Scotchies — that fiery restaurant brand that has for years been delighting tourists who visit Jamaica’s North Coast — has found a warm home at 2 Chelsea Avenue.

The menu offerings and authentic jerk taste remain almost exactly the same (ice cream is now added to the menu). That open-air aura effused by Scotchies in Montego Bay and in Ocho Rios remains intact as well — tables, benches and chairs are made from hardwood. Roofs are thatched and the pagoda-like eating areas are held up by timber that seems recently felled. But there are changes, mostly structural. The eatery is larger than, say, it’s Ocho Rios counterpart. And the eating area has a distinct garden-like quality because of the abundant vegetation.

“Everyone says it’s like an oasis,” says Andrew Bogle, one of the owners of the restaurant.

The bar area of the restaurant has also grown in size and detail because of the move to the capital city. This is to accommodate the working crowd in Kingston, who, while on lunch or after work, are in the mood to relax with friends over drinks.

“The bar area is very special,” says Bogle, “we’re trying to encourage that crowd to come and lyme with us.”

Of course, foreign visitors do come to Kingston (or, at least, pass through), so Scotchies still focuses on appealing to tourists by offering authentic jerk flavours one would be hard-pressed to find at other eat-in restaurants.

The response to Scotchies in Kingston has been overwhelming so far, says Bogle. The restaurant isn’t set to have its official launch for a few weeks, but people are already pouring in for a taste of Scotchies’ jerk.

“We have people coming all the time,” says Bogle. “We haven’t even advertised yet and just last Friday we had 150 to 200 people in here.”