Stoneyard serves hearty craft breakfast: restaurant review

I love breakfast. So finding the right stop to satisfy my morning hunger pangs is worthy research. Our trek to Brockport to a place with “Breakfast” in its name was a promising start.

At Brockport’s Stoneyard Breakfast Co., come hungry and you’ll leave satisfied. All of the dishes are served piping hot in 8-inch cast iron skillets and everything is comforting. For example, the Benedict includes lump crab and pimento cheese.

The Breakfast Co. is one of three branches of the Stoneyard Brewing Co. family tree. The other two include the Brewing Co. Tap and Grill, also in Brockport, and the American Beer Hall and Grill in Penfield. The breakfast menu offers Stoneyard an opportunity to show off its crafty culinary approach.

Owners Jason Milliman, Andrew Musumeci and Jay Nichols' vision for the restaurant came to life when they took over the previous bar space and its available resources. Echoing the same innovative craft beer mindset in place at their other locations, here they’ve swapped hops for home fries.

The set-up is different than what you might expect. Communal seating, self-serve coffee and water, and a wall lined with at-home inspired mugs create the distinctive setting. An assortment of steak sauces, ketchups, mustards, hot sauces and more are also laid out nearby. Bottled juices and sodas are situated in a cooler nearby where orders are taken. They hope to have alcoholic libations available by mid-year.

We placed our order at a counter reminiscent of where pints and bottles would ordinarily be served. The menu is broken down by specialties — skillets, sweets and lunch items the likes of sandwiches and salads.

Under display domes by the register are sweets to tempt you provided by a local baker. We couldn’t resist and chose the mint chocolate chip and vanilla coconut gluten-free and vegan doughnuts. While waiting for our food to arrive at one of the long farmhouse-style tables, we devoured them both. Each doughnut delivered on its flavor with light, cakey consistencies.

The biscuits are not to miss and made up my favorite dish — biscuits and gravy ($9). A flaky crust protected the pillowy dough interior. Buttery and rich, they held up well in the gravy and were among some of the best biscuits I’ve tried. Crumbles of chorizo — Spanish sausage made with pork and paprika — imparted heat, smokiness and an orange hue. I requested over-easy eggs to be added. One oozed luscious runny yolk while the other was cooked through. The eggs weren’t necessary but it was morning so I felt compelled.

The well-seasoned breakfast carnitas ($13) take a hands-on approach to tender, slow-roasted pork. Joining the shredded pork in the skillet were roasted pepper, caramelized onion and queso fresco with our choice of eggs scrambled. Fresh cilantro, a lime wedge, salsa, avocado and sour cream complemented the Mexican-inspired dish. On the side, flour tortillas were wrapped in foil to stay warm. The addition of a hot sauce from the condiment collection helped push things further.

Milliman told me that pork fed with spent grain from Stoneyard’s brewery will be used in skillets in the near future.

The fresh avocado, with its brown shade and stiff texture, left something to be desired. However, the restaurant is committed to sourcing mostly local produce when in season.

For me, the marriage between sweet and savory is what makes breakfast so special. While some may only go one route, I opt for both. So we finished with the day’s fruit pancake feature ($6) and the hot skillet cinnabun ($8).

The pancake is cooked by pouring the batter into a buttered and preheated skillet. It’s finished off in a pizza oven. Even after it sat on the table while we dug into our other dishes, it was still perfectly warm. That day it featured walnuts and soft banana slices that complemented the custardy-cake well. New York pure maple syrup produced by Sweden Hills is served alongside as a lovely local touch.

Made to order, a generously sized cinnamon roll takes shape as the hot skillet cinnabun ($6). Share if you must, this was a fantastic matchup of melted cinnamon sugar rolled within plush dough surrounding by a pleasant charred base. To cap it off, a deliciously indulgent frosting made from cream cheese and light butter is whipped together and spread overtop. It’s no surprise this is a customer favorite.

My only complaint is that I wish Stoneyard was closer to my home in Rochester. Along with other unnamed plans Stoneyard creators have in place, Brockport is quickly becoming a food-and-drink destination.

Freelance reviewer Amanda Antinore reviews restaurants after a one-time visit.

Stoneyard Breakfast Co.

Location: 26 Clinton St., Brockport; (585) 391-3300 or stoneyardbrewingcompany.com/stoneyard-breakfast-co.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Reservations:  No.

Mains:  $6 to $12.

Sides:  $2 to 3.

Diet:  Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options available. Can accommodate special requests.

Handicapped-accessible:  Yes, fully accessible not including bathrooms.

Kid-friendly:  Yes; booster seats and highchairs available. Items are plated vs. served in hot skillets.

Attire: Casual.

Credit cards accepted: Yes.

Parking: Plenty of free parking in adjacent lot.