The State College area has a new spot for ribs, brisket, chicken, pulled pork and more.
Bonfire Old-Fashioned BBQ opened this week at 2609 E. College Ave. in College Township at the former location of Luna 2, which closed in 2019.
The restaurant is currently offering pick-up and takeout 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, but anticipates offering dine-in later this spring, co-owner Josh Kunig said.
Josh Kunig is a partner in the business with his father, Glenn Kunig, and mother, Andrea Murray. The family has been involved in the local restaurant and catering business for years, and started Bonfire as a catering business in October 2021, renting kitchen space out of Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Gray’s Woods.
When they decided to look for a brick-and-mortar retail location, they jumped at the chance to open in the former Luna 2 spot.
“It’s big. It’s a great location and we think that there needs to be more on this side of town,” Josh Kunig said. “It has that nice barbecue feel to it.”
Bonfire began offering takeout and pick-up on Wednesday. The current menu includes entrees like ribs, pulled pork, fish and chips, chili over mac and cheese, and roasted, grilled or fried chicken, as well as sides of mac and cheese and chili. It also features a variety of sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups and appetizers, a kids menu, and by-the-pound offerings.
See the menu on Bonfire’s Facebook page.
Josh Kunig said he expects the menu to expand in the future with items like fajitas, steak, salmon and shrimp.
The business also continues to offer catering seven days a week, with a variety of packages available.
Bonfire isn’t expected to offer dine-in service until the week after the April 15 Blue-White Game at the earliest, Josh Kunig said. The dining room furniture still needs to be installed and the business has a large amount of catering already scheduled for the weekend of the Penn State football spring game.
When dine-in does open, it will be a homey, relaxed atmosphere, Josh Kunig said.
“We really want to go back to the old-fashioned thing … and just be a nice place to hang out,” he said. “It’s an open concept. It’s just more of a relaxed pace casual dining.”
Bonfire is currently hiring for kitchen staff positions. For more information and to apply, email bonfireoldfashionedbbq@gmail.com, call (814) 470-7337 or stop in the restaurant during business hours.
For updates on Bonfire Old-Fashioned Barbecue, visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.
