A Philly-50’s Style Diner comes alive on Route 66 in

The Land of Enchantment.

Imagine sitting down to a menu of Asian, Cajun, and American comfort food…like being at home and the smells and the

friendships hypnotize you…. and then a cup of Pinon java is poured…. and you wake up…

It’s real and it’s like dying and going to heaven.

And with lines busting through their doors, it’s no wonder Guy Fieri of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”

came to see what the fuss is all about!

Dear Friend, About 6 months ago I came across a diner that you are just going to fall in love with… All I have been thinking about is how much fun we had in college…and the great restaurants we’d go to almost nightly. This Santa Fe restaurant reminds me of some of the best years of my life…. college days and loads of fun with our friends. It’s got a little of Philly with a Southwestern flair and yes that includes fresh roasted green chili. The memories of our college days will come flooding back like they did for me…. and you won’t want to leave. It’s uniquely whimsical with purple and turquoise…. reminding you of Dr. Seuss…but seriously…. this place will blow you away with it’s food.

So much to tell you…

And before I forget…their cinnamon rolls are to die for…no fooling! With the diner affect and the old stools at the counter, as I walked in for the first time…. I was fooled to think it was just another replication of a 50’s diner, when I first sat down… You know…. those wanna-be’s but without that something special that screams attention.

But now I eat there at least 4 times a week because not only are the prices super reasonable but the food is so incredible. But…we have to get there early, or we might have to wait to be seated… No worries… Because even though you wait, it’s never too long and it’s well worth it.

Like Our College Days…

Remember the Philly restaurants we went to in college? Well the owner is from there… Can you believe it…. definitely a small world. …and after he came to visit New Mexico and fell under the enchanting spell of its unique cuisine…. He and his wife have been serving Santa Fe’s Southwestern cuisine favorites for more than a decade. And have brought “Philly” food with them…. to combine and make the experience unlike any other. And you’re not going to believe it…. but they have gluten-free selections too. Picture us going for breakfast and ordering the Pennsylvania Dutch Scrapple… With a surprising twist to popular breakfast favorites-like the chocolate French toast and blue corn waffles with strips of bacon inside the waffle itself. And better still, you can have these with Shaker Mountain Farm 100 percent pure Grade A maple syrup. Did you know that according to Saveur magazine, an estimated 90 percent of Americans have never tasted real maple syrup? And I can tell you this combination will make you feel like you have died and gone to heaven. Picture all your favorite comfort foods and watch how Harry’s Roadhouse will redefine and reinvent the same dish like you have never tasted before. I’m in awe every time I go…. I think I have tasted the best and then I order something new and it’s even better.

Nothing else like it….

So…do you remember during our college years? How we both loved the Scrapple in Philly? …well Harry’s Roadhouse brought it here, where it’s rarely eaten… …and he stepped it up…it’s not your everyday scraps that get used! During the Diners, Drive-ins and Dives episode at Harry’s Roadhouse, host Guy Fieri told Harry no one in Philadelphia could tell him exactly what part of the pig…. scrapple came from. And Harry responded comically, “everything but the oinks” isn’t far from the truth in many restaurants. But Harry’s is not the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch scrapple. He makes it out of pork butt, pork stock and vegetables all ground and formed into loaves. And then he fries them in clarified butter. And with that said you should have seen how Fieri changed his mind on whether he would like it. After he had a taste… His eyes got wide and….well it was written all over his face! Fieri admitted that he was no longer hesitant and exclaims; “It’s seriously great”! And… remember how we both turned away from “hash”. Well, we knew it was typically a dish made with leftovers of pre-cooked chopped meats and vegetables…. I will never turn it down again…when eating here. Harry’s elevates hash to a new level… and if it’s written on their “Specials” chalkboard, I make sure I order it every time! It’s not ordinary… It’s Cajun style Duck Hash made with smoked duck, Andouille sausage, green and red peppers, onion, celery, okra, sweet potatoes and corn, a veritable cornucopia of deliciousness never tasted anywhere. And… They serve it with two eggs any style…but the best part is the smoky, spicy aggression of the Andouille sausage to the sweet potato goodness.

Desserts to die for…. Of course I can’t forget to mention the delicious homemade desserts…

Yes, like our grandmothers would make… Like the Sour Cream Coffee Cake, Chocolate Cream Pie, Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich…and the list goes on and on. Better than anything Maryann ever prepared on Gilligan’s Island…. is the Banana Cream Pie…well the flavor does all the talking and is one of the best desserts in Santa Fe. And the El Rey bittersweet flourless chocolate cake with whipped cream has your name on it! Even though Harry’s large portions for lunch and dinner may fill you up, you just have to sample the desserts… Like… The homemade ice cream sandwich that features a chocolate cookie crust that puts Oreos to shame and with the ice cream towering over an inch high… you’ll ask for more.

Unique dining…

Whether you’re sitting outside on the patio in the summer months, where colorful hollyhocks are the home of busy bees and small koi ponds… Sipping watermelon juice or a lime-infused margarita…. Or inside the lavender trimmed rooms, each with different décor… You’ll see why Harry’s Roadhouse has redefined comfort food as well as reinvented fun at mealtime. And… In a city full of high-end dining establishments, Harry’s is the “people’s choice”.

But don’t just take my word for it….

Here are a few raves that brought me thru the doors originally:

~Emily Everhart~

~Frank Hardy~

~Lynn Berry~

~Elizabeth Contreras~

~Dwayne McCoy~

~Christina Howe~

~Jayna Powell”

And the Awards speak for themselves, too…

And here is an interesting fact….

There is a story behind the diner…. Harry Shapiro is one of those great kind of guys…. You know the ones that walk in a room and you just feel at home with them. He is an unassuming man with a kind face…. And he is often found moving about his namesake restaurant observing and questioning customers…making sure they are completely happy with their experience. Harry and his wife, Peyton started this neighborhood restaurant with the intention of the good food, not always fancy, but always made from scratch, over 20 years ago. Both from Philadelphia and almost always in the restaurant, they are often found catching up with the longtime regulars. Harry loves to share jokes and stories, which always make you feel right at home. And this is…. A true roadhouse, located on historic Route 66, which has a sundry past. It was once a gas station, a Volkswagen repair shop, as well as a number of diners; the last one was “The Nifty Café” in the late 1980’s. In 1992, Harry and Peyton, looking to serve the neighborhood, “a square meal at a time”, opened their doors. Not wanting to be just another fast food restaurant, they chose the middle road. Not too expensive but always made from scratch… A Philly-50’s style diner with southwestern flair was born. When you arrive on Friday, dinner will be my treat at 7:00pm at Harry’s Roadhouse. Dress is casual…. and the fun is contagious! You might want to know that they are running a 50% discount on all dinners that day… So I’ll pick you up at the airport and we will head over there for a great time…

Hey did I tell you… Harry’s Roadhouse is known for its famous clientele… So don’t be surprised if you and I are sitting,

Perched on a diner stool…. next to an actor, actress, singer or director…. Or even a sports star…. Did you know that the American Gold Medal winner, Trent Dimas lives here and…. It was his dad that did our rockwork in the front yard? Ron Howard is often here, as well as Randy Travis, Shirley MacLaine, Julia Roberts and Jane Fonda…. And because they are treated like average people…. They feel right at home, too, and love being a “regular”.

Harry’s Roadhouse 96 Old Las Vegas Highway

Santa Fe, NM 87505 505-989-4629