In 1957, when James Mallios began frying eggs and making sandwiches at the Keystone Restaurant in Midtown Harrisburg, he couldn’t have known that he was starting something much greater–a restaurant dynasty.
But that’s exactly what happened. The Keystone, a diner at the corner of N. 3rd and Boas streets, has spawned three generations of restaurateurs, each adding a new angle and update to the Harrisburg dining scene.
From the Keystone came the Paradise Hotel, now called the Colony House, in Mechanicsburg, founded by sons John and Tom. Then, last year, John’s daughter, Jacquie, and her husband Steve started Brick City Bar & Grille, just a few blocks from the Keystone.
“After all these years, I can say I accomplished something,” joked James, who started his business not long after emigrating from his native Greece. “I didn’t waste my time.”
Now 77, James still begins his day at the Keystone at 5 a.m., working until 3, making his signature soups and from-scratch pot pies. And, as she has for five decades, wife Evdokia (known to all customers as Yia Yia–“grandmother” in Greek), labors beside him, preparing pastries and Greek specialty dishes, such as moussaka.
For the past decade, son John has actually owned and run the business, taking the position at the grill where he watched his father spend countless hours.
“We grew up in this restaurant,” said John. “Starting at age 9, we were cleaning and stacking dishes, peeling potatoes.”
The Keystone actually began diagonally across the street, where Mercado’s Pizza is now, and moved to its current location in 1984, when James bought the building at 1000 N. 3rd St., which was, for many years, the Senate Drugstore.
For 54 years, from that intersection, James has been witness to the sometimes-good, sometimes-troubled history of Harrisburg. Indeed, it’s a unique corner, where races and classes come together, where the people who live in the neighborhood meet the people who work there.
John, 48, remembers a time from his childhood when the 3rd Street corridor was lined with storefronts and small businesses, before many buildings were razed and turned into surface parking for state workers. His father recalls the good times, but also the bad, when floods ravaged the city, people fled and crime increased.
“It’s a lot better now,” James said. “The area has come back, and it’s a big improvement.”
Through all the ups and downs, the Keystone has been the one constant in the neighborhood. In the late 1950s, you could go there for coffee and eggs and local chit-chat–and you still can today.
John said that gabbing with his regulars is a big part of his day, making the long hours behind the grill go faster. They come in, talk local politics, kid each other about their favorite sports teams (the Indianapolis Colts for John, the Nittany Lions, Eagles and Steelers for most others).
“I know my customers personally,” he said. “I know what they’ll order and get the food started the minute they walk in.”
Recently, Buddy Winters sat at the counter enjoying a mid-morning breakfast, as he does every day.
“The food is very good,” said Winters, who makes the daily trip from his home near John Harris High School. “But I really come here because they treat me like family. They do that for everyone who comes in through the door.”
So, where does the Mallios family go from here?
Recently, Jacquie gave birth to a baby girl, who, in a year or two, will probably be running in the aisles and climbing onto the booths–just like John and his siblings did and Jacquie and her sisters did.
“We’ve all raised our kids in the Keystone,” John said.
And the dynasty continues … .
Keystone Restaurant, 1000 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. Open Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. 717-236-3273. The Mallios family would like to thank all its customers for supporting the Keystone during its many years in business.
