The Barn aka Breakfast in the Barn

The Barn aka Breakfast in the Barn

Rustic, yet oh so civilized!

Exterior of The Barn, 2005.
(September 3, 2005).

13 Main Street, Adamsville, Little Compton
(401) 635-2985

Located in a real 200-year-old renovated barn, and in a corner of the state that few Rhode Islanders ever visit, you won't find a more bucolic setting for breakfast than The Barn. In good weather the French doors fitted into the big barn door are open, and there is dining on an outdoor patio. There's additional seating in the loft, where you can surreptitiously spy on waitstaff and other diners below.

The menu includes Adamsville Jonny cakes, which, in keeping with East Bay tradition, are the thinnest we've ever had. There are also several other locally-named items, like the Portuguese Omelet (chourico, peppers, onions, cheddar cheese), the Westport River Omelet (lobster, broccoli, Swiss cheese), Eggs Blackstone (two poached eggs, bacon, and sliced tomato served on two English muffins with hollandaise sauce), or Eggs Sakonnet (two poached eggs on two English muffins with asparagus, lobster, and hollandaise sauce). For a breakfast you can hold in you hand, try the Barnwich (Canadian bacon, egg, and cheese on a croissant). Wash it all down with a tall glass of coffee milk.

Check out the ever-changing specials board for variations on poached eggs, omelets, pancakes, French toast, and waffles.

Adamsville Jonny cakes, 2018.
Adamsville Jonny cakes. (Instagram, July 20, 2018).

From around 1994 through at least the late 2000s, a big draw at the barn was veteran waitress Terry Ryan. She could often be seen engaged in her duties while balancing "trays full of glasses, water carafes, juice and condiment containers on her head."

Terry Ryan with ketchup bottle on her head, 2009.
Ryan claimed in a 2004 article that she had a perfect balancing record. "The days comes when I [drop something] is the day I give it up." (Photo: Ken Buck/The Barn on Facebook, October 30, 2009).

The Barn is open Monday-Friday, 7am-12pm; and 7am-1pm on the weekend. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Awards

  • Best Overall Breakfast, Rhode Island Monthly, 1990.
  • Best Overall Breakfast, Rhode Island Monthly, 1991.
  • Best Breakfast in the Country, Rhode Island Monthly, 1992.
  • Best Breakfast in the Country, Rhode Island Monthly, 1994.
  • Best Breakfast in the Country, Rhode Island Monthly, 1995.
  • Best Reason to Break out a Map and Find Adamsville, Providence Phoenix, 2002.
Last Edited
2020-06-10