Tips Tri-Tip raises the steaks with new restaurant venture

Remember when we all watched Andrew and Susie Pryfogle working day and night to outfit a trolley car into a food trolley behind Scooteria?

They showed up at the Tuesday Night Farmers Market, grill smoke billowing from the trolley’s chimney, dishing out tri-tip sandwiches and eventually adding all sorts of healthy bowls, salads and much more.

After working like crazy trying different locations to sell their food, they came up with a second trolley, doubling their capacity to feed people at farmers markets, fairs and private parties.

Success supposedly breeds success. “Andrew sold his company in 2012 to Petaluma-based Intelisys. That was a perfect excuse to relocate to Sonoma,” says Susie Pryfogle.

The Pryfoles just announced they will open a brick-and-mortar restaurant, Tips Roadside, in the former Vineyard’s Inn at the corner of Highway 12 and Adobe Canyon Road in Kenwood.

The restaurant will begin with breakfast and lunch service, featuring “wine country comfort food,” upon opening.

Dinner service will be added later in 2017.

“We have been dreaming about opening our own restaurant for many years,” said Susie Pryfogle. “Tips Roadside is our next step on this crazy adventure. We could not be more excited!”

Tips Tri-Tip was the brainchild of Andrew Pryfogle in 2008, featuring his own unique cubed tri-tip sandwich and chipotle sauce. Andrew was a Bay Area kid who grew up on Southern cooking. “I love Southern food, but I’m also passionate about the amazing local ingredients this valley produces,” Andrew says.

Executive Chef Thaddeus Palmese says, “Now we get to really celebrate what we call “wine country comfort food.” I can’t wait to bring a bit of Southern inspiration to locally sourced ingredients, creating a menu that is unlike anything in the Valley.”

The Tri-Tip Trolley will still serve as the anchor food vendor for the 2017 seasons of Broadway Under the Stars at Jack London State Historic Park and Kenwood’s Funky Fridays at Hood Mansion.

Starting in early January, the Tri-Tip Trolley, where Chef Palmese will perfect his definition of “wine country comfort food,” will post in front of Tips Roadside for breakfast and lunch during construction in the restaurant.

Palmese has run his own restaurants in New Orleans and Sebastopol.