Stonefire Grill Awards

Stonefire Grill Restaurant Review:

With clean stone and wood finishes and Craftsman-style lighting, the modern building housing this modified fast-food eatery is so handsome that is seems a shame it is not a full-service restaurant. And there are so many runners and cashiers, it’s hard to believe they couldn’t make the conversion easily. But this mini-chain has a formula that apparently works to keep prices low. Meats are grilled over mesquite, and the pepper-garlic tri-tip, served with Gorgonzola butter, is undeniably tasty. Chicken brushed with barbecue sauce is very respectable, too. There are a vast array of pizzas with traditional toppings, pastas served family-style or individually, and some intriguing salads, like the "keen green" made with quinoa, avocado, pesto and artichoke hearts. Desserts --- carrot cake, brownies and cheesecake --- are first-rate for a fast-food format, while a limited beer list offers quite a few artisanal, locally made ales. Unfortunately, without soft surfaces to reduce noise, the dining room can be unnerving during peak hours, so look to the patio if weather permits. Other locations.