Enjoy a beer and a burger at Ford’s Garage, the 1920s-style service station with a difference!

With multiple venues around Florida, why not stop off for a gourmet burger and craft beer at one of the Ford’s Garage venues? Styled around a 1920’s garage and petrol station, fittings incorporate classic Ford design elements, including the iconic blue and white Ford logo, vintage Ford cars and gas pumps! This sits alongside darkly-coloured prohibition-era style décor, including old brickwork and hammered copper-top bars.

The original venue opened back in 2012 in Fort Myers, Florida – less than half a mile from the winter residence of Ford founder Henry Ford. The restaurant chain later entered into a licensing agreement with Ford Motor Co, affording them the rights to use actual Model Ts, archival photos and brand imagery. Expansion has been fairly rapid - Ford’s Garage currently has 13 venues, 12 of which are in Florida, with one in Michigan - where the company has been based for over 100 years!

Ford’s Garage locations in Orlando:

• Kissimmee - 3210 Margaritaville Blvd, Kissimmee, FL 34747
• Orlando Premium Outlets - 8201 Vineland Avenue, Suite 1801, Orlando, FL 32821

Ford’s Garage is well-known for its extensive menu of delicious comfort food, including popular American classics such as mac and cheese, meatloaf and chilli.

They are also known for their eating-challenge special, the Henry Ford’s Hub Cap Burger – a whopping 10lb burger, which was the size of a Model T wheel, and fed around 15 guests. This gargantuan meal was offered free to any diner who could eat it all on their own in two hours!

If you want something a little lighter, then fish and grilled chicken are also on the menu. It’s the burgers though which are at the forefront – and I hope you have a good appetite if you are planning on ordering! All of the burgers are 1/2 lb USDA Black Angus beef, which are made freshly to order.

Especially of interest is the Jiffy Burger, which comes served in a buttery brioche bun topped with American cheese, mouthwatering applewood-smoked bacon, lettuce, and as an unusual touch – peanut butter! The BBQ Brisket Burger also looks delicious – and filling! Topped with sticky Bourbon BBQ Sauce as well as hickory-smoked brisket, applewood-smoked bacon, shredded cheddar, red onions and even crispy onion straws, this is the perfect burger for the meat-lovers among you!

If you want a meat-free alternative, you can ask for a grilled portobello mushroom to replace the burger, or why not test out the Impossible Burger – a plant-based vegetarian ‘meat’ burger that is meant to mimic the flavour and texture of meat. This can be substituted in place of any of the burgers, so give it a try and see what you think – even if you aren’t a vegetarian!

Gluten-free diners who still want a burger need not miss out either; why not try out either the American Standard burger topped with American cheese, tomato, lettuce, red onion and gherkins, or the mouthwatering Black-N-Blu burger – including crumbled blue cheese, applewood-smoked bacon, fried onions, lettuce and tomato, both of which can be served up in a gluten-free bun! If you are on a gluten-free or low-carb diet, you can also order the Low Carb-Uretor, which is served up on a bed of lettuce rather than a traditional bun. Enjoy a burger topped with fried onions and sautéed mushrooms, as well as tomato, red onion and gherkins! Lighter bites, such as grilled chicken and blackened salmon are also suitable for those with gluten-free diets. If all of this seems a bit much for the youngsters in your party, don’t worry – there are also kids’ menu options as well! These include a ¼ lb cheeseburger or a grilled chicken sandwich in a brioche bun with a side.

If you still haven’t had your fill then check-out the dessert menu. If you are going to have a birthday over your trip to Florida, you might want to register for the E-Club through their website, as you will receive a complimentary warm brownie sundae for your special day! This is topped with vanilla ice cream, candied walnuts, chocolate sauce – not to mention the whipped cream with a cherry on top! Treat yourself to a slice of zesty Key lime pie, or Chocolate Peanut Butter Thunder Cake – or maybe just enjoy a milkshake or a root beer float – alcoholic or not!

Speaking of alcohol – enjoy a glass of wine with your meal, or check out the very extensive range of draught and bottled craft beers on offer. You can download the TapHunter app to see what they have available at any time. Fancy something different? Treat yourself to a refreshing cocktail! If you are there Monday-Friday between 2pm and 6pm it’s also Happy Hour, the perfect time to enjoy a drink and a burger with friends.

The restaurant promises a 10% discount for any Ford Motor Company employee (excluding alcohol) – it’s not entirely clear whether this applies to Ford employees from other countries, but ask your server before ordering – you might be able to save a few dollars!

You don’t need to book ahead, but you can make use of the restaurant’s call-ahead seating system by downloading the Yelp app. This is for groups of ten or less, and allows you to put yourself on the waiting list for a table. If you are dining in a group of ten or more, contact the restaurant directly.

This is a great location to take some photos alongside classic cars and enjoy classic American food. Let us know what you ordered and what you would recommend! We’d love to see your photos of the classic cars as well, so get in touch with us!