Kelvingrove neighbourhood restaurant Ox and Finch, first opened by Glasgow’s Scoop Restaurants Group in 2014, will soon reopen after a winter closure for refurbishment.
The restaurant will feel ‘reassuringly recognisable’ to returning guests, retaining the same identity, but with a fresh look and menu bringing ‘rejuvenated energy’.
There will be plenty of familiar faces from the Ox and Finch team, including GM Sophie Barnes who has led that team since 2020, and assistant GM Mikey Ferguson, who joined Scoop in 2021.
The head chef will be Craig Nelson, who was previously Ox and Finch sous chef, rejoining the team after four years spent cooking under some of London’s most esteemed chefs, including Brett Graham, Jake Leach, and Sally Abé and Josh Cutress at The Harwood Arms.
Kevin McCafferty, who has been part of the Ox and Finch kitchen team for five years, will work alongside Nelson as sous chef, while former head chef Aurélien Mourez will be on hand to support in his new role as group head chef.
Mourez commented: “Ox and Finch has always been a very collaborative effort; chefs are encouraged to participate in creating dishes, working together to fine tune the outcome of a dish with a fresh approach.
“This practice has carried us through all of our new projects over the years. Craig is bringing with him some outstanding experience in industry-leading kitchens known for exceptional standards, but also a strong ability to foster teamwork in the kitchen, encouraging creativity and ensuring that every dish benefits from a shared vision and collective expertise.”
Nelson’s menu will retain Ox and Finch’s seasonally-driven approach, evolving regularly to mix new dishes with established classics that make use of the best produce available.
Returning dishes including cod cheeks with chorizo, tomato and morcilla on sourdough and signature Ox and Finch chips with roast garlic aïoli.
New additions include whipped cod roe, furikake, and endive; duck liver parfait, negroni marmalade and brioche; and skate wing, crab, capers and pickled chilli.
A daily-changing specials board will highlight prime cuts of Scottish beef, and a standalone selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes will be available.
The drinks programme is being led by Scoop’s head of drinks, Alasdair Shaw, who has created a new cocktail menu combining classics with regularly-changing specials, working closely with the kitchen to use seasonal produce and reduce waste.
Signature serves include the Air Mail with rum, lime, agave and prosecco, and a non-alcoholic Feragaia Lemon and Ginger Sour, while spring specials include a Rhubarb Negroni and an Arancello Espresso Martini using housemade arancello.
A concise wine list remains, complete with by-the-glass selection, as well as a rotating selection of short runs of vintages and harder-to-procure bottles.
The renovation of Ox and Finch has been designed by Stuart Black of Mosaic Architecture and Design, who also led the original interior concept. In a continuation of the restaurant’s design legacy, several of the original contractors and specialists returned to work on the build.
The restaurant retains its character, with the design embracing the traditional blonde tenement setting, including preserved exposed stone walls and original cornicing.
These elements have been refreshed with deep red tones that add warmth and depth to the space.
While upgrades have been made behind the scenes to enhance the functionality of the space for the team, the open kitchen remains.
The restaurant’s new frontage features emerald and mustard titles in a nod to the distinctive entrance ways of Glasgow’s tenement buildings. The restaurant’s terrace has been reimagined with fitted awnings and metal furniture to create an inviting outdoor dining space, which will be bookable up to a week in advance for the first time.
Ox and Finch was awarded a Bib Gourmand by Michelin within six months of opening; an accolade which it has retained ever since. It closed in October 2024 for the refurbishment, and is scheduled to reopen on 8th April.
