The team behind one of Douglas’s most popular burger takeaways say it has been a ‘successful’ start to their expansion into the south of the island.

Porter’s Kitchen has opened a second location at the Cosy Nook on Port Erin’s beachfront, with its first weekend described by owner Kyle Porter as ‘bonkers’ but ultimately a success.

Speaking after the launch, Kyle said: ‘Obviously, it was a bonkers weekend and a lot to kind of sort out logistics-wise. But yes, opening in Port Erin went well.

‘We decided to open up in the winter just three nights a week, just so that we can iron out any creases, get the staff up to scratch, while I train new staff as well, until the summer kicks in.’

The Port Erin branch is currently operating winter hours from Thursday to Saturday, 4pm to 8pm, with a limited menu while the team settles into the new premises.

Plans are already in place to expand opening days in the summer, likely from Monday to Saturday, with a fuller launch expected around the Easter weekend alongside neighbouring businesses Noa Bakehouse and Foraging Vintners.

Kyle said he was particularly looking forward to strengthening ties with fellow local producers.

‘I’m really looking forward to the relationship we’ve got with Noa Bakehouse. We’ve been getting our buns from them since the beginning.

‘We’ve never worked with Foraging Vintners, but very excited to be working with them. It’s going to be a cool trio.’

Porter’s Kitchen first opened in January 2025 at Broadway in Douglas, following the closure of The Lodge at Glen Helen.

The Lodge was forced to close in October when its lease expired and the landowners opted to sell the property rather than renew the agreement.

At the time, Kyle and his wife Fleur described the move to Douglas as ‘phase one’ of a broader vision to expand the brand across the island.

‘This is Porter’s Kitchen on the Isle of Man, and it’s the first of, hopefully, a few locations we’ll open across the island,’ Kyle said when the Broadway site launched.

‘The idea was to build on what we created at The Lodge at Glen Helen and expand.’

Since opening in the capital, the couple have built a loyal following for their burgers, ribs and wings, adapting their much-loved Lodge menu into a high-quality takeaway format.

Kyle has repeatedly stressed that maintaining standards remains central to the business as it grows.

‘We use the best steak mince we can find on the island. It’s literally steak minced up. Local bacon, Manx Creamery cheese, Noa buns, local potatoes… the sauces are all made ourselves. We make the patties ourselves, the milkshakes ourselves. Developing relationships with people on the island has been really cool.’

He also thanked customers for their patience during the busy opening weekend in Port Erin.

‘It was tough at times waiting for food,’ he admitted, ‘but the support from both new and regular customers has been incredible.’