True Hospitality

-By Angie Johnson-Schmit

There is nothing like the cold winter months to bring on a craving for comfort food.

Home cooks break out their finest recipes during the season, but sometimes the best comfort food is the food you don’t have to cook for yourself. For those in search of a warm, savory, homemade meal without the dirty dishes, Central Arizona’s Colt Grill restaurants have got you covered.

From left to right - Mandy Clouston, Brenda Clouston, Kori Clouston, Barret Clouston, Carson Clouston

Restaurateur Brenda Clouston has hit the sweet spot with her restaurants. Best known for their onsite smoked meats and barbecue, Colt Grill offers generous portions at an affordable price in a casual dining setting. It’s no wonder the restaurants have proven to be so popular with local diners.

Clouston was inspired to create Colt Grill during the drive home from a vacation in North Carolina. During a conversation with her husband, Clouston landed on the idea of a barbecue place “where you could feel at home and have that Western vibe that I love so much, that I grew up with.” She also wanted it to be “casual enough that you didn’t have to spend a fortune.” The idea took root, and she went on to open the first Colt Grill in Cottonwood, Arizona.

Flash forward six years and Colt Grill now has restaurants in Cottonwood, Prescott Valley, Sedona, and a downtown Prescott location due to open soon. The response in each community has been overwhelmingly positive. When the highly anticipated Prescott Valley location opened in 2020, there was literally a line around the block of hungry people eager to try it out. That enthusiasm hasn’t waned a bit.

At the heart of the barbecue restaurant’s success is their smoked meats. While they follow the traditional method of smoking their meats over hardwood, specifically white oak, Colt Grill has put their own spin on the process. “The way that we wrap it (the meat) and how long we wrap it…is a specialty that we do,” she said. “I don’t think it’s like anybody else’s, to be honest, because we just kept tweaking it over and over.”

Clouston’s son Carson custom builds the smokers, which feature design modifications to fit both the menu and production needs of the restaurants. According to Carson, the smokers are “challenging to fabricate and take about two weeks of welding and painting to complete.” Fortunately, Carson enjoys welding and takes satisfaction from knowing his smokers are used to produce something that pleases so many palates.

Their menu features a range of smoked meats, including baby back ribs, brisket, chicken, and turkey. Side dishes include the traditional coleslaw, beans (smoked or baked), potato salad and fries. For a real treat, try their fantastic smoked mac-n-cheese. And, Colt Grill makes a mean burger. “We fresh grind our hamburger here,” said Clouston. “Something nobody else does.” It’s no wonder they’ve picked up some Best Burger awards.

Clouston knew she also needed salads on the menu. “I had to create a salad I would actually order,” she said with a laugh. She likes Caesar salads and made sure to include them. Another favorite of Clouston’s is the Filly salad. The Filly is made with romaine lettuce and spring mix greens topped with dried cranberries, sweet smoked walnuts, blue cheese crumbles and diced, smoked chicken.

Their menu features a range of smoked meats, including baby back ribs, brisket, chicken, and turkey. Side dishes include the traditional coleslaw, beans (smoked or baked), potato salad and fries. For a real treat, try their fantastic smoked mac-n-cheese.

Colt Grill offers a veggie burger that Clouston is proud of. “Everybody wanted a vegetarian option, not just the salads,” she said. They worked on the recipe for several months before they found what they were looking for – a great tasting veggie burger that didn’t fall apart. Made of brown rice, black beans, carrot, barbecue sauce and potatoes, the veggie burger is a great soy-free choice for vegetarian diners. “It will fill you up,” said Clouston. “It’s huge.”

When it comes to comfort food, one of Clouston’s personal favorites is the brisket sandwich. “If I hadn’t had my food in a really long time…that would be what I’d order,” she said. “I love the tangy barbecue sauce with the brioche bun.” She is also a fan of the smoked chicken and avocado taco. “People think, oh, chicken tacos, no big thing,” she said. “But all those flavor components with the sauce really sing and I don’t get tired of it.”

Great food is the cornerstone for any successful restaurant, but Clouston also wants to create a great dining experience for the restaurant patrons. That means the right space, décor, comfortable seating, and just the right atmosphere.

Fortunately, Clouston was able to call on her years as an interior designer to craft that space for her guests. “All the different elements play to them (restaurant patrons),” she said. “The way everything feels, the leather table tops, the upholstered chairs…I'm just hoping and praying that when you come in the door, you're going to feel what I set out to design.”

At the heart of what she wanted to create was “a space that would make everyone feel comfortable,” that also reflected Clouston’s love for American traditions and the Western culture and lifestyle. “There is something sacred about our memories of growing up in the country, being able to hunt and fish and take the 4-H animals to the fair and just live that simple life of freedom,” she said.

The restaurants are very much a family affair, and Clouston credits much of their success to their involvement. Her daughter Mandy runs the wedding catering side of the business, as well as the marketing. Her son Carson not only builds all the smokers, but also does steelwork, makes furniture, and helps with construction. Clouston’s husband is a general contractor and builds the restaurants. Even Clouston’s daughter-in-law Kori works in the office.

That generational, familial love is present in every aspect of Colt Grill, including the restaurant's handmade furniture. “My father-in-law was almost 80 when he built the top of that bar,” she said, pointing at the bar in the Prescott Valley location. And Clouston wants Colt Grill’s diners to feel that love, too.

True hospitality is the thread that runs through it all at Colt Grill. It is the sense of genuine warmth, welcome, and comfort that guests feel as soon as they walk through the door. It’s the delicious homemade food and craft cocktails. That true hospitality is there, too, in the comfortable chairs, the relaxed environment, and the sound of happy patrons in conversation. True hospitality. It’s the secret sauce, better than any flavor of barbecue sauce ever made. And it’s Clouston’s specialty.

Brenda's Favorite Winter Warm Up: Hot Toddy

Ingredients

2 tbls. bourbon 1 tbls. honey 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup boiling hot water Chamomile tea bag

Instructions

Pour the bourbon, honey and lemon juice in a 6oz. mug.

Brew chamomile tea in a separate mug and pour over bourbon, honey and lemon juice mixture.

Stir until honey is melted. Enjoy!