- A small grill on Route 23 in Franklin, NJ has built one of Sussex County’s most loyal followings with zero flash and no gimmicks.
- The secret is a house-made Taylor Ham Jam — a sweet and spicy pork roll spread that no one else is putting on burgers.
- From smash burgers to Fluff Fries to deep-fried hot dogs, the menu punches way above its weight for a roadside spot.
- The grill also participates in a SNAP meals program, making it one of the most community-rooted small businesses in the Skylands region.
FRANKLIN, New Jersey — There is a small grill sitting along Route 23 in Franklin that most people drove past for months before finally stopping in.
Almost every one of them says they wish they had pulled over sooner.
The Quarry Grill does not have a flashy sign or a big dining room. What it has is a flat-top grill, a kitchen that clearly takes pride in every order, and a house-made topping so original that it has become the talk of Sussex County and well beyond.
That topping is called Taylor Ham Jam, and it is exactly as New Jersey as it sounds.
Where to find this hidden Franklin gem
The Quarry Grill is located at 107 NJ-23 in Franklin, New Jersey 07416, right along one of Sussex County’s busiest stretches of road.
Despite the steady traffic flowing past every day, plenty of people drove by it for months before curiosity finally won out. Most of them walked out with a full stomach and a jar of Taylor Ham Jam in their hands.
The building has a no-fuss exterior. No oversized branding, no neon, no attempt to shout for attention. What it does have is a steady stream of regulars who found it early and never stopped coming back.
Franklin is a small borough in the heart of New Jersey’s Skylands region, known for its mining history and outdoor character. The Quarry Grill fits right into that down-to-earth spirit.
Hours are Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 8 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 9 PM, and Sunday from 11 AM to 8 PM.
The origin story that started at a museum
Before The Quarry Grill had a permanent home, its founders were running a food stand at the Franklin Mineral Museum — one of the borough’s most beloved local landmarks.
That early chapter gave the owners something most new restaurant owners never get: time to test their food, read the crowd, and build a real following before ever signing a lease.
The jump from a pop-up stand to a brick-and-mortar grill is not a transition most food businesses survive. The Quarry Grill pulled it off.
Regulars who discovered the owners during those museum days followed them to the new location and have been showing up ever since. That loyalty did not happen by accident.
The owners did not arrive with corporate backing or a franchise playbook. They built the business from scratch, one burger at a time, in a community that clearly appreciated the effort.
That grassroots beginning still runs through everything the grill does today.
The topping that put this grill on the map
Taylor Ham Jam is the kind of topping that makes a New Jersey native stop mid-sentence.
It is a house-made spread built around pork roll, the cured meat that has been a Garden State staple for well over a century. The kitchen blends it into a sweet and spicy jam, with heat and sweetness working together in every bite in a way that is hard to describe until you have tried it.
It does not fit neatly into any condiment category.
It is not quite a sauce. Not quite a relish. Definitely not anything most burger joints would think to put on a menu. That originality is exactly what makes it worth talking about.
The Quarry Grill uses it on burgers, hot dogs, and fries. They also sell it by the jar, and more than a few first-time visitors ended up buying one before they even made it back to their car.
Smash burgers done the right way
Not every spot that puts “smash burger” on its sign actually delivers the real thing.
The Quarry Grill does.
The patties are pressed hard onto a screaming hot flat-top, creating a thin, lacy-edged crust that locks flavor in while the exterior gets a satisfying golden char. It is a technique that sounds simple but takes skill and consistency to execute well every single time.
The beef is locally sourced and fresh, and that quality shows up in the final product.
All sauces are made in-house, including the Rock Sauce, the Quarry Sauce, and the Taylor Ham Jam. Each burger on the menu is built around a specific combination that works as a whole rather than just a pile of toppings stacked for the sake of it.
Options range from a classic two-patty build all the way up to a quad for those going big. The Sussex Smash, which presses fresh onion directly into the patties during the smash, is a particular standout that keeps people coming back for that build specifically.
The Dirty Burger and why everyone orders it
The Dirty Burger is the item that comes up most often when people talk about their first visit to The Quarry Grill.
It combines two smash patties with the house Taylor Ham Jam and Rock Sauce, creating a burger that leans directly into the grill’s New Jersey identity.
What makes it work is balance. The Taylor Ham Jam brings a sweet, slightly spicy edge that cuts through the richness of the beef and cheese. The Rock Sauce adds a creamy, tangy layer that pulls everything together. The whole thing has clearly been thought through rather than thrown together.
The Dirty Burger also shows up as a crispy chicken sandwich called the Dirty Bird, using the same Taylor Ham Jam as the centerpiece. That crossover shows just how versatile the jam really is, and why the kitchen builds around it across multiple categories instead of treating it like a one-time novelty.
Rotating burgers of the month keep things fresh
One of the biggest reasons regulars keep coming back week after week is the rotating Burger of the Month program.
The kitchen drops a new limited-time build each month, and these specials tend to push further than the permanent menu offerings. They have developed a following all their own.
