The man behind St. Louis' legendary Tony's restaurant, Vincent Bommarito Sr., has passed away. He was 88 years old.
Bommarito, known for dedication to perfection in his restaurant, was also a dedicated champion of St. Louis, having participated and contributed to many projects in and around downtown St. Louis.
Mr. Bommarito is survived by his wife Martha and 5 children.
The Legend of Tony's
Tony’s was—and always has been—a family affair for the Bommaritos.
Anthony Bommarito started the restaurant in 1946 but died three years later. Vincent—who had just graduated high school—took the reins. Vince had led the restaurant ever since.
Boasting a superb wine selection and a dedication to the downtown community, Tony's was the one for the first St. Louis restaurants to win national recognition.
Frank Cusumano, who grew up in the St. Louis restaurant business tells the story of how Bommarito was seen cleaning up trash in the parking lot outside the original Tony's in the 800 block of N. Broadway. When asked why he was doing it, he said, "First impressions are everything."
Cusumano also shared this story. "A rule that Bommarito had, that many people may not have noticed, was that the maitre d' who would lead a guest to their table, never turned their back to the customer. That was just the way Vince wanted it."