Ferris’ Grill & Garden Patio

Ferris’ cozy dining room

Ferris Grill and Garden Patio restaurant is an eatery that has achieved near iconic status for locals.  This is in part due to the unfailingly fast and friendly service and also in part due to certain dishes that, once sampled, induce cravings that can only be satisfied with repeat visits. Ferris’s is an amiable, casual restaurant with a lovely patio in the back and a cozy, inviting, brick-walled interior.

Cioppino Soup

While we recognize that one man’s carb craving might be another’s bivalve binge, we have to give mention our personal favourites, starting with Ferris’s legendary chicken penne soup. The golden broth comes in a bird bathed size tureen chock full of vegetables, penne, and replete with a panoply of fluffy, golf ball sized rice dumplings (you may order extra dumplings for .50 each). This broth is sure to cure the common cold, a broken heart, or frankly, whatever else ails you.  We often visit Ferris’ in winter expressly to slurp this soup.

Ferris’ has many menu items

revered by locals as classics

Ferris’s French fries are hand cut, fried in peanut oil, and justifiably renowned, and they do a terrific burger here. We usually vacillate between ordering the lamb burger with spicy harissa or a good old beef burger (I get mine with the addition of Gorgonzola mousse and sautéed mushrooms). You can order a mixture of yam and potato fries or go half fries, half salad with your burger. At around $12 for an enormous platter, this is one of the better burger bargains in Victoria.

Clam Linguine

Other standout dishes at Ferris’s include the creamy Rockefeller oysters with spinach and pernod and the Nonna Marcella (pasta heaped with fennel laced pork shoulder, parmesan and tomatoes).  Regrettably, as of this writing we haven’t tried dessert at Ferris’ (we have always been too stuffed) but a little bird tells us that “Sandy’s famous chocolate brownie” is to die for.  For tipple, this eatery has pints of local draught on tap for under $5 and there is an appealing list of old school cocktails and new school martinis in the offing.

Al Fresco dining on the Patio

Ferris’ would be a great place to go with a group, as many of the appetizers are ideally suited for sharing.  Prices are affordable and service is almost supernaturally speedy.  If you are a local and you haven’t visited Ferris’ Grill, we recommend you head there and find out what you’ve been missing.  If you are a visitor, head to Ferris’s and you’ll automatically avoid the overpriced tourist traps lining Wharf Street.

If you’re looking for something a little more romantic, climb the stairs to Ferris’ wonderful Seafood + Oyster Bar on the second floor. It is a favourite of Monty’s, and winner of our coveted “Magic Unicorn Award”. You’ll also find the newest member of the Ferris’ family, the “Perro Negro” tapas & wine bar at this location. No matter which restaurant you choose, enter hungry, and you’ll exit happy and sated.

PETE’S PICKS: pulled pork poutine, Rockerfeller oyster, lamb burger, chicken penne soup.

PETE’S TIPPLE: Collingwood Sour, Slipstream Cream Ale, French 75