Looking For The Perfect Cheeseburger? Try The Ford’s Garage Signature Burger
What do you get if you pair an upscale burger joint with nostalgic Americana? Ford’s Garage, of course. The Wellington location of this unique Florida chain has been making burger fans happy since opening in 2019 at the Mall at Wellington Green.
Ford’s Garage prides itself on cultivating a classic American atmosphere through Ford memorabilia and savory comfort foods. All burgers at Ford’s Garage are fresh-pattied and built with gourmet toppings, creating what the chain calls “Ultimate Burger Experience,” or “UBE” for short.
Nothing says “classic” quite like a juicy bacon cheeseburger. The Ford’s Signature Burger is a half-pound grilled Black Angus patty, topped with aged sharp cheddar cheese, applewood smoked bacon, a bourbon barbecue sauce, lettuce, tomato and red onion on a toasted brioche bun — a simple, yet perfectly crafted “UBE.”
“What separates us from all the other burger companies out there are our half-pound Black Angus burgers, made fresh, never frozen,” co-owner Keith Ledsome said. “With our aged sharp cheddar cheese and applewood smoked bacon, along with the bourbon barbecue sauce, we are able to incorporate all of these different flavors. This really accommodates the palate and makes our Ford’s Signature Burger our best-selling burger.”
If that does not sound like the perfect burger experience to you, not to worry. The menu features more than a dozen other burger creations made from half-pound grilled Black Angus patties, from the Mushroom Swiss to the Black-N-Bleu, as well as some smaller burger creations as well.
The well-rounded menu also features salads, such as the Ford’s Chop Shop and the Grilled Chicken Cobb, and an array of comfort foods, like Beer Battered Fish N’ Chips and Hand Battered Chicken Tenders.
“It’s not just the craft beer and burgers,” Ledsome said. “We have something for everyone’s palate, including gluten-free options and our phenomenal salads. Our gluten-free Chicken Henry is another one of most popular items, and we also have our meatloaf. It’s called Mama Ford’s Homemade Meatloaf.”
Co-owner Kathleen Gannon-Ledsome, Keith’s wife, also has her favorite.
“My favorite thing on the menu is the Chili Garlic Salmon,” Gannon-Ledsome said. “The flavoring of it is amazing, and the salmon quality we get is unprecedented when compared with any other restaurant in Wellington.”
That popular dish features eight ounces of Norwegian Atlantic grilled salmon with a sweet chili garlic sauce and your choice of sides.
“Most people assume we are only a burger place, but we have a wide range on the menu, with great salads, perhaps the best in Wellington, and amazing other dishes,” Gannon-Ledsome added.
The appetizers also turn heads with their presentation. For example, the signature appetizer is the Giant Funnel Tower of Jumbo Piston Onion Rings, which is served on a real piston, tying into the 1920s service station vibe. Edsel’s Hot Pretzels and the Famous Firestone Shrimp are also popular on the appetizer menu.
Don’t forget to save some room! Desserts include throw-back style milkshakes, funnel cake fries, a brownie sundae and key lime pie.
The Ford’s Garage concept began in 2012 in Fort Myers, an area known as the vacation destination for Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Harvey Firestone. The flagship restaurant opened just down the street from Henry Ford’s famous winter residence.
The restaurant’s décor is a step back in time to the dawn of the automobile age, feeding Wellington restaurant goers’ appetites by way of a Prohibition-era filling station. The scene is set from the moment you open the door at the entrance with its gas pump handles, flanked by two retro gas pumps.
Ford’s Garage continues this nostalgic feel with its throwback pieces of Americana. Several restored Ford Model Ts fill the 6,000-square-foot space for guests to admire as they enjoy a meal.
The main bar has a Model T hanging as a centerpiece, complete with a working horn and “smoke” that spews from the back. There’s plenty to enjoy at the bar, particularly if you are a beer lover. Craft beer is part of the restaurant’s flair. There’s a selection of 150 beers in all, in homage to the Ford F-150.
“We also have a variety of specialty drinks, such as the Lincoln Punch, which features Mount Gay Rum, as well as the Model Tea and the Ford’s Old Fashioned,” Ledsome said.
Happy hour is between 2 and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, with $3 premium well drinks and $2 off drinks and drafts. Also featured on the drink menu are several frozen drinks, such as spiked lemonades and margaritas.
The Wellington restaurant, which opened in June 2019, was the chain’s first southeast Florida location. There are 13 other Florida locations, with two outside Florida in Michigan and Indiana.
Ford’s Garage offers both indoor and outdoor dining, along with online ordering and curbside pickup. Home delivery can be arranged through Delivery Dudes.
“We also do catering,” Gannon-Ledsome said. “For example, we just did the catering for the World Championship Equestrian Triathlon, a benefit for the Boys & Girls Club.”
Ford’s Garage is located inside the Mall at Wellington Green at 10300 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 122, near the Patio Verde entrance. Hours are Sundays, noon to 7 p.m.; Monday through Thursday, noon to 9 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, noon to 9:30 p.m. For more information, call (561) 805-3673 or visit www.fordsgarageusa.com.