The TNT Burger is one that comes up in conversation regularly. People who have tried it describe it as the standout of any month it appears, and there is real anticipation when it cycles back onto the board.
That kind of loyalty around a monthly special says a lot about how well the kitchen executes these limited runs. A spot that keeps changing things up gives its most dedicated customers a reason to keep checking in, and The Quarry Grill has clearly understood that from early on.
Hot dogs that deserve their own spotlight
Hot dogs at The Quarry Grill are not an afterthought.
The kitchen gives its dogs the same attention it gives the burgers, and the results show. The Quarry Dog follows a family-style all-the-way recipe with onions and brown mustard that leans into classic boardwalk tradition.
The Slaw Dog goes a different direction, topped with homemade coleslaw, Quarry Sauce, and Rock Sauce. The Jalapeno Dog adds heat for those who want a kick alongside their classic.
All the hot dogs are deep-fried, which gives the casing a snappy, golden exterior that holds up under the toppings without falling apart.
It is a small technique choice that separates a good hot dog from a great one, and it reflects a kitchen that is paying attention to method, not just ingredients. The dogs have earned their own loyal following separate from the burger crowd.
Fries that go way beyond the basics
The fry menu at The Quarry Grill is more interesting than most people expect walking into a small roadside grill.
The standard thin-cut fries are fresh and well-seasoned, but the real conversation starters are the specialty builds.
Dirty Fries come loaded with Taylor Ham Jam and Rock Sauce, turning a side dish into something that functions as a full meal on its own. Fluff Fries take sweet potato fries, dust them with cinnamon sugar, and finish them with Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and marshmallow fluff — a combination that sits somewhere between a side dish and a dessert.
Both options reflect the same creative instinct that produced the Taylor Ham Jam. The kitchen is not interested in serving something ordinary when an unusual twist is available and works just as well, or better.
That willingness to take a familiar format somewhere unexpected is a big part of what gives The Quarry Grill its personality.
The atmosphere inside the grill
The inside of The Quarry Grill has a BBQ-style setup that feels relaxed and genuine.
The wall art pays tribute to Franklin’s quarry history, giving the space a local character that chain restaurants cannot buy no matter how much they spend on interior design.
The dining area is comfortable without being cavernous. The layout works for a quick lunch or a longer sit-down. The overall vibe is clean, casual, and community-oriented without trying to perform any of those things.
Franklin has a deep identity tied to its mining past, and the grill carries that heritage in a way that feels authentic.
For anyone visiting Sterling Hill Mines or the Franklin Mineral Museum, stopping at The Quarry Grill adds another layer of local character to the experience. It fits the trip rather than feeling like a detour.
Milkshakes and the soda fountain situation
The milkshake program at The Quarry Grill has built a reputation of its own.
The Banana Pudding shake, customizable with Oreo, is one of the most frequently mentioned items by people who have worked their way through the full menu. It is rich and thick the way a proper diner shake should be, not watery, not thin.
The Cinnamon Toast Crunch shake leans into the playful side of the menu, pairing cereal flavors with creamy ice cream in a combination that fits right alongside the Fluff Fries in terms of spirit.
The soda fountain is worth a mention too. It stocks RC Cola and Sea Breeze sodas instead of the major national brands, which gives it a distinctly independent feel. Arnold Palmer is also on the fountain, a detail that has caught the attention of people who appreciate an option beyond the usual cola lineup.
Small choices like that add real character.
The SNAP meals program and community ties
The Quarry Grill participates in a SNAP meals program, offering food to people who need it through the federal nutrition assistance system.
For a small independent grill, that kind of community commitment goes well beyond what is required or expected at this scale.
It reflects the same values that run through everything else the grill does. The owners built this business in Franklin, for Franklin, and the SNAP program is a direct expression of that connection to the people who live there.
Community-rooted businesses earn a different kind of loyalty than those focused purely on transactions. The Quarry Grill has built exactly that kind of relationship with its neighbors. People who came in through the SNAP program have spoken warmly about the experience, and that mutual respect between a small business and its community is not something that gets manufactured.
Why this small grill keeps drawing people back
The Quarry Grill does not need a celebrity chef, a big dining room, or a marketing budget to keep its tables full.
What it has is consistency, a kitchen that takes pride in the details, and a menu built around genuine ideas rather than trends. Fresh local beef, house-made sauces, and a monthly burger program that keeps even the most frequent visitors paying attention — those are the things that keep people coming back.
The staff is regularly described as warm and attentive. The kind of team that checks in on how a meal landed rather than just moving the line along. In a small grill setting, that human element matters as much as what comes off the flat-top.
For anyone passing through Franklin on the way to Sterling Hill Mines, Mountain Creek Resort, or the Mineral Museum, The Quarry Grill is the kind of stop that turns a quick lunch into the best part of the trip.
Some places earn their reputation quietly. This tiny grill on Route 23 has done exactly that.
Have you been to The Quarry Grill, or is there another hidden local spot in your area that deserves more attention? Tell us in the comments — your recommendation might be exactly what someone nearby needs to read today.
