Vincent, Sr. can not only tell you the names of each of the several dozen employees of Tony’s, but can instantly recall how many years they’ve been there, how they got their job, what they do at the restaurant and anything you’d want to know about their lives and families. He could also provide these details of most every person who has ever worked there, such as Rico Lonati their butcher for 40 years…and they still have a full-time butcher on staff, or Herbie Cray, who was with Tony’s for 25 years. He was a master at walking up the steps backwards as he led diners to the second floor dining room at the old location, which before it closed had expanded from the original small, simple storefront eatery with tin ceiling and linoleum floor to a complex of six connected buildings and a private parking lot. Vince’s brother Anthony, who started Anthony’s in the Equitable Building 35 years ago, also had mastered the art of going up those stairs in reverse fashion. Today among many other loyal and dedicated employees there’s Richard Brown, valet for 17 years, Mike Vuzzotta 25 years at the bar, Ken Bollewark, manager of the dining room with over 30 years tenure as is the case with Linda Skaer who’s in Tony’s busy office. Vince listed many, many more loyal and dedicated employees from then and now, such as Donnie Bond who supervises private parties and sous chef Gerard Germaine, but to Vince’s dismay, we just don’t have room to list them all. In these times there are few restaurants or businesses of any type that can boast of having employees who’ve been with them with them for such great periods of time. It’s yet another Tony’s secret.

     Anthony would depart the restaurant business to start the A. Bommarito Wine Distributing Company that has blossomed to be the pre-eminent distributor of fine wines in Missouri. This family connection is certainly one of the reasons that the wine list at Tony’s is supreme. (Another secret!) But even though Anthony’s restaurant, which served a more French traditional style cuisine closed, Anthony’s Bar remains a mainstay in the lobby of the Equitable where it’s solidly ensconced as one of the top power lunch destinations in the Midwest. Anthony’s Bar is open Monday through Friday for lunch from 11:30 to 2 and dinner is served from 5 Monday through Saturday, except in the winter when they take Monday off. It would be a tough task to find a better hamburger than that served at Anthony’s, where at night you may also order from the Tony’s menu …plus you can valet park, which makes Anthony’s the only casual dining place offering such service. It’s great to grab an early dinner and take advantage of the valet when attending a Card’s game, since the stadium’s just 2 blocks south. By the standards of any era, Anthony’s Bar is on the small side with just 8 tables and 22 stools at the bar. It can easily be as crowded as Carl’s Drive-In on Manchester Road.

     The raison d’etre of Tony’s continuous succes d’estime is the blending of all the preceding with the highest quality victuals, creatively and properly prepared and accompanied by incomparable service in an atmosphere of warmth and tranquility. In other words you just can’t beat the food, service and atmosphere of Tony’s. The dining areas are of a subdued rich and warm design with great attention paid to acoustics. Here, unlike so many other places today, you can have a private conversation without shouting to be heard or straining to hear. There are no coffee stands are dishes in the dining room other than those on the table. These dishes along with the silver, crystal and linen are all dedicated to your particular table and kept behind soundproof walls. Sound barriers and the specially engineered acoustical ceiling combine with gently served and removed dishes and the silent table signals of waiters, bus staff and captains to provide you with a truly relaxed atmosphere. They could serve a party of 10 to perfection without anyone needing to say anything. Yet more secrets!