Molly's Bistro
Quick info
About Molly's Bistro
Molly's Bistro is an independent restaurant at 43-45 Market St in Aberdeen's merchant quarter, with a menu built around local food and drink. The kitchen works with in-season ingredients and turns them into daily specials. Cullen skink and fried haddock with chips and peas sit among the dishes, and apple crumble with custard is on the dessert side. Ales and ciders are served on tap alongside the food. The interior is modern and decorated, and the bistro opens daily. A limited vegetarian menu is available, and a Sunday roast is part of the offering.
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention cullen skink, fried haddock and chips, apple crumble and homemade soup.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention cullen skink, fried haddock and chips, apple crumble and homemade soup.
Customer Review Summary
Cullen skink is the dish reviewers name most, praised as superb and flavourful, with the soup of the day, fried haddock and chips, and crispy haggis pakora close behind. The apple crumble with custard draws repeated approval, and one reviewer also recommends it. Others mention the chicken tikka masala, a toastie and veggie tacos, plus ales and ciders on tap. Several describe the food as fresh and hearty, with generous portions, and the decor as nicely done. Service splits the reviews. Some find the staff friendly and attentive, while others describe rushed, unwelcoming staff who seemed unhappy, and one calls the service very slow though polite. Three reviewers found the menu limited, with prices high for standard-tasting food. One describes a starter where carrot dominated instead of the advertised mozzarella, and overcooked rice in an Asian chicken main. Another found the mac and cheese inedible. One reviewer adds that the toilet seats in the ladies need replacing. For one group, staff brought out their own birthday cake as a surprise and cut it up for the table.
Customer Review Summary
Cullen skink is the dish reviewers name most, praised as superb and flavourful, with the soup of the day, fried haddock and chips, and crispy haggis pakora close behind. The apple crumble with custard draws repeated approval, and one reviewer also recommends it. Others mention the chicken tikka masala, a toastie and veggie tacos, plus ales and ciders on tap. Several describe the food as fresh and hearty, with generous portions, and the decor as nicely done. Service splits the reviews. Some find the staff friendly and attentive, while others describe rushed, unwelcoming staff who seemed unhappy, and one calls the service very slow though polite. Three reviewers found the menu limited, with prices high for standard-tasting food. One describes a starter where carrot dominated instead of the advertised mozzarella, and overcooked rice in an Asian chicken main. Another found the mac and cheese inedible. One reviewer adds that the toilet seats in the ladies need replacing. For one group, staff brought out their own birthday cake as a surprise and cut it up for the table.
Featured reviews
- ChrisV
“This is probably one of the greatest restaurants in Aberdeen, and a reinforcement of my statement is the fact that they've won many awards. The place is squeaky clean and the staff is very polite and friendly. The food is great and it actually tastes fresh and made on the day. We had the soup of the day and cullen skink. Both tasted great and with flavour. Then we had the haddock&chips and the crispy haggis pakora. Both dishes tasted great and left space for some extra. And that extra for me, was some haggis. To my surprise, the haggis coming as extra, for one quid, it's actually a lot. Without knowing, I asked for two extras, and I ended up woth a lot of haggis. Hooray to me! The lady serving our food didn't k ow too.much about whisky, so she couldn't help me in my decision. But that wasn't too big of a problem. Overall, I definitely recommend this bistro/restaurant for its food and hospitality.”
- Roy Clare
“Delightful welcome and friendly service from Catherine (thank you!!) and the best toastie and home made soup in Aberdeen. A lucky find.”
- Andrew Jobson
“Been in a couple of Sundays in 2026 and had Sunday Roast. Really nice, chilled out place. The bar could be a bit more varied. Lovely food.”
- Marie Moynagh
“Has a lovely surprise birthday lunch for a friend. We had a bit of a wait but food was freshly cooked and delicious. Portion sizes were really good. We left stuffed! Staff were helpful and attentive and made birthday girl feel special. We brought the birthday cake which they brought out as a surprise and cut up for us. Would definitely recommend though have to say the toilet seats in the ladies need replaced.”
- Leigh Graham
“Rushed service and the staff all seemed a tad unhappy. Mac n cheese was undesirable. I even tried tomato ketchup, but I just couldn't eat it despite having nothing to eat at all today. I knew I should've tried the veggy tacos! The sticky toffee pudding was a sweetener from one of the staff, but having nothing substantial to eat made it far too sweet from my palate. I did enjoy the decor, as you can see from my pictures, it's a wonderful space!”
Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Good to know
“An independent favourite with both locals and visitors situated in the heart of the merchant quarter, the menu at Molly’s Bistro is tailored to showcase the very best ingredients with a passion for promoting local food and drink. Our kitchen team is constantly finding creative ways to use the freshest ingredients that are in-season which we also use to create daily specials.”
- AccessibilityWheelchair-accessible entrance · Wheelchair-accessible seating · Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Amenities
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Show more amenities
- Accessibility· 2
- Wheelchair-accessible seating
- Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Location
Restaurants near Molly's Bistro
- Cafe 524.56450.1 mi£20–30Outdoor seatingVegan optionsVegetarian options
ever changing menu, cullen skink, tiramisu
- Books and Beans4.38150.2 miWheelchair accessible
second hand books, afternoon tea, scones
- Wild Goose4.62890.2 mi£20–30Reservations
cocktails, hummus, langoustines
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Molly's Bistro | 4.3186 | — | — | cullen skink, fried haddock and chips, apple crumble |
| Cafe 52Outdoor seating · Vegan options · Vegetarian options | 4.5645 | 0.1 mi | £20–30 | ever changing menu, cullen skink, tiramisu |
| Books and BeansWheelchair accessible | 4.3815 | 0.2 mi | — | second hand books, afternoon tea, scones |
| Wild GooseReservations | 4.6289 | 0.2 mi | £20–30 | cocktails, hummus, langoustines |
The 3 nearest restaurants by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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