Toddle Inn Restaurant

TODDLE INN RESTAURANT
HISTORY

The Toddle Inn was opened in 1961 by a partnership of Brownsville locals and also owned by Ms. Fannie Bates up to December 1971. During this time, Alex F. Perez was a delivery salesman for Butter Krust Bread at the Toddle Inn when its then owner Ms. Bates offered him to buy the restaurant, which at the time consisted of 4 tables and 11 bar stools; with the amazement of the opportunity, Alex and his wife Edna R. Perez agreed to purchase the Toddle Inn and take over on January 1, 1972.

Alex and Edna successfully owned and operated the Toddle Inn for 33 years, serving Mexican and American food 7 days a week. Edna managed and operated the restaurant during the week and Alex on the weekends; their children Mark & Michelle would wash dishes, bus tables, take orders and cashier during the weekends and summers as needed to help the family business.

The Toddle Inn has being in business now for 55 years and it’s the oldest breakfast restaurant in Brownsville. Alex introduced the extra large handmade flour tortillas in town, which are a great success and have been a favorite for generations.

The Toddle Inn has received several local awards for best breakfast, best breakfast taco, best mexican food & best tamales. The Toddle Inn Restaurant has been mentioned in local and nationwide publications such as the New Yorker magazine and has been a favorite to local politicians and families.

The Toddle Inn has been patronized by international TV and movie stars as well as national and international politicians like Jack Kennedy Jr. and Ambassadors from around the world.

The Toddle Inn Restaurant is now owned since January 1, 2005 by Mark (Alex & Edna’s son) and his wife Hilda Perez. Since taking ownership Mark has added new plates and salsas to the menu and has created an original logo featuring the Sheriff’s badge with a slogan “We Give Flavor Justice” in honor of his father Alex who served as Justice of the Peace from 1977 to 1984; Cameron County Sheriff from 1985 to 1996 and Texas State Jail Commissioner from 1990 to 1996.

The restaurant interior now features a cozy country atmosphere, and serves freshly brewed coffee on large country style mugs. The walls of the restaurant display handcuffs, old jail keys, jail bars and memorabilia of old photographs and newspaper articles of Alex F. Perez’s service as Cameron County Sheriff. The former Sheriff is likely to be there every morning greeting his customers with a friendly smile or a handshake.

The Toddle Inn Restaurant has a very long list of loyal regular customers patronizing the business everyday for over 50 years. A majority of the customers are families that have been eating at the Toddle Inn since early childhood and now have kids themselves.

The Toddle Inn Restaurant prides itself in being a family owned and operated business. We believe that fresh food, great service and a clean restaurant along with our family always there to welcome our customers has been the key to our success.