Dunnellon's center has always been the spot where Williams Street meets Pennsylvania Avenue. In 2026 both halves of that crossing changed. The state rebuilt the intersection itself. Then one new restaurant opened on Pennsylvania Avenue and another on Williams Street. The two places keep almost opposite hours. Between them, the two roads that meet at the town's busiest signal now serve food from 8 in the morning until 11 at night.
The road project came from the Florida Department of Transportation, and the restaurants came from separate owners filling empty buildings. The overlap still matters to anyone who lives here, because the corner most of us drive through every day now works differently than it did eighteen months ago.
What the State Actually Rebuilt
The cones on U.S. 41 belonged to FDOT project 448526-1. It covered Williams Street from just north of the Citrus County line up to Southwest 110th Street. The project page on CFLRoads now lists it as completed.
The project at a glance:
| Detail | What FDOT lists |
|---|---|
| Length | 1.41 miles of U.S. 41 |
| Construction cost | $6.82 million |
| Project start | Spring 2025 |
| Estimated completion | Summer 2026 |
| Current phase | Completed |
Most of the work was resurfacing. The one stretch that was fully redesigned was the crossing of U.S. 41 and Pennsylvania Avenue, which is County Road 484. FDOT rebuilt it for a free-flowing right turn and added a dedicated right-turn lane. That brought every turning movement there under signal control.
The project also upgraded traffic signals at three more Williams Street intersections: Powell Road, Brooks Street and Southwest 110th Street. New pedestrian crosswalks and curb ramps went in to meet current Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
For drivers, that means a dedicated lane to turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue and signal control for every turn at the crossing. For people on foot, the corner now has marked crosswalks and ramps at the curb.
Pennsylvania Avenue Got the Breakfast Spot
The first new kitchen sits east of the intersection on Pennsylvania Avenue. The Dunnellon Grill is at 20430 E. Pennsylvania Ave. In March, 352today reported that renovations were underway there. The building is familiar to longtime residents. It was Paige's Rootbeer, and Citrus Grill before that.
The same report said the restaurant had joined the Dunnellon Chamber & Business Association, which announced it as one of its new members.
Today The Dunnellon Grill's website offers online ordering and describes its menu as authentic American food, with nightly specials. Its tagline is "where neighbors gather & flavor matters." The photos on its Discover Dunnellon listing are labeled breakfast, biscuits and gravy, a chicken wrap and a quesadilla.
The Grill's posted schedule is Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It opens for breakfast and closes before most evenings get going.
Williams Street Got the Late Night
The second kitchen is on the other road. Lollygaggers Sports Pub & Grill moved into the former BubbaQue's building at 11582 N. Williams St. When 352today covered the plans on March 2, the team was aiming for a mid-to-late March opening. An earlier January target had slipped while the interior build-out wrapped up.
The Lollygaggers Dunnellon page now shows daily hours and online ordering. The menu runs to wings, burgers, fried catfish and nachos, with a full bar and 20 craft beers on tap. It opens at 11 a.m. every day and stays open until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Two Schedules, One Crossroads
Put the posted hours side by side and the split is clear.
| Time of day | The Dunnellon Grill, E. Pennsylvania Ave. | Lollygaggers, N. Williams St. |
|---|---|---|
| 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. | Open | Closed |
| 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Mon–Sat | Open | Open |
| Sunday after 2 p.m. | Closed | Open |
| 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. | Closed | Open |
| 10 p.m. to 11 p.m., Fri–Sat | Closed | Open |
The Grill handles mornings. Lollygaggers handles late evenings and Sunday afternoons, after the Grill closes at 2. The two overlap from late morning into early evening, Monday through Saturday. Either way, the trip runs through the intersection FDOT just rebuilt. Both schedules are the restaurants' own published hours, and small kitchens adjust them, so check the restaurant's site before you head over.
The pair also joins a corner that already had a regular. 2 Rivers Bar & Grill is listed in the Dunnellon Chamber directory at 20199 E. Pennsylvania Ave., on the same road as the Grill.
The Old Storefronts Between Meals
The new restaurants landed in the middle of the Boomtown Historic District. Discover Dunnellon defines the district as the area between McKinney Avenue, Illinois Street, Pennsylvania Avenue and Cedar Street, and counts 70 historic buildings inside it.
The same guide lists these longtime shops along Pennsylvania Avenue and nearby:
- Second Life Thrift Shop, 20372 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
- Repeat Boutique, 20037 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
- Paradise Air Plants, 19987 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
- Vintage Veteran Collectibles, 20630 W. Pennsylvania Ave.
- This & That Thrift Store, 20643 W. Pennsylvania Ave.
- Grumbles House Antiques & Garden Shop, 20799 Walnut St.
Back on Williams Street, the Greater Dunnellon Historical Society opens on Tuesday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon at 12061 S. Williams St., according to its Discover Dunnellon event listing. On a Tuesday you could have breakfast at the Grill, visit the Historical Society, and still be on Williams Street when Lollygaggers opens at 11.
December Puts the Crossroads to Work
The next time all of downtown fills up at once is Saturday, December 5. The Dunnellon Chamber & Business Association holds its Small Town Christmas Parade in historic downtown at 6 p.m., and this year's theme is "A Patriotic Christmas." The Chamber's calendar currently lists the parade as its only event for November and December. The parade marks the first holiday season with the rebuilt crossing and both new restaurants open.
The timing says something about the two kitchens. A 6 p.m. Saturday parade comes two hours before the Grill's posted 8 p.m. close, and well before Lollygaggers' 11 p.m. Saturday close. If you want dinner before the floats roll, the Grill fits. If you'd rather eat after the parade, Williams Street is open later.
Two weeks later, the American Legion Post 58 Flea Market sets up on Saturday, December 19, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 10730 U.S. Hwy. 41. Its event listing mentions produce, garage-sale finds, antiques, tools and plants. That's another Saturday morning on U.S. 41, and another trip through the new turn lane.
One More Name on the Corridor
There may be a third kitchen on the way. In May, 352today reported that permits had been filed for a Waffle House near U.S. 41 and County Road 484. At that point no construction timeline or opening date had been announced. Until there's more news, treat it as planned, not as a new place to eat.
At the Table Team, we think the best part of owning a home here is knowing the town's corners as well as your own kitchen. That includes which spot opens early, which one stays open late, and where to eat around the December 5 parade. If you're thinking about your next chapter in Dunnellon, or just want an introduction to the local people and businesses our Inner Table community relies on, Ricardo Zelaya and the team would be glad to sit down with you. Schedule a Consultation, and we'll find a time to meet.
