Happy Anniversary, Tony and Sukie. For decades you’ve managed to stay together in the roughly the same place despite a culture that seems hell-bent on tearing you apart.
I’m not talking about a marriage in the traditional sense, but the collaboration of two business partners who have created a highly successful restaurant, catering and wine business in downtown Naples. This fall marks Tony Ridgway’s 40th year as a chef and restaurant owner in town and the 30th year of his partnership with Sukie Honeycutt. The pair co-own three businesses—restaurants Ridgway Bar and Grill and Bayside Seafood Grill and Bar and the wine shop and bakery Tony’s Off Third.
It’s sort of an amazing achievement given that most independent restaurants that open in Southwest Florida are lucky to stay open a year. Through several iterations, the Wurst Place, Chef’s Garden and Truffle’s to name three, the duo has managed a continuing legacy of excellence.
This weekend, the pair is celebrating these milestones with a series of celebrations, which kicked off Wednesday evening with a private cocktail reception for favored patrons and supporters. The cocktail party was Tony and Sukie’s way of saying thank you to the friends they’ve made during their impressive tenure.
But the big bash is Saturday night, when part of 13th Avenue South in front of Ridgway Bar and Grill will be blocked off for a party expected to draw as many as 1,000 people downtown. They are inviting the whole town to celebrate their milestone and the anticipation of many more years of bringing Naples great food and drink.
