Little River Railroad now has a matching restaurant: Trainwreck Grill & Ale House

Nour Rahal, Detroit Free Press
·2 min read
The newly renovated Train Wreck Grill & Ale House officially opened on March 11, at 32 Railroad Street in Coldwater.
The newly renovated Train Wreck Grill & Ale House officially opened on March 11, at 32 Railroad Street in Coldwater.

Passengers on the Little River Railroad in Coldwater now have a place for dining and drinks right across the train tracks.

The Trainwreck Grill and Ale House, which debuted earlier this month, features a casual fine-dining experience along with craft cocktails and more.

The grand opening of Trainwreck Grill and Ale House in Coldwater, on March 11, 2023.
The grand opening of Trainwreck Grill and Ale House in Coldwater, on March 11, 2023.

Complementing Little River Railroad

"The Little River Railroad has been one of our biggest attractions here in the area," said Debra Prater, Executive Director of the Coldwater Country Conference and Visitor's Bureau. "The excursion trains that they operate have been very well received."

Little River Railroad is "dedicated to the restoration and operation of historic railroad equipment," according to its website. Several trips are available throughout the year; the train's schedule can be viewed here.

Their authentic steam engine train is over 110 years old. The nonprofit organization is well-known for hosting holiday train rides during Halloween and Christmas. Tickets to Little River Railroad's upcoming Easter event on April 8 can be purchased online.

More:For $198,500, you could own an old Michigan railroad depot and save some Up North history

Train rides typically last an hour and a half, traveling between Coldwater and Quincy, and occasionally Hillsdale.

Trainwreck Grill and the Little River Railroad are now "two peas in a pod," promoting and complementing each other well, Prater said. Future collaborations, such as train dinners, may be in the works.

The restaurant, which used to be an old freight depot, has "quite a neat look," Prater said. "You can still see the ladders and the bins, it has some stained glass. ...and they even painted the building to match the old passenger house that's across the tracks from them."

Located at 32 Railroad St., the restaurant operates from:

  • 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday - Thursday, Sunday

  • 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday

Bringing more people to Coldwater

"We do need good eateries in town," Prator said. "We also got a new Italian restaurant that just opened up so we're pretty excited to have all these new restaurants because people do travel for food."

Customers attending the grand opening of Trainwreck Grill and Ale House in Coldwater, on March 11, 2023.
Customers attending the grand opening of Trainwreck Grill and Ale House in Coldwater, on March 11, 2023.

American Dreams Italian Steakhouse opened for business on March 15, serving steak, burgers, pizza, calzones, flatbreads and homemade breadsticks. The restaurant replaced JT's Billiard Bar and Grill on 50 E. Chicago, in Coldwater.

During the summertime, Branch County's more than 100 lakes bring visitors from all over the Midwest, Prator said. These restaurants, along with Little River Railroad, are attractions people can enjoy during their lake visits.

"We're conveniently located halfway between Chicago and Detroit — about two, to two and a half hours either way, right at the intersection of I-69 and US-12, the Heritage Trail," Prator said." So come have dinner with us, or lunch."

Contact Nour Rahal: nrahal@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trainwreck Grill & Ale House opens at Little River Railroad