Local businesses are the lifeblood of many communities – they provide jobs, put money into the economy and bring much-needed goods and services to the area.
The owners of these businesses put their heart and soul into delivering the best to their customers, and the customers in turn keep coming back for more.
Although the news can often focus on businesses shutting down, in Dundee there are new businesses popping up everyday, each bringing something different to the local area.
Here are just a few of our favourites.
Mary’s Kitchen Tearoom
An adorable new tearoom has opened on Perth Road, so make sure you add it to your to-do list!
William Wallace, who worked as a pastry chef on the luxury Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner, owns Mary’s Kitchen Tearoom.
The former restaurant manager, who also worked at the Gleneagles Hotel, opened the establishment as a tribute to his parents Mary and Wullie Wallace.
There are heaps of tasty treats on offer, including homemade cakes, sandwiches, ciabattas, baked potatoes and stovies.
William, from Ardler, said: “It’s an old-fashioned type of tearoom. We sell 25 different types of tea and 11 different types of coffee.
“We are pleased to be open; it was a lot of hard work for everybody. The Perth Road is a great wee place.”
Mary’s Kitchen Tearoom will be open seven days a week, from 9am-4.30pm Monday to Saturday and 9.30am to 4pm on Sunday.
Find out more about Mary’s Kitchen Tearoom on Facebook.
The Mesopotamia Restaurant
Many nations are known around the world for their cuisine – the French for exquisite patisserie, the Italians for pasta and the Japanese for sushi.
And at Mesopotamia, they are equally proud of their historic cuisine dating back 10,000 years to the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. They bring each and every customer an authentic taste of the Middle East along with flavours of the Mediterranean because they know that exquisite cuisine has no boundaries.
They have an excellent pre-theatre menu, which is two courses for just £12.
Mesopotamia is in Tay Square right next to the Dundee Rep Theatre – making it perfect for dining before catching a show or for a romantic meal for Valentine’s Day.
Check out their menu online. Why don’t you treat yourself and book today?
The Brothy
The Brothy artisan bakery and cafe opened in December offering some of the very best handmade sourdough breads, delicious scones, fine patisserie, wholesome soups and made to order sandwiches in Dundee city centre.
At The Brothy they never use any artificial or mass-produced additives or preservatives in their recipes.
You can take loaves home with you or sit in and enjoy coffee sourced from local supplier, Sacred Grounds in Arbroath, while tasting the fresh sandwiches and soup of the day.
Located at the bottom of Whitehall Street it is ideal for a leisurely sit down after making your way around the town centre.
Follow The Brothy on Facebook for the latest news.
Mestizo Tapas
Okay so the business isn’t exactly new, but the location is!
Mestizo has moved venue from Whitehall Street to Perth Road (in what was the Underworld Café) and owner Asam has big plans for the venue.
The food they serve is some of the best in Dundee and you can learn the tricks of the trade in their Indian cooking classes, which sold out in January so make sure you book early.
A traditional greeting awaits you, along with their authentic home cooking Indian tapas dining experience.
Why not pop in, try the freshly prepared seasonal menu and while they await their alcohol licence, you can bring your own wine. This is not one to be missed and the reviews online speak for themselves.
Click here for to visit the Mestizo website.
Serendipities
Serendipities is a social enterprise in the form of a cosy, quirky cafe, dedicated to creating and inspiring social change.
It is a people, community and environmentally led enterprise and it hopes that by setting an example it can inspire positive change within Dundee.
The café, in the city’s Union Street, serves delicious vegan goods and responsibly sourced hot drinks, all the while reducing and reusing as much as possible to lessen its negative impact on the environment.
It’s also a safe training space for adults with additional needs, learning disabilities and autism, and a proud Living Wage Employer.
Alongside all of this, it offers regular community events. Its parent organisation is Uppertunity, a Dundee-based social enterprise that works with adults with additional needs.
Uppertunity runs workshops and groups that not only help give members a social outlet, but encourage them to learn new life skills and gain independence.
