ABOUT US
Frog & Snail began 19 years ago as Chez Machin, founded by Bruno Gonsard, who sought to bring simple bistro dining to Hawthorne from his native France. Bruno retired in 2014 and sold his restaurant to Dominique and Diane Pierce, who developed its classic array of delicious crêpes.
In 2019, Chad Bernard, an Ashland native and Portland chef, fulfilled his lifelong dream of owning a restaurant and bought Chez Machin.
While already running the gauntlet of owning his first restaurant, Chad had to close during the Covid-19 outbreak in early 2020.
However, he saw this as an opportunity to refresh the now 19-year-old bistro and came up with his vision for Frog & Snail: an affordable, innovative crêpe cafe, where he could let his culinary muse run wild.
Like most Portlanders, Chad loves food that surprises and delights by taking traditional recipes and hitting them with a twist. With this in mind, he rolled up his sleeves, developed Frog & Snail’s new crêpe-centric menu and got to work–with the help of Mom and Dad–on an interior makeover.
On May 8th, 2020, Frog & Snail re-opened at its original Hawthorne location for take-out and delivery and is currently open for Dine-In under Phase-1 re-opening guidelines. Chad is thrilled with the stellar response his new menu is getting and looks forward to serving Portland’s distinctive pallet while in search of the perfect crêpe.
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Our Method
Frog & Snail uses 100% buckwheat flour crêpes–the traditional vessel used in Brittany, in the North of France. It’s naturally gluten-free, nutrient-packed, and provides a stunning depth of flavor. It’s the perfect home for Frog & Snail’s fresh and globally-inspired fillings.