I was in Clarence New York meeting a relative for brunch. One of the places suggested was the Campfire Grill. I liked what I saw on their menu and decided to give it a try. This was a great decision, as their food is phenomenal!
The Campfire Grill was started in 2015 by Scott Jargiello and his wife Tabitha Carroll. The first location was on Walden Avenue in Depew and it did well enough that a second one was added on Main Street in Clarence location was added during the Fall of 2020. Opening a restaurant during a pandemic is not easy and the fact they were able to do so speaks volumes.
We arrived at the restaurant mid-morning and were seated right away. Our timing was good as not too long afterwords the lunch rush started and the tables quickly filled up.
Their menu is extensive with dozens of breakfast items: eggs (with bacon sausage, or ham and in combination with other items), hotcakes (pancakes with or without fruit; there are also a couple of dessert options), omelets, flatbreads (breakfast or meat lovers), biscuits & gravy, and eggs benedict. Non-breakfast options include a variety of burgers, sandwiches (sloppy joes, chicken breast, club, or turkey), and country fried steak. And of the breakfast items can be ordered as a side. There are also lunch side dishes which include french fries, baked beans, and Campslaw. The kids’ menu has chicken fingers, grilled cheese, and kid sized breakfast items. Specialty items include the Garbage Plate (griddle toast, pancakes, potatoes, eggs, cheese, hollandaise sauce and syrup! ), Fisherman’s Favorite (omelet with shrimp, crab, spinach, and hollandaise sauce), and the Kodiak Burger (cheeseburger where the buns are grilled cheese sandwiches!).
It was a tough choice, but for my entree I went with Granny’s Favorite — an omelet with turkey, bacon and vegetables, topped with hollandaise sauce. All entrees come with toast (white, rye, or sour dough) and a choice of potatoes or fruit. I went with sour dough toast and the fruit.
I thoroughly enjoyed my omelet. It was packed full of ingredients, all of which tasted fresh. The egg was light and springy – just perfect! The omelet was rolled up so it looked more like a burrito, but it still tasted great. There was not much hollandaise on it, but what sauce there was made for a a nice complement.
Wanting to try a non-breakfast item, I ordered a side of baked beans. The beans came in a small dish, which was about all I could have handled. The have a nice smokey flavor, making for some good baked beans.
Along with my companions, we covered a good part of the menu. Two of them got steak, one in omelet form and one with eggs. I did not taste either but both received good reviews. Two got pancakes: one Oreo and one blueberry. I tried the blueberry and was quite impressed. The pancake was light and fluffy and was absolutely packed with blueberries. For pancake lovers, this is a must have dish. The other item I tasted was the potatoes. They are are excellent; crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and lightly flavored with paprika. The stew looked thick and hearty, but my companion found it a little too sweet. I did not try it or the scrambled eggs.
I was told that one of Campfire’s signature dishes is their Griddle toast logs. With that recommendation, I ordered a stack of 3 for sharing.
Griddle toast logs are made with French toast, filled with sweet cream and fruit (I chose blueberry), rolled, fried, and dusted with cinnamon and sugar. They are every bit as good as they sound. Served warm, they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The sugar and cinnamon dusting is light, so their sweetness does not overpower the dish. With plenty of filling, this is the perfect breakfast dessert. As a nice touch, additional fruit, warmed up, adorns the plate. This dish’s reputation is well deserved.
The Campfire Grill leans into the camping theme hard. The walls and shelves are adorned with camping equipment (during the holidays, this also included elf dolls). Even the rest rooms are labeled as “outhouses.” The whole building has the feel of a log cabin. Service is quick and friendly and the waitresses are helpful with suggestions. All in all, the Campfire Grill is a great place to have brunch.
Jim's Dining Guides 