A New Charleston restaurant serves an inn ovative take on the most important meal of the day

by Jessica Jones-Gorman • Photos By Alex Barreto

If you follow Project Brunch on Instagram, you’re probably ridiculously hungry by 9 a.m. That’s usually when Jodi Guagliardo starts posting decadent photos of red velvet pancakes layered with cream cheese frosting, or delicious images of a warm spinach salad with grilled shrimp and crispy bacon tossed in a maple syrup vinaigrette.

“I started posting them whenever we’d make something in our test kitchen,” noted Guagliardo, who had been working on the Project Brunch concept for several months with partner Nick Granata before its April launch. “We didn’t even have a logo and we were literally just testing out recipes to see what worked and what didn’t. But we decided to create this Instagram page to create a little buzz and get a little feedback. I think, three weeks in, we hit 2,500 followers!”

It’s testament to the uniqueness of the newly opened Charleston hot spot. Sure, there’s innovative dishes and pretty mason jar hot chocolates. But there’s also a pure, unadulterated excitement and enthusiasm that only the combo of Guagliardo and Granata can create.

“We’re dancing and high-fiving in the kitchen every time we hit that moment and pump out something really good,” Guagliardo said. “We both share this passion for delicious, beautiful food, and when it all comes together so seamlessly, that’s an exciting feeling.”

Guagliardo started in the business almost a decade ago when she opened DoSi Café in Stapleton, a fine dining concept that enjoyed a good amount of success. She left after a few years to focus more attention on family, but had long been dreaming of opening an eatery that strictly catered to breakfast and brunch.

“The original idea behind DoSi was to offer breakfast, brunch, and lunch, but my business partner convinced me to go with fine dining instead,” Guagliardo said. “At the time, we weren’t so sure how receptive Staten Island would be to a place that just served a brunch-style menu, but I’ve spent the last 10 years conceptualizing the idea, coming up with my own recipes and twists on food…bringing the concept to fruition. I believe that now is the perfect time for this style of restaurant to debut.”

So, she teamed up with Granata, a longtime friend with a culinary background, and together the pair found an available space on Arthur Kill Road, right across from the bus depot adjacent to The Tides.

“It’s a seven-store shopping plaza that includes Lobster House Joe’s, as well as a salon and pizzeria,” Guagliardo said. “Our space has this reclaimed, urban concrete rustic vibe to it, which we just love.”

Project Brunch has seating for 55 and will be open seven days a week from 6 A.M. until 3 P.M. The menu, which features everything from homemade banana bread and avocado toast to egg sandwiches and oatmeal, will also be peppered with all of those decadent and newly-imagined items posted on Instagram.

“The cool thing about Project Brunch is that the way the food is presented in our photos is exactly the way it will be presented on your plate,” Guagliardo explained. “And whatever you see on Instagram will either be on the permanent menu or will appear as a special,” adding that the intent was not to reinvent breakfast…just kick it up a notch.

“We’re serving bacon and chive waffles, pulled pork burritos, and a studied breakfast potato with a fried egg on top,” the chef added. “There’s also a whole section of the menu dedicated to waes, French toast, and pancakes, plus there’s a build-your-own omelet section where you can do things your way.”

Everything on the menu—even lunch items—is available at all hours, so customers can eat a hamburger at 6 A.M. if they want to—served on a pretzel bun and topped with cheddar and fried pickles.

“There’s also a whole bunch of wraps, panninis, and different kinds of sandwiches,” Guagliardo said. “Customers can also build their own salad, which adds a nice array of healthy choices to the mix.”

For Guagliardo and Granata, the business is a longstanding and hard-fought plan come true.

“This is something that we’ve both been dreaming of doing for such a long time,” Guagliardo concluded. “It’s so nice to finally see it all come to fruition.”

Project Brunch
4553 Arthur Kill Road / 718.605.9866