🖤 The Ultimate Goth Day Out in Dundee: A Guide for the Darkly Inclined
Date: Saturday, 21st February | Location: Dundee, Scotland
So, you are heading to the Wellgate Shopping Centre for the Blackheart Market? You are in for a treat.
While Dundee is known as the “City of Discovery,” it has a darker side teeming with graveyards, gothic architecture, and hidden speakeasies. Here is your curated itinerary to turn a market trip into a full day of macabre history, alternative shopping, and “must-tag” local spots.
🍩 The Morning Fuel: Heather Street Food
- Where: V&A Plaza (Riverside)
- Vibe: Street food cool with a view.
- The Plan: Start your day by walking from the train station past the V&A museum. Stop at the Heather Street Food van for their legendary donuts and coffee.
- 📸 Social Boost: Tag @heatherstreetfood in your breakfast story—they are huge on local social media, and their food looks incredible on camera.
🍳 The Aesthetic Brunch: Bird & Bear
- Where: Whitehall Crescent
- Vibe: Steampunk-meets-hanging-gardens.
- The Plan: Before you hit the market, grab brunch at Bird & Bear. It is famous for its whimsical decor, filled with birdcages, greenery, and industrial-chic vibes.
- 📸 Social Boost: Tag @birdandbear_dundee. Their “steampunk forest” interior is catnip for the alternative crowd, and they love resharing customer photos.
🕸️ The Main Event: The Blackheart Market
- Where: Wellgate Shopping Centre (Level 2)
- The Plan: Head to the Wellgate for the main event. Spend a few hours browsing the taxidermy, gothic fashion, and horror collectibles from Scotland’s best independent traders.
- The Vibe: This is a “takeover” event, so expect the shopping centre to feel surreal and spooky compared to the usual high street hustle.
💀 The Walk of the Dead: The Howff
- Where: Meadowside (5-minute walk from Wellgate)
- Vibe: Ancient, silent, and imposing.
- The Plan: Walk off the shopping adrenaline at The Howff, one of Scotland’s most impressive historic graveyards (dating back to 1564). It was originally a monastery garden gifted by Mary Queen of Scots but became a burial ground for plague victims.
🎵 Vinyl & Cool Shops: Assai Records & Land O’Spex
- Where: Union Street & Nethergate
- The Plan:
- Assai Records: Pop into Assai on Union Street. It’s an essential stop for vinyl lovers, stocking horror soundtracks and alternative releases. Tag @assairecords to tap into the local music scene.
- Land O’Spex (Formerly Spex Pistols): Head down the cobbled lane to visit this cult optician. They were famously forced to change their name from “Spex Pistols” after a legal row with the band, but the shop remains a punk-rock icon.
🏰 The Gothic Photo Op: The McManus
- Where: Albert Square
- Vibe: Victorian Gothic grandeur.
- The Plan: Just across from The Howff is The McManus. Designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, it is a masterpiece of Gothic Revival architecture that looks more like a vampire’s castle than a museum. It’s free to enter if you want to warm up!
💉 The Ink Icons: Straight Lines Tattoo
- Where: Douglas Street
- The Plan: You might not have time for a full session, but you should definitely check out Straight Lines Tattoo. They are one of the most-followed studios in Dundee, known for incredible realism work.
🍸 The Secret Speakeasy: Draffens
- Where: Couttie’s Wynd (Hidden down an alley near the Nethergate)
- Vibe: 1920s Noir, underground, hidden.
- The Plan: Finish your day at Draffens. It has no sign above the door—just a light in a dark alleyway. Inside, it’s a dimly lit, brick-walled speakeasy that feels like a Prohibition-era hideout. It is the perfect place to escape the world and sip a cocktail in the shadows.
🚂 Getting There & Parking Survival Guide
- By Train: Dundee Train Station is a 10-15 minute walk from the Wellgate (passing Heather Street Food on the way).
- The Parking Hack:
- Wellgate Car Park: Convenient but can be pricey for a full day.
- Bell Street Car Park: Often cheaper and situated perfectly between the Wellgate and The Howff.