Roost Farm Winery, Bakery, and Bistro — Restaurant in North Saanich

My sister and I were in Saanich today and our brother recommended the Roost for lunch. We've never been there so that is the place we chose for lunch. We were intrigued by the bakery, large parking lot that was full etc. Looked like a fun and funky place to eat. We were seated immediately by a friendly hostess, given menus and and asked if we'd like water and any other beverage. We took our time looking over the menu because it was our first time there. I ordered a cup of soup and the skins and my sister ordered a pizza. After 30 minutes we're wondering where the food is. Our server came over and apologized for the long wait time without us asking how much longer it would be. Another 20 minutes goes by and still no food but the server had repeatedly came by and apologized for the wait. My cup of soup arrives and more apologies. My sister's pizza shows up a short while later and again I was apologized to because of the wait. After another 10 minutes I flagged down the waitress and asked how much longer for my skins. She comes back and assures me that it won't be much longer and did I want to upgrade my cup of soup to a bowl of soup because of the lengthy wait. I said I didn't and really just wanted what I had ordered. My sister had to start eating and my skins arrived after she had eaten half of her meal. My waitress didn't bring my food to me, it looked like someone from the kitchen brought them out and he apologized for the long wait and that it was the fault of the kitchen.

My sister and I both agreed that the food was good and we liked the atmosphere of the restaurant but the wait time for the items we selected was not reasonable at all. Clearly the staff knew there was an issue with the volume of apologies I got (at least 15). I was curious if I'd get a discount on my meal for the very long wait which is customary in certain restaurants. No discount, no comp lunch, no explanation of why it took so long and no offer of a free desert. It was a 2 hour round trip drive for us to go there for lunch and our food expectations were certainly met but not the wait time...

I expected so much more. I had been wanting to visit the Bistro for a while based on an older, positive experience with the bakery side. To start, long wait for a table at lunch, while many tables were free. Servers chatting to each other, ignoring waiting clients. When we got our table (which was one of the ones that had been empty since we arrived), the chairs were really dirty - crumbs all over.

Another long wait for food when the restaurant was only 1/3 full. Our party was only 5 people, so not a giant amount of orders at once for the kitchen staff to fill. Pizza undercooked and dough underwhelming, toppings skimpy but there was plenty of cheese. Certainly did not taste of fresh-milled flour or wood fired oven. I don't even know if they are using their flour anymore - it wasn't whole wheat.

Prices higher than posted in online menus. No vegan options, very few vegetarian options. Several items not served as described in menu - e.g. Cheese board did not come with fresh baked ciabatta crostini but instead Raincoast crisps which are not remotely the same, and a disappointment for those that dislike their rasiny oversweet flavour; spinach and berry salad lacked goat cheese.

One star as seafood chowder was good. I also liked that they left water on the table for you to refill glasses as needed. The room decor is rustic and nice but there are no soft surfaces to absorb sound - it was REALLY loud.

BEWARE - parties of 6 or more get automatic 18% gratuity added, and the place is expensive...

So I’m hungry right and there’s this place a block from where I live that I’ve never been to and I’m like hey let’s go there. So you walk in and it’s one of those you order your food and they call you to come get it. I’m like ok let’s see how this goes. The person taking my order was super nice so I order a club house sandwich with fries and go to find a seat. Well there’s chickens in the room wait your thinking it’s call the roost and there’s chicken art stuff and yes there is but no there’s live pullets like young female chickens. I’m like yes! I love chickens. You’d think a pen of live chickens in a restaurant would be messy but no it’s clean as a whistle. And I love me some chickens. So they call my name and I go pick up my food. First impression was “ now that’s a big sandwich”! There had to of been a pound of meat on that thing it was huge! It looked so good then I noticed the fries they were real homemade fries like my mother used to make! So the food was sooooo good! I mean it was delicious. Now I’m a big guy and can eat a lot and I was full. It was delicious and there was chickens which I like too. Im like how the heck have I never been here? Go! you won’t be disappointed. It’s clean, cool stuff on the walls to look at the people are super nice and the food is delicious and huge! Oh and parking was awesome I mention the parking cause no one has good parking in the town I mean except for these...