New Mexican restaurant opens with a Route 66 theme, sign from the past, and authentic menu

Natalie Morris
·4 min read

The operators of La Fiesta Grande are bringing the party to the Mother Road.

Lil Fiesta on Route 66 opens Friday along a stretch of Springfield’s original historic Route 66 at 1101 S. Ninth St. Taqueria Moroleon most recently operated from the small brick cafe, but the site is best known as the former home of Sonrise Donuts.

“It is a great location," owner Omar Hernandez said. "Route 66 is famous throughout the whole country, the whole world.”

The owners of Lil Fiesta Mexican restaurant is leaning into the Route 66 history with a mural that looks like a red fin-tailed Cadillac is cruising right from the parking lot onto the exterior walls of the building. The restaurant opens Friday.
The owners of Lil Fiesta Mexican restaurant is leaning into the Route 66 history with a mural that looks like a red fin-tailed Cadillac is cruising right from the parking lot onto the exterior walls of the building. The restaurant opens Friday.

Hernandez is leaning into that history with a mural that looks like a red fin-tailed Cadillac is cruising right from the parking lot onto the exterior walls of the building. The mural also captures the downtown Springfield skyline with the greeting “Bienvenidos a Springfield, Illinois. Bienvenidos is Spanish for “welcome.”

Hernandez said Lil Fiesta’s menu will carry some signature dishes found at its namesake at 2830 Adlai Stevenson Drive. But the lineup also will feature some more authentic Mexican dishes from his hometown of Jalisco, Mexico like the torta ahogada – a “drowned sandwich” that has a crusty roll filled with pork carnitas and red onions dipped in a red chile sauce.

Other selections will include authentic Mexican burgers and hotdogs seasoned with Mexican spices.

Operating hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Phone: (217) 970-4032.

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Lil Fiesta gives a call out to other local highlights along Route 66 via logos featured on the Caddy – such as at the local detailing shop Recon Techs. Hernandez said a similar logo is planned for Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill at 600 Toronto Road.

It’s a fitting tribute to the business that currently houses half of the neon “Sonrise Donut Coffee Bar” sign that greeted travelers along the historic route for seven decades.

The 6-by-8-foot neon and porcelain sign was removed from the Ninth Street address in 2019 after the city of Springfield purchased the historic icon at auction for $22,000. The two-sided sign with its rising orange globe radiating yellow rays has been split up with half hanging at Ace Sign Museum at 2540 S. First St. and the other half at Motorheads until the city identifies a permanent home for the landmark.

Natalie Morris
Natalie Morris

Cafe spin-off has a name

Chatham Cafe's spin-off planned for the former McDonald's building on MacArthur Boulevard has a name – The Capital Cafe.

Lu Asani – who co-owns the project with her husband Kenny – said exterior renovations to the building at 1825 S. MacArthur Blvd., which last housed the golden arches, are completed. Interior renovations are underway, she said.

While Asani said she isn’t able to announce an opening date, she did say the project is on track to open before year’s end.

Drink wine, smell the flowers

Bloom Wine Bar & Florals opens Nov. 18 on the downtown Springfield square.

The gathering spot at 2 S. Old State Capitol Plaza – next to the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site – blends an alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink lineup with an appetizer menu and cut florals for the picking.

Food offerings include appetizers, flatbreads, build-your-own-charcuterie boards, and desserts all made on site. A full wine list includes labels from the Petersburg-based West of Wise Winery, cocktails, mocktails, and craft beers.

Fresh-cut floral selections are available for build-your-own or prepared bouquets. All flowers are locally grown.

Kitchen hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Operating hours are 3 to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

The space also is available for private events.

Bloom Wine Bar & Florals is owned by Brittney Robinson, Caitlin Becker, and Hannah Goss.

New pizza option in Sherman

Domino's opens in the Sherman Crossing development on Monday.

The Michigan-based, multi-national pizza chain now sports its familiar red-and blue domino tile at 139 Illini Boulevard in Sherman.

Domino’s standard menu of pizzas, chicken, salads, pasta, and appetizers is available for delivery or carry-out.

Operating hours are 10:30 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Phone: (217) 480-9191.

The business is the latest owned by the same Domino’s franchise that operates the pizza brand in the Springfield market.

The Sherman location is the 137th outlet for the St. Louis-based MBR Management which has restaurants throughout Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky.

The company entered the Springfield market in 2016 with the acquisition of an existing Domino’s location and quickly moved to expand the brand constructing strip malls anchored by Domino’s at 2660 S. Fifth St. and 3100 W. Iles Ave.

The franchise also owns the Domino’s in Lincoln, which moved into a newly constructed building at 410 Keokuk St. earlier this year.

The A La Carte column highlights restaurant openings, closings, renovations and relocations, as well as personnel changes and business news. Natalie Morris can be reached at 737-7254 or by email at natalie.sjr@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Lil Fiesta Mexican restaurant opens along historic Route 66