Dempsey’s: New restaurant inspired by the owner’s comforting family recipes is coming to Burnley

Foodies can enjoy home-style cooking, comforting classics and “unexpected twists” when Dempsey’s open its doors on Monday, April 28th. The venue, located in the £16m. Dovestone Gardens development near Burnley General Hospital, will offer dining in the restaurant or take away at the deli.

It is the brainchild of Mark Dempsey, who has had a lifelong ambition to create his own hospitality business in his hometown. Mark has worked with Burnley Leisure & Culture for nearly 15 years, lending his expertise to The Mechanics Theatre and aiding the development and opening of leisure and hospitality venues like the Prairie Sports Village, Towneley Golf Course, The Rotunda, Downtown Kitchen & Café, and The Boathouse in Thompson Park.

What days will Dempsey’s be open?

It will be open seven days a week, 365 days a year, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

What has inspired Mark to create Dempsey’s?

Mark said: “There’s a house in Worsthorne we grew up in, filled with the hum of conversation, the clatter of dishes, and the unmistakable scent of something delicious bubbling away on the stove. A place where laughter echoed through the rooms, where stories were shared across the dining table, and where everyone was welcome.

“Dempsey’s is that home, brought to life in the heart of Burnley. A place where warmth isn’t just felt from the oven but from the people who gather around the table.

“Inspired by the well-loved pages of our mum’s yellow, handwritten recipe book, passed down with a smudge of flour here and a faded note in the margin there, our menu is a collection of memories served on a plate.

“Generous portions, unexpected twists, and dishes with stories behind them – that’s what makes Dempsey’s altogether different.

“Our family is a mix of characters and cultures, and our food reflects that. We celebrate nostalgia, home-style cooking, and the joy of sharing meals, but we also embrace international flavours, just like our mum did when she experimented in her kitchen. Each dish is personal – from our grandad’s expert touch as a baker to the little secrets our grandma left behind in her cooking, and, of course, our mum’s legendary butterscotch, made in a way you won’t find anywhere else.”