Local and Cozy Breakfast: The Little Grill Collective

{Photo taken by Taylor Hudson}

Are you looking to eat a home-cooked meal at an affordable price? Look no further than the Little Grill Collective.

Staycation Ratings:

Food: ★★★★★ (Homemade and delicious)

Price: ★★★★★ (Really cheap!)

Uniqueness: ★★★☆☆ (Many breakfast options around town, but they get creative with pancake recipes!)

Comfort: ★★★★★ (Cozy atmosphere)

Overall Experience: ★★★★☆ (Great service, but I wish I could have paid with debit or credit card)

What?

The Little Grill Collective is no ordinary restuarant. Since the 1940's, the Little Grill has been reincarnated into a local music scene, a soup kitchen, and a grocery store. Today, it is a full service restuarant that boasts local, healthy, and home-cooked meals. Prices are cheap; almost every item on the menu is under 10 dollars. They have a breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu, but they are most well-known for their breakfast.


Why?

{Photo taken by Taylor Hudson}

Why is this restuarant worthy of your staycation? Well, the point of a vacation is to relax, right? You will not lack any relaxation here. The service is welcoming, and the atmosphere is extremely informal. Even if you have never visited before, the combination of mismatched furniture, random wall decorations, and home-style food will make you feel as if you are a regular customer.



Who?

{Photo courtesy of the Little Grill Collective}

As far as employees, every single worker essentailly "owns" the restaurant; hence, the "collective" part of the restaurant's name. Similar to a democracy, each employee has the potential to operate the restaurant as an owner, and therefore, each employee is dedicated to their job. Service is great!

As far as customers, there is something for everyone. If you are over 21, they serve alcohol focused on local brewers. If you need to entertain kids, there is a cheap kids menu.


When?

The restaurant is open every day of the week except Mondays. But, word of advice: check the hours before traveling because they are a little inconsistent. Visit their website here to see their hours of operation.

Also, if you are looking to add a little extra flare your staycation, they host local bands, open mic nights and speciality food nights. They have an entire list of events on their website


Where?

The Little Grill Collective is located in Downtown Harrisonburg, right across from Our Community Place. It is about a fifteen minute walk from JMU's campus. Their address is 621 North Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.


My Experience?

I had never been to the Little Grill Collective before. But, I have heard through many of my friends that it was delicious. I have been searching for a good breakfast place, other than iHop, and this restaurant is famous for it's monthly pancake special.

{Photo taken by Taylor Hudson}

I tried their pancake special for this month: Spiced Chai Pancakes. And, personally, I thought they were delicious. If you like cinnamon, these pancakes are definite must. Also, I ordered a side of "hot" fried potatoes at our waitress' suggestion. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were Old Bay potatoes, and since I am an avid Old Bay fan, I ate the entire thing.

{Photo taken by Taylor Hudson}

But fair warning to all: the Little Grill Collective does not take credit or debit cards. You can only pay via cash or check. I was unprepared, and had to have my friend help me out when it came time to pay. Also, because the restaurant is so small, the wait can get pretty long. I only had two people in my party, so the wait was only about 15 minutes. But be prepared to wait if you have a large party.