BETHEL — Jess and Brian Nichols are moving their restaurant, Brian’s, to 43 Main St., and hope to open sometime this month.

Their previous restaurant, Brian’s Bistro, was at 25 Hartford St. in Rumford.

All staff have been hired, and now it’s just a matter of finalizing business permits and finishing the inside of their new location.

“We moved to Bethel because we had the opportunity to purchase property on Main Street,” Jess Nichols said. “We had only been renting when we were in Rumford. We felt like it was a smart business decision and an opportunity that we couldn’t pass up. Plus, our families live in the Bethel area and we’re excited to be back.” 

Brian’s will feature “more upscale comfort food,” she said, but Brian stressed that they don’t want to be labeled “fine dining.”

“Come in wearing jeans and a T-shirt, we don’t care,” he said. The couple said the patrons they hope to attract are those who don’t want typical “pub grub,” but rather fresh food that isn’t “purchased frozen and thrown in the fryer.”

In that spirit, they’ve removed things like pizza and nachos from their menu, and added haddock Mediterranean — haddock with artichokes, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, spinach, feta cheese and couscous.

“There will be roots from the same menu, but it won’t be the same restaurant,” Jess Nichols said.

The couple plans to add a deck to the restaurant in the spring to accommodate outdoor dining.  

emarquis@sunmediagroup.net

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