By Charles Desrochers

The franchise restaurant is like a disease plaguing Central Connecticut. They fake their casual appeal with pictures of rock bands and old tennis rackets but offer low quality at high prices.

A ‘mom and pop’ restaurant is supposed to counter this. They are supposed to be a familiar haven for locals to partake in conversation while offering delicious home-style cooking.

The Pit Stop in New Britain exudes this mystique by meeting the criteria of a hometown eatery. The walls are covered from top to bottom with photos of friends, family and smokers the size of a trailer while the aroma wafting from their rotisserie oven fills your head with images of pork swimming in sauces and meat falling off of the bone.

When I stepped up to the counter to order my small pulled pork sandwich I was quickly surprised at the portion just five dollars had gotten me. The bun could barely contain the meat let alone its drippings and BBQ sauce. With the first bite I felt a warm sensation shoot up my back and settle in my head like I was with my abuela eating the slow roasted briskets she would cook. This is comfort food at its finest.

They offer all kinds of sandwiches like Cubans, pulled pork and some of the juiciest steamed burgers. Oh, the burgers. I have never had a steamed burger and was genuinely curious as to what the big deal was. But the burger is simultaneously juicy and lean while the cheese encompasses it like a warm dairy comforter.

The average meal is around seven dollars, tax included. The Pit Stop offers mashed potatoes and coleslaw as sides but if the burger and pork sandwiches are good examples, you will not need them.

The inside, while cozy with its ‘grandma’s basement’ décor, can feel cramped.

I do not suggest eating in the restaurant. Whatever you order, make it to go since there is only one area to sit at the window and the standing area is so small that if you were to cartwheel across you would smash into the parallel wall.

The quaint shelves filled with used books and VHS’s are pleasant to look at but don’t do much in way of function.

For lunch and take out I can’t imagine another place so close to CCSU that can even compete. If not for the food- which you should really try eating- go for the idea. If you are tired of the tacky franchises, heartless food and long waits then do something about it. Support a local diner or restaurant and support The Pit Stop.