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Good Morning Breakfast Nook keeps things on the sunny side

December 5, 2019

Story Location:
16394 Samuel Paynter's Blvd
Milton, DE 19968
United States

Good Morning Breakfast Nook opened Nov. 12 in Paynter’s Mill and for owners Dina and Oscar Escamilla, the outlook so far has definitely been sunny side up.

As someone who likes to travel, often to big cities, Dina said she noticed that in Sussex County there weren’t any little corner breakfast and lunch restaurants like the ones she was used to.

“It felt like something was lacking,” she said. “If they had good French toast, the coffee was bad. If they had good coffee, the service was bad. Oscar is a very good cook. I know how to run a business. So why not? We had it in our mind for a while to open a breakfast and lunch place that could compare to the places in California, in Florida. We’ve seen the best practices.”

Oscar had been the chef at Country Kitchen in Millsboro for 12 years, so his cooking bonafides are well known in the area. Dina has worked in the banking industry most of her career, both in Europe and the United States. Dina and Oscar bring a transnational flavor to the Cape Region restaurant scene: she is originally from Russia; he from El Salvador. She came to the United States for business school - Dina’s sister lives in Delaware - and after she met Oscar, she decided to stay. 

“The community was very welcoming,” Dina said. “So far, so good.”

She said they decided to open in Paynter’s Mill because it was in a neighborhood and was close to Route 1.

“We’re trying to make this place as community friendly and as local as it can be,” Dina said. “We’re already seeing some regular faces.”

Seeing the same faces is by design; Dina and Oscar have tried to keep Good Morning Breakfast Nook’s menu as affordable as possible to encourage people to come back frequently. The most expensive item on the menu is $16, while most menu items are $8 to $10. 

“We try to bring the prices down so it could be as budget-friendly as possible. They would think of this place as an alternative to their own kitchen, and they can come here every day and not break the bank,” Dina said. 

The breakfast menu includes favorites such as eggs, pancakes and French toast, as well as breakfast platters and specials, such as the Paynter’s Mill special, a vegetable medley with smoked beef sausage served on a sizzling platter and topped with eggs. The breakfast menu also includes brisket and avocado toast. 

For lunch, the menu includes burgers, salads, sandwiches and soups.

Besides service in the restaurant, Good Morning Breakfast Nook also does pick-up and delivery. 

As for the name, Dina said it was a combination of the first thing you want to hear in the morning and a play on the small size - about 40 seats - of the restaurant. 

Good Morning Breakfast Nook is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/wishyourselfgoodmorning or call 291-2857. 

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