Ferryman Cafe
117 Main Street
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 (Map it!)
Attendees: Jeffrey, Sylvia, Pat, Shelley
Hoping to save money, we decided to go somewhere less expensive since we had just gone to the Cook Shop last week. So our czar went hunting for a cheaper breakfast and we landed in Dobbs Ferry at the Ferryman Café. The internet calls it the Ferryman Café, but the awning and the signage at the actual location make no mention of any Ferryman. Maybe the Ferryman decided to leave and start his own business of ferry making. Who knows? Either way, the place calls itself the Dobbs Ferry Café.
sWell, if inexpensive is what we were looking for, inexpensive was what we got. It wasn’t terrible. I actually enjoyed my French Toast platter with 6 half slices of French toast and a side of higher-grade microwavable sausage. The maple syrup was Kraft pre-packaged sugar water, but again, can’t beat that price. I opted to get some Tropicana orange juice over the coffee because the coffee was self-serve, what seemed like Maxwell house brand coffee. Also, I feel like I’m vitamin C deficient. I feel like these were good choices all in all.
As for breakfast dessert, I went for the banana/strawberry smoothie. Reviews online mentioned the smoothies, so I had to try it out. I actually saw them cutting up a banana and I guess I saw a container produced after the dude asked for strawberries. I didn’t see any lousy sugary syrup go into it or any crazy protein energy shot powder, so I have to think that it’s somewhat healthy. It tasted fine. Just what I needed on a hot day.
So, what do I think of this place? If you live around Dobbs Ferry, go nuts. It’s a nice go to place for breakfast with friends. If you live in another town, there’s probably another place just like it in your town.
On the internet, this place is also known as the Ferryman Cafe. However, “cafe” is a bit of a misnomer. On the outside, the brick exterior with the entrance in a setback masks the deli aspect of the place, which is what it really seems to be more than a cafe. Nonetheless, we were here for the food. There was no table service, so we sauntered in and proceeded to stare at the menus lining the walls. The breakfast menu consisted of the usual breakfast sandwich offerings, but also included pancakes, a few omelettes, and french toast. I settled on a sausage, egg, and cheese on a roll with a cup of coffee.
The coffee was self-serve from a carafe placed in a neatly organized hot beverage area. They did have an impressive selection of tea bags available, as well as sugar choices, but alas, only one type of milk. Overall the coffee was okay. Not really amazing, but what one can expect?
A bit after we paid and settled into our little table, the cashier kindly brought us our meals served on colorful dishes. My sausage, egg, and cheese on a roll was actually quite enjoyable. The roll was very fresh, soft, and lightly toasted. The sausage, egg, and cheese was also good, although I believe there was only one egg present. The good thing was it wasn’t overtly greasy as many breakfast sandwiches can be. The egg was perfectly fried, without being heavy, and the sausage wasn’t heavy.
The czar says: If I worked in Dobbs Ferry, or even lived there, this would be a pretty good place to stop in for a quick breakfast to go.
What I Had: Bacon and “Cheese” Omelette with potatoes, toast, and Orange Juice
What it Cost: $7.86
Worth It: I guess
The Rating: 2.75/5
The Details: The Dobbs Ferry Cafe (listed on google as the Ferryman Cafe) reminds me of Grouchy Gabe’s, except roomier and more inviting, with a less whimsical menu. The interior was plain as plain could be, and the menu devoid of character entirely, save for pictures of the food the restaurant serves (which a placard on the wall tells us were all designed and taken at the Dobbs Ferry Cafe).
I ordered my standard bacon and cheese omelette. I received a bacon omelette. Ordinarily, I would have sent it back. However, that morning I was working on very little sleep. So little sleep that I hardly minded the incredibly thin omelette laid in front of me, and the incredibly miniscule portions of bacon cooked into the egg. Nor did I mind the astonishing greasiness of the potatoes, which nevertheless maintained a pleasant crunch on their exterior.
It may sound as though I’m complaining (albeit passive-aggressively) about the food. So then why did I say it was worth it? Well, this is a hole-in-the-wall grill in Dobbs Ferry with no table service (though the cashier gamely brought us our food), a sparsely decorated interior, and greasy food. What could you expect? It gave me exactly what I thought I’d get. Probably I wouldn’t choose to go here again. But if someone made me choose between the Dobbs Ferry Cafe and, say, Orfino’s, I’d gladly make the trek down to the Dobbs.
The Bottom Line: Exactly what you’d expect, nothing more.
After last week’s wallet-emptying Manhattan excursion, this week we were looking for a breakfast destination that would be a bit more budget-friendly. So, when Sylvia suggested the Ferryman Cafe on Main Street in Dobbs Ferry, we all agreed that it seemed to be a reasonable choice for this week’s meal. Based on the information we found online, the Ferryman Cafe looked to be a simple cafe/deli, with equally simple prices.
After picking up my carless comrade in Ossining and a 20 minute drive down the Saw Mill, we arrived in Dobbs Ferry. I spotted Jeffrey and Sylvia wandering around Main Street and found a parking spot steps away from the establishment. Downside: the meters only let you pay for 30 minutes at a time, so we knew that someone was going to have to dart out at some point during the meal to re-feed the meter. Oh well, that’s the price we pay for a cheaper breakfast (no free parking lot). Now, online the Ferryman Cafe was listed as being located at 117 Main Street. We found 117 Main Street, but on the green awning above the door were white letters that said “Dobbs Ferry Cafe”, not the charming “Ferryman Cafe.” We scratched our heads for a moment, rechecked the address, and decided we were, in fact, at the right location, the new name just hadn’t yet made its way to the world wide web.
As you walk into the Dobbs Ferry Cafe you see the cooking area straight ahead of you and the counter where you order is on the right side. There are small tables running along each wall and the walls are covered with photographs of the varied fare offered at the cafe–burgers, chicken fingers, gyros, triple decker sandwiches, and eggs. (My favorite poster was the one that advertised soup, with a touch of suspense thrown in through the generous use of ellipses: “Try our hot…fresh…soup!”) On the back wall above the cooking area is a poster advertising various breakfast specials. I couldn’t figure out why the “Cheese Omelette” and the “Swiss Omelette”, which were the exact same price and came with the exact same sides, had separate grids on the specials board. Swiss is still cheese, right? Oh well.
I settled on a Western Omelette with wheat toast and a bottle of cranberry juice to drink. The price was music to my ears, ringing in at about $8.00. The food was brought to our table after a very brief wait. The food was…well, it was food. It was by no means spectacular and there’s not much to really comment on, but it was what I’d expect from a small main-street deli. The omelette was flat and a bit greasy, as were the potatoes. The wheat toast was nice, well-toasted and not overly buttered. We still enjoyed ourselves, especially when we spotted on our table the advertisement for Coca Cola, which featured a photo of a man who seemed a little too excited about his glass of Coke.
I wouldn’t make a special trip to Dobbs Ferry just to go to the DFC. But, to use a sentence I think I use alot in these reviews: if you live in the area and want a quick, cheap bite to eat, then the Dobbs Ferry Cafe seems an OK choice.
Andrew
July 27, 2010 at 8:37 am
Man Jeff, you keep talking about price but you never got around to mentioning how much your meal was!!!