EATING out in Dunfermline is about to get even better with the opening today (Friday) of a new restaurant next to the Glen. 

The Coghill family, from Newmills, who served fab food in Leith, are bringing fine dining closer to home with a new venture in Chalmers Street called Jack ‘O’ Bryan’s. 

Long-running problems with the building led to the closure of their highly-acclaimed Black Pig and Oyster restaurant, next door to Tom Kitchin’s place at Commercial Quay, and an opportunity in Dunfermline. 

Michelle Coghill explained: “We’ve gone a bit quirky with the name, which is after my son, Jack, who was recently named one of the top 30 pastry chefs in the UK, and my husband, Bryan. 

"It’s family-orientated so they’ll be running the kitchen while I’ll be front of house with my daughter Yasmine and Jack’s girlfriend, Sarah.

“Also coming with us is the restaurant manager, Marian. 

“So it’s the same staff and, actually, they allowed us to take everything out of the building so we’ve got all the kitchen equipment, tables and chairs in the new place. 

“It’s stunning inside and was all ready for us just to come in and decorate.

“We’re really looking forward to it and it’s just over four miles from home!” 

Open seven days a week, there’ll be a brunch menu from 10am to 3pm with an a la carte menu from 5pm onwards; desserts will be served throughout.

Michelle added: “It’ll be 34 covers. We’ve got eight tables in the main restaurant and five tables at the front. There’s also seating for 50 people outside in the summer. 

“We’ll be open all day for coffees, snacks and cakes too, we’ll have soup and sandwiches, tacos, posh fish suppers, we’ll have a £10 and under deal for lunch and in the a la carte, it’ll be about £6-8 for starters and then £18 upwards for fillet steak, rib-eye, dishes like that.”

The family’s food journey has seen them running restaurants in Madeira and the Canary Islands before a ‘pin in the map’ approach saw them come home with new eateries at 43 Main Street in Milton of Balgonie, Leith and now Dunfermline. 

The signature dish from their old restaurant is one item that hasn’t travelled across the Forth as Bryan explained: “This will be more of a Scottish menu, rather than the Iberian influence we had with the black pig, so we’ll focus more on good, local produce. 

“Being so close to the Forth, we’ll have fresh seafood and we’ll do more Scottish beef, it’ll still be the same high-quality food but modern, casual dining. You won’t need a suit and tie!” 

The added bonus for the family is that it’s just a few miles from home. 

Bryan smiled: “I won’t miss that drive home over the bridge, what a nightmare that is. 

“It was just by chance we were passing and saw the building and thought it was a nice wee location next to the park. 

“It’s got good stone features and is similar to what we had, but smaller. 

“I’m confident we’re ready to go.”