, just a few of each kind.
Albany tells me she normally does the baking, but she’s getting ready to go on holiday, so she didn’t want to bake too much and have to throw it away. She’s also got some bakes from the Newport Bakery on offer and their chocolate and raspberry tart caught my fancy.
Some of the chocolate ganache stuck to my paper bag, but it still looked and tasted beautiful when I got it on a plate. It was incredibly rich and moreish, with the flavours pairing beautifully. The pastry was still crispy and crumbly, even after the journey out of the cafe.
Because of Albany’s holiday, Fika will reopen on Friday July 7 so you’ll have to wait a wee while to get your hands on her bakes. It is worth it for Fika’s cosy atmosphere though.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 3.30pm
Address: 74 Perth Road, DD1 4HY
Dundee Espresso Lab, Commercial Street
As expected, Dundee Espresso Lab does very good coffee, and that includes the latte I picked up. All their coffees and cannoli flavours are included in their two cannolis and a coffee for £5.50 deal.
There are seven flavours on offer plus three other small pastries, and after asking the barista for her recommendation I go for one lemon, her favourite, and one pistachio, the most popular.
It’s no surprise pistachio is the people’s favourite, as it’s also mine, and the flavour is great. Incredibly sweet, but with the nutty flavour coming through. The lemon is a nice surprise, it’s also very sweet but the citrus notes make it an interesting filling.
While I got mine to go, the cafe has a great atmosphere for a meeting with a friend or sitting down with a book or some work. If cakes aren’t your thing, it’s definitely worth trying a cannoli or two instead.
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 5.30pm, Sunday 9.30am to 4.30pm
Address: 31 Commercial Street, DD1 3DA
Little Things Cafe, Reform Street
Little Things Cafe on Reform Street is a lovely wee spot which always looks busy when I wander past on my lunch break.
So I knew it must be good, and I was excited to pop in for their Dundee Restaurant Week deal – any drink and cake for £5.
The glass cabinet was full of delicious-looking treats made by the cafe’s in-house baker, including cupcakes, brownies and cookies. There were also gluten free and vegan options.
After much deliberation, I opted for the empire biscuit.
The soft and crumbly biscuit paired beautifully with the thick layer of jam in the centre and creamy icing on top. Delicious.
It went very well with my green, mint and raspberry tea, which my helpful server had recommended.
With the smell of freshly baked goods wafting from the kitchen and soft music playing in the background, Little Things Cafe is warm and welcoming.
It also has plenty of outdoor seating, making it the perfect place to treat yourself on a sunny day.
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday 11am to 4pm
Address: 35 Reform Street, DD1 1SH
ReBoutique, Castle Street
The upcycling shop and cafe is run by social enterprise Uppertunity, which also runs Serendipities on Union Street. The vegan cakes on offer in ReBoutique come from the eco-conscious cafe, and the offer might change from day to day.
When I stop by, there are date slices and two different muffins on offer, coffee and walnut, and strawberry. To test the tea and cake for £4 offer I go for a loose leaf masala chai tea and coffee and walnut muffin.
The tea is bursting with flavour from all the spices and it is steeped in a reusable tea bag I took home with me in my takeaway cup.
The muffin is big and really moist, if I didn’t already know I wouldn’t have guessed it was vegan. The coffee flavour in the muffin itself is subtle, and the bits of walnut give it a nice crunch. In the icing however, the coffee really comes out and pairs well with the muffin.
If you’re planning to sit in, there are even some outdoors tables where you can soak up the sunshine while enjoying your tea and cake. With it’s fully vegan offering, ReBoutique is a great option for those with dietary requirements.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm
Address: 33 Castle Street, DD1 3AD
