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Restaurant review: The Fettykil Fox in Glenrothes makes for the perfect lunch spot for one

By Alasdair Clark

October 8 2022, 6:00am

The king prawn and mango cocktail at the Fettykil Fox in Glenrothes

A trip back to the Fettykil Fox in Glenrothes was a welcome blast from the past, with its relaxed setting and tasty dishes.

Known by some locally as the “snooty fox” – it’s a restaurant locals would go to if they are marking a special occasion – it offers something a little different to the other takeaways and eateries in the town.

It’s around eight years since my last visit, so I was looking forward to seeing how it had changed and what was new on the menu.

The Fettykil Fox

Set just off the main A911 road and the Leslie Roundabout, you’ll find plenty of parking to the rear of the building.

Entering into the pub area of the Fettykil Fox, this is somewhere you could easily grab a drink with friends before sitting down to eat through in the different dining areas.

Both the bar and dining areas have a traditional pub-style décor with lots of exposed brick, providing an unfussy and warm welcome without feeling too much like a chain restaurant.

The restaurant takes its name from the former Fettykil paper mill.

The bar area is very comfortable and provides a really good space to grab a drink with friends or family before your meal. The only thing missing was a roaring fire.

I was greeted immediately as I arrived and given an A4 printed paper menu, likely a hangover from Covid-19 along with the generous spaces between each table.

The friendly staff showed me directly to my table, which was tucked away towards the back of the dining room and had a window view out to the (rainy) beer garden.

I ordered a soft drink and tap water while I decided what I was having, and the serving staff really stood out and asked throughout if there was anything I needed.

The restaurant is set back from a main road next to a hotel

The food

The menu isn’t overcomplicated, but it’s traditional fare knows what its about and will easily appeal to locals as well as visitors to Glenrothes.

There is something for everyone and you could book for a group comfortable that it would be suitable for even the pickiest of eaters.

The paper menu seems like a Covid-19 hangover

I visited during the week and ordered from the Monday to Saturday menu. If I visit again, I’ll make a point to go on a Sunday when they serve roast dinners.

Starters on offer included salt and pepper calamari, maple-glazed chicken wings (both £6.25) and pan fried scallops and king prawns (£9.25).

The king prawn and mango cocktail was well presented

In the end I went for the king prawn and mango cocktail with a bloody Mary Marie rose sauce (£6.95). I love prawn cocktail but had never tried one with mango before, so I was eager to taste that.

For the main I was really torn between the signature burger, topped with maple-glazed beef brisket and a cheddar cheese sauce (£15.75) or the beef rib with miso butter (£16.75).

The menu said the beef rib was accompanied with dauphinoise potatoes, roasted carrots, broccoli and grilled spring onion which all sounded great, so I chose that with a side of skin-on fries.

I didn’t order a pudding in the end, and I didn’t really miss it as I had eaten lunch late on the day I visited.

If you do have a sweet tooth you can choose from classics like banoffee pie (£6.95), sticky toffee pudding and crème brulee (both £6.25).

The verdict

My starter arrived quickly and was presented nicely with warm sourdough bread. The prawns were tasty and fresh, and the sweet mango pieces brought everything together.

The only downside was the “cocktail” part of the dish, with the sauce not really packing the kick you might expect from a bloody Mary. Despite that I’d definitely order it again.

My main dish arrived quickly after I finished, and sadly my earlier gamble opting for the beef rib because of the vegetables that were to accompany it didn’t quite pay off.

The Fettykill Fox, Glenrothes — Outside Thee Fettykil Fox in Glenrothes.

The dish was missing the carrots, broccoli and grilled spring onion, replacing them with green beans.

Apart from that minor complaint the beef itself was fantastic. It was very well cooked and slid off the bone. It also came with a healthy serving of the really tasty miso gravy, which I appreciated.

The dauphinoise potatoes were crispy enough on the outside to stand up to the gravy and perfectly creamy on the inside. So I didn’t regret my choice too much.

Overall, despite one or two missteps, I’ll definitely not leave it so long before I visit The Fettykil Fox again.

Alasdair is a journalist with The Courier’s live news team in Dundee. He covers breaking news across Tayside and Fife.

A proud Fifer, he loves sampling the wide range of food and drink the Kingdom has to offer.