The team behind an award-winning Scottish restaurant that has been shut for months have announced when it’ll reopen.
On Tuesday 8 April, Michelin recommended Ox and Finch will reopen its doors after a period of closure for refurbishment.
Ox and Finch will feel reassuringly recognisable to returning guests, retaining the same ethos and identity, but with a fresh look and menu bringing a rejuvenated energy to the restaurant.
The new menu will retain Ox and Finch’s seasonally-driven approach, evolving regularly to mix new dishes with much-loved Ox and Finch classics that make use of the best produce available.
The focus on offering quality cooking at great value remains, with 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.
To finish, guests can enjoy Ox and Finch’s take on classic desserts, from apple tarte tatin, fourme d’ambert cheese, prune and raisin to rhubarb, custard and gingerbread trifle.
The drinks programme is led by 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 accessible by-the-glass selection, as well as a rotating selection of short runs of vintages and harder-to-procure bottles, carefully selected from producers and suppliers.
The team will be full of familiar faces for regulars, including general manager Sophie Barnes who has led the Ox and Finch team since 2020, and assistant general manager Mikey Ferguson, who joined Scoop (the company that owns the restaurant) in 2021.
Head chef Craig Nelson, previously sous chef at Ox and Finch, rejoins 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.
Of the relaunch, Aurélien Mourez said: “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.”
The renovation of Ox and Finch has been thoughtfully 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 distinctive character, with the design embracing the traditional blonde tenement setting, including carefully preserved exposed stone walls and original cornicing.
These heritage elements have been refreshed with a bold yet refined palette, including 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, allowing for the return of the relaxed, welcoming atmosphere that guests have come to expect at Ox and Finch.
The restaurant’s new frontage features glossy emerald and mustard titles in a nod to the distinctive entrance ways of Glasgow’s tenement buildings.
The restaurant’s sun-trap terrace has been reimagined with fitted awnings and hand-crafted 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 first opened in 2014, and was the first launch by Scoop Restaurants Group. It was awarded a Bib Gourmand by Michelin within six months of opening; an accolade which it has retained ever since. It closed temporarily in October 2024 for refurbishment, reopening in April 2025.
