The Chicken Coop

The Chicken Coop Kitchen & Bar

Now open in Johnston, perfect for just about any occasion

by Jennifer Coates

The sign on the bar says it all to those who enter: “Come in, we are Awesome!” For Tonya Antonelli and Meliza Ferruolo, the coowners of The Chicken Coop Kitchen & Bar, this catchy phrase says everything - this place is awesome, and all are truly welcome!

A focus on great service and good oldfashioned hospitality at this new restaurant in Johnston is not by accident, it is, in fact, quite intentional. Meliza and Tonya, who are linked by their partners, brothers Robert Ferruolo (who is married to Meliza) and Mathew Ferruolo (Tonya’s fiancé) care deeply about the dining experience that their customers have at The Chicken Coop. This begins with the kind of friendly hospitality that they expect their servers and bartenders to deliver ~ along with the delicious food they serve up every day at this casual kitchen and bar in the city.

Rhode Islanders Ferruolo and Antonelli are not only the co-owners of The Chicken Coop Kitchen & Bar, they are also good friends. When the former take-out restaurant Wings-to-Go closed, Tonya, who has been in the industry for over twenty-seven years, jumped at the chance to go out on her own. Along with Meliza, these two women put their heads together and set in motion a plan to convert a tired and empty space into the cozy, welcoming dine-in restaurant it is today.

The lease to The Coop was signed on September 5th and with the guidance and design inspiration of Tonya and Meliza, the Ferruolo brothers went right to work. With their 30+ years of combined experience in commercial and residential construction, these hardworking guys completed renovations that went from floor to ceiling, rafter to rafter, and front to back. No detail was left undone. The restaurant was officially opened to the public on November 19th, in record time.

What was once an overly bold-colored space had been expanded, lightened, brightened, and modernized. Today, a soft blue-gray paint coats the wainscoting while the remaining wall space is covered with whitewashed brick. The tabletops are butcher block and the bar has a dark, polished granite countertop which anchors the whole room.

The restaurant is divided into a dining area and a lounge area where diners can relax while they munch on appetizers or just cozy up with a cocktail while they watch the Patriots play on one of the many TV’s in the room. The light of a neon sign - a gift from Meliza to

her husband Robert (who is a huge fan of Tom Cruise’s film 1988 movie “Cocktail”) shines down on black leather couches making this part of The Chicken Coop feel just like home. Today, the restaurant would be called classic “modern farmhouse,” it is “country” in design, but not kitchy!

While the décor at The Chicken Cook Kitchen & Bar is “on trend,” what makes this newly opened dinery most notable is its delicious and carefully selected menu. Some might call it “pub-style” fare, but it is certainly more elevated than that moniker implies. The menu was curated by Chef Justin Ferreira, a young and talented chef who certainly knows his way around the kitchen.

Though a local guy, Chef Ferreira has been cooking up a storm in restaurants across the country for over 15 years. Hailing from Fall River, his work has taken him to as far away as California where he cooked in the kitchen of a 5-star restaurant. He is innovative and yet consistent, knowing that it is his signature flavors and dishes that have garnered him fans from one coast to another.

The menu at The Chicken Coop Kitchen & Bar is straightforward and enticing, from its classic pub-style cuisine to its famous chicken wings! Peruse your way through this mouthwatering selection of appetizers: House-made chili (perfect for a chilly winter day), crunchy Mozzarella sticks & onion rings, Steak & Cheese Eggrolls, House-made FRIED pickles and potato chips (nothing like them off any grocery store shelf), Fried Cheese Curds, the best dang French Fries around (too good to describe, but don’t miss them) and Nachos (piled high with cheese, lettuce, tomato, jalapeno, and more)

If this doesn’t tempt you, how about their crispy, fresh salads or their succulent burgers! Chef Ferreira fires up a mean burger from his Classic Angus Burger to his BBQ Burger to his Bleu Buffalo Burger. Juicy. Packed with flavor. Freshest of ingredients.

Diners rave over his Mozambique Chicken sandwich ~ a sumptuous combination of crispy chicken topped with American cheese, banana peppers, lettuce, tomato and house-made Mozambique sauce (curious? Come in and try it!). Meliza’s favorite is the Short Rib sandwich – doesn’t get any better than this!

The REAL star of the show is The Chicken Coop’s incredibly delicious Chicken Wings with their long list of accompanying Sauces and Dry Rubs. The wings come bone-in, boneless and as tenders. Perfect for ANY gathering, Super Bowl party or quiet night after work, they come in various weights and numbers.

Chef Ferreira has developed a long list of sauces including the traditional mild/medium/hot, stinging honey garlic, sweet Thai chili, Mango Habanero, Honey BBQ and more. His dry rub blends are equally as finger-licking: Bamm! Habanero, Butttermilk Ranch, Maple BBQ, Old Bay Spice, Slap Ya Mama (Cajun), Texas Pecan - and that is just a few!

Come to The Chicken Coop Kitchen & Bar! With its crowd-pleasing menu, its inviting dine-in space, its FULL bar and its easily accessible location, you just can’t beat it!

The Chicken Coop Kitchen & Bar is located at 1463 Atwood Avenue in Johnston. Follow them at @ thechickencoopkb or for take-out, call 401-3319464 (WINGS). The Coop is open every day from 11:30am until 1:00am for those late-night cravings!