“Everything But the Oink”: Harry’s Roadhouse Brings Philadelphia Scrapple to Santa Fe
“Scrapple? I was in Philly, they had scrapple, and no one could tell me exactly what part of the pig it came from,” Guy Fieri admits as he pulls up to Harry’s Roadhouse in Santa Fe, mexico/" class="ddd-auto-link">New Mexico. The answer he gets from owner Harry Shapiro? “Everything but the oink.”
But this isn’t your typical Pennsylvania Dutch scrapple. Harry, a self-described “Jewish kid from Philadelphia” who fell in love with Mexican food and moved to Santa Fe, has put his own spin on the breakfast staple at his I-25 roadhouse — a former gas station on Route 66 that he and his wife Peyton transformed into an all-day comfort food destination.
How Harry Makes His Signature Scrapple
Traditional scrapple relies heavily on pork scraps and cornmeal, with a lot of pork liver. Harry’s version is different — and Guy is visibly relieved when he hears the main ingredient.
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“We’re making your scrapple with a lot of pork butt,” Harry explains. “Okay, I’m a little bit more at ease,” Guy responds.
The process starts with pork butt cut into 2-inch cubes, simmered for 30 minutes in pork stock with veggies and onions. Then it gets ground — Guy himself jumps in to help, declaring he’s now “part of the scrapple nation” as he feeds the meat through the grinder.
The same stock gets reused, with polenta added along with pepper, thyme, marjoram, sage, and salt. “The more you cook it, the better it gets,” Harry notes as the mixture thickens. It goes into pans and freezes until needed, then gets sliced into slabs, dusted with flour, and pan-fried in clarified butter.
Guy’s verdict after the first bite? “That’s good. Seriously, that’s great. And the crunch — awesome, man. And I didn’t want to like it.” He later describes it as “kind of a combination of sausage and hush puppy” and declares it “the only scrapple I’ll eat.”
Beyond Scrapple: Blue Corn Waffles and Huevos Motuleños
Harry’s Roadhouse isn’t just about one dish. Like the Corned Beef Hash in Texas episode where classic diner fare gets elevated, Harry blends East Coast comfort food with Southwestern flair.
The blue corn waffles come with strips of bacon baked right inside. “The sugar with the salty — really nice and tender,” Guy observes. There are also lemon ricotta pancakes with strawberries and massive homemade cinnamon rolls.
Then there’s the Huevos Motuleños — a Yucatan-style dish that showcases Harry’s house-made salsa. The salsa process is meticulous: roasted tomatoes and onions, grilled garlic, orange juice, lime juice, veggie stock, and toasted spices including peppercorns, canela (true cinnamon), cumin, and anise — all ground fresh. A whole habanero on a toothpick steeps in the salsa overnight, infusing heat without overwhelming.
The dish comes together with lightly fried tortillas (not quite chips), refried beans, eggs cooked to order, the killer salsa, ham, peas, queso fresco, and fried plantains. “That’s a nice breakfast dish right there,” Guy says. “Little sweetness, a little plantain, killer salsa.”
A Santa Fe Institution
The roadhouse draws everyone from locals to celebrities — even Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman is a regular. “Nobody pays attention,” one customer notes. “You just cruise in.” The vibe is classic diner comfort with a Southwest twist, similar to spots like that “One of a Kind” Sandwich Shop in VA where personality meets quality.
“Every day you got to prove yourself,” Harry says. That’s why Harry’s Roadhouse remains a Santa Fe go-to.
Find Harry’s Roadhouse and more Triple D locations in our restaurant directory.