The Life & SOUL
We are an award-winning bar in the heart of the city, and one of Aberdeen’s most popular & unique venues.
“Seven days a week, day or night, SOUL has all the right ingredients for a great time.”
Housed in a stunning church conversion
SOUL offers drinks, cocktails and casual dining in a chic space with opulent stained glass windows and dimmed lighting. It also boasts a light and airy conservatory with additional bar at the back of the venue, and The Garden at SOUL in the front courtyard which offers a stylish outdoor dining area.
Perfect for celebrating a special occasion or just enjoying a day or evening out
Good to know
Super fast free Wi-Fi
Working remotely or looking for somewhere to host an informal meeting? Our super fast free Wi-Fi will keep you connected.
Under 18s permitted when dining*
*Up until 9:30pm
Dress Code: Smart/Casual
Venue History
We often receive enquiries here at SOUL about the history of our venue, as we are housed in such a stunning converted church.
The church that SOUL is housed in is called Langstane Kirk and was owned by Church of Scotland. Langstane Kirk was the result of the union of two congregations; St. Nicholas (Union Grove) and the West Church of St. Andrews came together in 1973. It is over 140 years old and is a B - Listed building, and was sold by the Church of Scotland to PB Development Co Ltd in 2001.
After four years of applications and planning, a license was finally granted for the conversion, and SOUL opened to rave reviews in 2005.
Historic Scotland stated that unless funds were available to retain a redundant ecclesiastical building in good repair, the acceptance of a suitable alternative may be the only means to preserve both the building and its character and appearance in the area; this will have been a contributing factor for the licence being granted.
Whilst converting the building, PB Development Co Ltd preserved all the original stained glass windows and features, which can still be seen and enjoyed today - the organ is also still on display.
To separate the vast building, a mezzanine floor was added to the church hall which forms SOUL's Main Bar area, while the Back Bar is situated in an added modern glass conservatory; SOUL’s main entrance is the Union Street entrance with outdoor seating in The Garden at SOUL, and the Back Bar can be accessed from its own entrance on Langstane Place or via SOUL’s Main Bar.