THE WEST SHORE DINER IS LOCATED ON STATE STREET IN
LEMOYNE, PA, DIRECTLY ACROSS THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER FROM
PA'S CAPITAL CITY OF HARRISBURG.
WEST SHORE DINER IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY BROTHERS
GEORGE AND CHRIS KATSIFIS. THE ORIGINAL DINER WAS MOVED
FROM A LOCATION ON MARKET STREET IN LEMOYNE SEVERAL YEARS
AGO TO ITS PRESENT SITE. (ASK TO SEE THE PICTURES OF THE
MOVING OPERATIONS!) IN ADDITION TO THE DINING CAR, THERE
IS AN EXPANDED DINING AREA IN THE REAR OF THE DINER.
FARE IS TRADITIONAL DINER FARE WITH SOME ADDITIONAL
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH AND GREEK ENTREES. FOOD IS ALL HOMEMADE
BY THE BROTHERS. BREAKFAST IS SERVED AT ALL TIMES OF DAY
AND THERE IS A GOOD SELECTION OF DAILY SPECIALS. IF YOU
HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS OR DESIRES THEY WILL TRY TO ACCOMMODATE
THEM. FOOD, AT TIMES, TENDS TO BE BLAND, BUT THIS IS DUE
TO A LARGE ELDERLY CLIENTELE.
PRICES ARE EXCELLENT. EXPECT TO SPEND LESS THAN $5- $6
PER PERSON FOR DINNER, INCLUDING A BEVERAGE. DINNER
ENTREES, WHICH USUALLY INCLUDE TWO SIDES, HAVE SUBSTANTIAL
PORTIONS.
ATMOSPHERE IS THAT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD DINER, BUT
NEWCOMERS QUICKLY FEEL AT HOME. WAITRESSES ARE PLEASANT
AND FOOD IS "SLOPPED" UP QUICKLY. THERE IS A LOT OF
FRIENDLY BANTER BETWEEN CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES INCLUDING
DISCUSSIONS RANGING FROM CURRENT EVENTS TO LOCAL COLOR.
ONE ESPECIALLY NOTABLE QUALITY IS TO WHAT EXTENT THE
BROTHERS HAVE GIVEN BACK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. FOR
SEVERAL YEARS THE BROTHERS HAVE GIVEN FREE MEALS TO
HOMELESS AND/OR LONELY INDIVIDUALS ON CHRISTMAS DAY. THIS
IS AN EVENT WHICH DRAWS MEDIA ATTENTION AND IS HOSTED,
ORGANIZED, AND SERVED BY THE BROTHERS AND THEIR PATRONS IN
A TRUE SENSE OF GIVING. DONATIONS ARE GLADLY ACCEPTED AND
IN 1998 WERE GIVEN TO THE SALVATION ARMY. THERE ARE MANY
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES DECORATING THE DINER WALLS ABOUT THESE
AFFAIRS.
ALSO NOTABLE IS THAT CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA MAGAZINE
(FORMERLY APPRISE MAGAZINE) HAS NAMED WEST SHORE DINER AS
THE NUMBER ONE DINER IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA (RESULTS FROM
A VOTE OF SUBSCRIBERS).
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