Kultura: New life for 47 Belmont Street as family-run Filipino restaurant opens
A Filipino family has opened a new restaurant, Kultura, on Aberdeen's Belmont Street.
The restaurant, which opened at noon today, is led by Diane Rivera, who works front of house, and her brother, Romeo, who heads up the kitchen.
Their siblings and parents are also involved in the business, with their mum, Dolores, in the role of director.
'We have just seen the lack of Filipino restaurants here,' says Diane, 23.
'Kultura in Filipino translates to 'culture'.
'And we want to showcase the culture of the Philippines in Aberdeen.'
The Rivera family moved to Aberdeen from the Philippines back in 2010, and also run catering company Dolores' Lutong Bahay in the Northern Golf Club.
The menu at Kultura includes dishes like lumpiang Shanghai (pork spring rolls), kwek-kwek (battered quail eggs) and DLB's pork barbecue (marinated pork skewers).
There is also a traditional 'sari-sari' store – similar to a corner shop – near the entrance of the restaurant, which serves Filipino ingredients and snacks.
After a successful soft opening for friends and family on Monday night, Diane says the restaurant is fully booked tonight.
'It feels amazing to have had such a great response,' says Diane.
'All the hard work my brother has been putting in here is worth it, because we can see how excited people are.
'We want the Filipino culture to be well known, because we're quite a way from back home.
'Especially for the Filipinos here, we want to have the restaurant as a place they can gather, like their home.'
Mum Dolores is delighted that her children are joining her on this journey with Kultura.
'I'm very proud because they love to follow my passions,' she says.
'They're so happy about what they're doing.
'We serve beautiful food because it's from our hearts.
'Because it's not only about earning an income, it's about making our customers happy.'
The family team spent two months redecorating 47 Belmont Street, using some DIY techniques along the way, says Diane.
Including a fresh lick of paint, they also added photography of key landmarks and traditions from the Philippines and other décor.
47 Belmont Street has a rich foodie history over the last few years.
Many will remember it as home to Pizza Express, which closed during the chain's restructuring back in 2020.
In February 2022, Kirk View Cafe moved from its Union Terrace home to the Belmont Street unit.
Sadly, the restaurant closed due to 'rising weekly costs' in July 2023.
Most recently, it became a second home for Tucán's South American cuisine in December 2023.
But the owners shut their city centre location due to 'no footfall' and returned to their original home in Rosemount in August 2024.
Today, the Rivera family have opened Kultura and the restaurant was bustling at lunchtime.
The first customer through the door was 31-year-old Jamie Lomas, who enjoys Dolores' food at the golf club.
He says: 'I think it's a really interesting cuisine that a lot of people don't really know about.
'I think it will add a bit of vibrance to Belmont Street. It's a bit more interesting than some fast food chains.'
Authentic Filipino cuisine is the aim at Kultura, with 29-year-old chef Romeo leading the team in the open plan kitchen.
'Filipino cuisine is not very known here,' says Romeo.
'So we want to elevate it.
'There are some others, but I think this will be the first proper Filipino restaurant in Scotland.'
The menu includes sizeable soup dishes, such as chicken mami, a Filipino-style ramen, and bulalong baka, beef shank in a flavourful broth.
There are a range of sides, including various rice dishes, mango salad, skin-on fries and lumpiang baboy (pork spring rolls).
Kultura also offers 'Filipino-style tapas' in an 'all you can eat' menu.
You could try adobong pusit, which is squid in a Filipino adobo sauce, sweet-cured pork tocino, halabos na hipon grilled prawns, kikiam Filipino fish cake, and much more.
Diane adds: 'Filipino cuisine is known for amazing flavour, and a different kind of spice.
'People tend to associate Filipino cuisine with Chinese food, but our food has a taste that locals don't know yet.'
Kultura's opening hours are 12-10pm Wednesday-Saturday and 11am-9pm on Sunday.
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