Yankee Doodle Family Restaurant South

of the Border and Yankee Home Cooking

so much with learning the business and being supportive of me. There are people I think of every day – Nick and Angie, Alex, George, Mr. Colas, and Crisostomos, they have all trained and supported me and taught me so many things. I have so much appreciation for all of them.” He then adds, “I have appreciation, too, for the wonderful customers that have supported me the entire time I have been open and also to my staff who are always by my side.

The name of Perez’s restaurant has a deep meaning for him. While in NYC and assisting in delivery of meals from a restaurant named Yankee Doodle Diner, the one place he went to always sang Yankee Doodle Dandy when he came in with the delivery. He decided that if he ever owned a restaurant, he would use the name Yankee Doodle because the meaning of the song was very important to him as a firstgeneration citizen.

When Perez came back to the Harrisburg area in 2002, he worked for Summit Family Restaurant near Lewisberry for a few years before buying the old Riverview Restaurant in Wormleysburg, No surprise, he named it Yankee Doodle Diner. When the location next door to the diner, which was the Drinkin Bone Bar and Restaurant, became available, Perez purchased that and enlarged the diner and renamed it Yankee Doodle Restaurant.

Perez divides his time between front of house and back so that he can meet and greet his customers. He says, “It is important for me to be able to talk with my customers and get to know them just as they get to know me. I appreciate them so much and I enjoy talking with them.”

Breakfast is served all day and the menu is extensive, coming in at about 6 pages, including a full page of various omeletsboth American flavors and Mexican Fiesta omelets with specialty flavors. Next up are waffles, pancakes, and French toast in every conceivable combination. ‘Yankee Breakfasts’ are available with a variety of egg, meat, and toast variations, including sausage gravy and cream chipped beef. For the light breakfast there is fresh fruit, muffins, and oatmeal. Another page of breakfast quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas, and tacos awaits your desire to try a new breakfast taste sensation. The Huevos Rancheros is a specialty and one of the most asked for items on the menu.

The restaurant is known for its Mexican meals as well as its ‘American cuisine’, which includes delicious Pennsylvania Dutch specialties. The breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus are all a balance of Mexican and local American dishes. Perez states, “It is just fine to mix the two if people want to try a taste of both cuisines. People realize that you can have chicken and waffles with a side of rice and beans or tacos served with coleslaw or French fries. I have worked hard to build a unique menu. We like keeping our customers happy.” If for some reason you don’t see something you want on the regular menu, there are always quite a few weekly specials. The dessert menu has regular items and weekly specials too.

The menu is very extensive but as Perez points out, “So many different dishes can be made from the same basic ingredient. For example, I can use chicken for my chicken pot pie, chicken and waffles, chicken tacos, chicken fajitas and much more.” Perez also points out that, to suit local palates, the Mexican dishes are prepared with a mild spice, but there are two types of hot sauce that are available on every table for a spicier version of your meal.

Yankee Doodle Restaurant has a liquor license serving a large selection of bottled beer, wine, and classic cocktails with any meal. A mimosa with breakfast – sure! Dos Equis with your tacos – why not? A cabernet or martini with dinner – they have you covered.

Yankee Doodle Restaurant is located at 860 N Front St, Wormleysburg and is open Monday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Find them on Facebook atYankee Doodle Family Restaurant. Pick up and delivery are available from Door Dash and Grub Hub.