CURRENT POPULATION: 142,150
% POP GROWTH: -0.01 %
CITY AREA: 60 KM2

CITY DENSITY: 2,376 INH/KM2
GDP PER CAPITA: €18,700
DIALLING CODE: +44

WITH FRIENDS
VISOCCHI’S
40 GRAY STREET, BROUGHTY FERRY
TEL. 01382 779297
You only have to see the queues outside to realise Visocchi’s makes food worth waiting for. This family-run café/bistro serves ice cream so good you could happily eat it at the height of winter, as well as tasty pizza, pasta and snacks.

ENTERTAINING A CLIENT
BRUACH
326 BROOK STREET, BROUGHTY FERRY
TEL. 01382 739878
Also in Broughty Ferry, Bruach is a stylish bar with a great cocktail list and a restaurant serving fantastic dishes made with quality Scottish ingredients. At lunch try stovies and oatcakes, for dinner give the confit pork belly stuffed with Stornoway black pudding a go.

CLOSING THE DEAL
THE GLASS PAVILION
THE ESPLANADE, BROUGHTY FERRY
TEL. 01382 732738
Transformed from a 1930s bathing shelter into a stunning glass-fronted dining venue, this eatery has spectacular views over the river Tay. From scones to seafood, everything is locally sourced. There’s no better way to spend a late summer evening than eating steamed Scottish mussels while looking out for dolphins in the estuary.

STYLE
TALLY’S
11 OLD HAWKHILL
TEL. 01382 224777
This subtly upmarket gastro-pub is run by the team who own The Playwright, Dundee’s best restaurant, just a few hundred yards down the road. Its relaxed feel entices students from the nearby campus and young professionals winding down after a hard day’s slog. There’s a good choice of wines by the bottle or glass.

RELAX
TAYBRIDGE BAR
129 PERTH ROAD
TEL. 01382 643973
A traditional boozer with a bar and lounge, the Taybridge Bar is a great place to unwind in peace, unhindered by loud music or loud punters. Enjoy a pint as you relax amid original features like wooden-armed booths and leather banquettes.

BUSINESS
THE LANDMARK
KINGSWAY WEST,
TEL. 01382 641122
Set in beautiful landscaped grounds, yet just yards from the main A90 route from Perth to Aberdeen, this original Scottish mansion is having a multi-million pound renovation, making it one of Dundee’s most luxurious hotels. Boasting 95 bedrooms, conference facilities, restaurant and bar with private dining available, as well as a leisure club with pool, there’s everything a business traveller could need, including free Wi-Fi. It’s also within easy reach of the city centre, airport, railway and bus stations.

VALUE
PREMIER INN DUNDEE NORTH
CAMPERDOWN LEISURE PARK, KINGSWAY
TEL. 0870 990 6420
Two miles north of the city, just off the main route through Dundee and towards Forfar and Aberdeen, the Premier Inn stands on the edge of Camperdown park, which has a golf course, wildlife park and children’s play area. The hotel is ideal for both business and pleasure, with restaurants on site, and easy access to the city and nearby leisure activities.

BESPOKE
THE HOTEL BROUGHTY FERRY
16 WEST QUEEN STREET, BROUGHTY FERRY
TEL. 01382 480027
A family-run hotel in Broughty Ferry, it’s small – just 16 bedrooms – but well-served with a great restaurant, swimming pool, sauna and a small gym. If you want to impress a client at golf, the hotel is an ideal base for Carnoustie and St Andrews, both within 30 minutes’ drive.

Home to all three of this issue’s restaurants, Dundee’s seaside suburb of Broughty Ferry is well worth a visit (www.cometobroughty.co.uk). Head up to the castle and museum, stroll along the beach or browse through the quirky shops, then take a break in one of many friendly pubs.

Local publisher DC Thomson & Co Ltd, of Beano fame, has collaborated with Dundee Heritage Trust to produce a fascinating graphics exhibition highlighting important aspects of the city’s history, including transport, shipbuilding, whaling, jute, jam and journalism (Tel. 01382 309060). It’s on at Verdant Works until 31 October.

Learn more about the fascinating and often bloody history of Dundee with a walking tour (www.taysidehistoricaltours.com). It leaves Discovery Point every Saturday at 2pm.

Sir Winston Churchill was the member of parliament for Dundee between 1908 and 1922. He lost his seat in the city after a series of controversies including his views on women voting and his reported role in using troops to break up miners’ riots. Some historians claim he never forgave Dundonians for the snub – he refused to accept the freedom of the city in 1943.

WORDS BY LINDA ISLES