It gets so sticky down here
Better butter your cue finger up
It’s the start of another new year
Better call the newspaper up
(Little Bones- The Tragically Hip)
Consider us called!
Little Bones Grill, operated by Mat Taylor, is ‘not a chip wagon’, but rather a ‘sandwich wagon’. They make sandwiches, tacos, smoked meat dishes and so much more! Located near the main intersection in Norwich, Little Bones Grill has been operational since 2019, but after running for 4 years in the old chip wagon that Mat purchased, it has been newly renovated and reincarnated.
Now in its 5th year, a brand new quaint little structure has been built that includes a lovely, updated creek side patio for patrons to sit and enjoy the unique foods that the grill offers. The new structure was a labour of love, and much was done internally. Mat’s dad donated time and expertise to the cause; he did the electrical work and various other improvements. Mat’s mom has worked with him for about three years now. “At this point, there’s no possible way I could do this without her!”
Born and raised in Norwich, Mat couldn’t imagine opening up elsewhere. The small town vibe is exactly what he craves. The connections he makes with his customers are invaluable. He knows most of his customers, and has lots of repeat customers. They are well known in the community via word of mouth. As well, “Mom knows everybody, “ he laughed, “It’s routine to have customers who know each other, and us, visiting the grill.”
Even the relationships with the other restaurants in town are valuable. Mat commented, “All restaurants in town are independent restaurants, not chains. All are well known and have a unique approach. We support each other.”
Little Bones tries to have an active social media presence, and they partake in local events that require donations of food, time, or money to the community. They support minor baseball, and take part in events such as the recent Taste of Norwich. Even his kids get in on the philanthropy; they use the storefront to raise money by selling drinks. Money raised is kept in town.
As to how he got into the business, Mat said he catered with his brother and a friend for a long time as a side hustle in town. When this partnership ended, Mat decided to make a go of things himself. A lifelong Tragically Hip fan, Mat says Little Bones is an ode to the song from their Road Apples album. Many of the dishes the grill offers are named after a song or album from The Tragically Hip. The Henhouse Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich, is named after the Hip record Trouble at the Henhouse. It’s a sandwich with buttermilk-fried chicken on bakery kaiser that has house made bbq sauce, cabbage slaw, sweet pickles, and ranch drizzle. The El Dorado is another sandwich, which was named by a customer when Mat held a naming contest for the new Cubano Sandwich that was to be offered. El Dorado is a song on the Hip album – Fully Completely. It’s a pulled pork sandwich on a bakery kaiser with pickles, cabbage slaw, fried ham, melted cheese, and sweet mustard. Little Bones’ deli style hotdogs are called Sled Dogs after a lyric in the Hip song Don’t Wake Daddy. Then there’s the Saskadelphia Steak Sandwich, named after the album Saskadelphia. This is Mat’s take on a Philly Cheese Steak Sammy. It has fried onions and peppers, bbq steak strips, bbq sauce and special house aioli. It’s not always on the menu, however.
While most items are regulars, they may not always be available each week. Items can be seasonably rotated depending on availability of ingredients, or just dependent on what Mat is smoking/cooking that week. Although the menu can change, the ingredient quality doesn’t. Mat pushes for fresh, not frozen, ingredients, and sources locally. “There’s a real ‘support local’ vibe we’re trying to do”, Mat says. After all, Oxford is full of quality meats, cheeses, and fruits and vegetables.
Little Bones Grill is largely seasonal, but it’s open ended as of now whether to permanently stay open. Keep your cue fingers crossed!
Check out their socials on Facebook and Instagram to see what’s currently being offered on the menu, or take a stroll and check out their sandwich board (pun intended) for the current menu. But be warned, if the food runs out, they may close early, so get there early for some unique grub!
