As I mentioned in my review of Cedar Street Café, since the hotel we were staying in didn’t have on-site breakfast, it was a good excuse to go check out some of the local establishments, despite the relatively heavy snow. Our college Doc Tesla had given a hearty endorsement to a relatively new spot he had found just a few miles west in Sturbridge’s Fiskdale village, The Little Rest Stop, so we decided to go over and check it out.
Located just north of Main St/US-20 on Brookfield Road, The Little Rest Stop sits in a converted residential building that’s been a few other restaurant locations in recent history (until last year, this was the Old Village Grille, closing in July of 2025). After a bit of nice renovation (which, interestingly, was more “country charm” themed than the automotive theme I was expecting from the name, that theming mostly constrained to the menu), new owners Amanda and Rob, both veterans of several area restaurants, opened up The Little Rest Stop as a local restaurant focusing on good, affordable breakfast and lunch options.
Walking inside, The Little Rest Stop is quite an inviting spot, with an L-shaped dining room offering plenty of seating, much of it by either the front windows or the old fireplace. You could tell that the place was popular with the locals; while there were a few tables open when we arrived, the place was full by the time we left. With a hearty welcome from both people we saw working (who later introduced themselves as owners Amanda and Rob), we found ourselves quickly seated with fresh cups of coffee and an explanation of the day’s several specials.
The menu is The Little Rest Stop is “classic diner fare”. They’ve got a nice list of “Sunrise Staples”, ranging from the simple (1 egg, toast, and home fries) for $6.50 (really nice to see something fairly affordable in these days of high inflation), up to the Pit Stop Platter with steak tips, 3 eggs, home fries and cornbread for $18.50. They’ve also got a handful of breakfast sandwiches, burritos, omelettes, pancakes and waffles, and one I don’t normally see on a breakfast menu: a selection of “Signature Spuds”. These were baked potatoes served up with a variety of breakfast items, including the Jet Lagger, which was essentially eggs and a steak bomb served atop a baked potato. While I was intrigued by the Jet Lagger, I decided to go for a variation on their Full-Tank Feast: hash and eggs with home fries, toast, and a fruit cup, but opting to upgrade the normal corned beef hash to the daily-special house-made hash. I’m glad I did, this was a solid, well-executed hash: nice tender chunks of corned beef and potato, perfectly cooked and nicely seared on the grill, along with some well-above-average home fries, some nicely-scrambled eggs, and some locally-made toasted bread. A great breakfast, albeit one with a huge calorie count (admittedly, one does not order a “Full Tank Feast” without expecting a large serving…).
A special mention here should go to the fruit cup. Expecting a small cup of the usual slightly-dubious canned fruit mix, I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was a hearty portion of fresh fruit, nicely prepared and arranged, which was quite welcome after the rather large serving of hash and eggs.
Carol, meanwhile, went for the Biscuits and Gravy special. This was quite good: an extra large house-made biscuit (which, unlike the usual New England biscuit, was a quite nicely done buttermilk biscuit) with a nice sear from the griddle, some nicely-done house-made gravy with a lot of sausage in it, two eggs, and some home fries. This was the exact sort of biscuits and gravy I’m often craving, but usually only getting when I’m making it myself at home.
Overall, we loved The Little Rest Stop. Some great food, friendly service, and a quaint little restaurant. One caveat: one of the ways The Little Rest Stop keeps their prices low is by being a cash-only joint, so bring cash, or be prepared to use the requisite slightly-sketchy ATM at the liquor store next door.
