All Star Dining Arrives in Custer
Tony’s Steak and Tavern Now Open To Serve You
by Fred Hernandez
Many residents in Happy Valley have pined for a good steak without having to trek all the way down to the lowlands of Fremont. A good steak, especially during the winter months, can be truly appreciated. Now, finally, those community wishes have come true in a big way. Tony’s Steak and Tavern, in the same building as the popular Tony’s Mountain Pizza, is now ready to deliver to your table an eye-popping, mouth-watering steak expertly cut and done perfectly to your individual specification. Thick as you desire, carefully grilled by highly trained and experienced Chefs, these culinary delicacies are marbled marvels of excellent cuisine.
It really all began almost ten years ago when Sam and Carol Hepp decided to venture into the food service industry by buying the building and business that is now Tony’s Pizza. Sam provided the day-to-day physical handy work in the building and Carol was the heart and spirit of the enterprise. Together, they and their daughter Jill, built the brand with the now familiar logo in Custer and surrounding counties; Tony’s Mountain Pizza. It was a successful enterprise by all measures with an upward trajectory into the future. Then life happened and with the loss of Carol, Sam and the Hepp family decided it was time to move on. After almost a decade of successful operations serving the community, the business was for sale sometime in 2022.
Attracted by the beauty of Wet Mountain Valley and the majestic, iconic Sangre de Cristo Mountain range, Johnny Winton bought a lovely home in Happy Valley about four years ago and moved from Miami, Florida. A successful entrepreneur in commercial real estate, he traveled as needed from his new Custer County home to Texas and Florida where he continued to have business interests. In the meantime, some evenings or when his business partners were in town, he would dine or socialize at Tony’s. He got to know the owners and the staff well and over time developed friendships with them. So it was not surprising in the least that at some point Johnny’s entrepreneurial interest would be piqued, a conversation exchanged and, against all advice, he and his partners bought the business.
Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he was born and raised until, at the age of twenty-one, he moved to the Scottsdale/Tempe area in Arizona to take a job in the medical field where he rose to management positions over a period of twelve years. But Johnny is a visionary type who felt he could achieve more in his lifetime. And so, he moved to Miami where he focused on commercial real estate. His timing was perfect. Over his thirty-three years in The Magic City, one of the many nicknames of that megapolis due to how fast it developed, as if materializing from thin air, Johnny was part of that magic. He served on several boards including the Downtown Development Authority, Down-town Miami Partnership, Building Owners Association, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce before finally deciding, after much plead-ing from his colleagues, business owners and partners, to run for the office of City Commissioner. At first he resisted the idea because he knew how challenging it would be to go up against an incumbent who had been in office for twenty nine years and to run in a field of four other contenders for a position in a city that was, for all intents and purposes, bankrupt at that point in time. In fact Miami was in such dire straits that the office of the governor, then Jeb Bush, who eventually became a friend, had taken over the city’s checkbook, literally. In spite of it all, Johnny plodded on and launched his candidacy.
His campaign manager’s strategy was simply based on the hope of achieving a runoff with the incumbent. The work was hard as Johnny
went knocking door to door on a daily basis including the not
particularly friendly areas of the Hispanic communities. Finally, it was election day. Johnny’s tenacity paid off. He won the election to the office of commissioner with 54% of the votes. Quite an achievement given the odds and for someone who had never been a politician.
Years later, and now living in Custer County, with some time on his hands, Johnny turned his magic on Tony’s. From the start of his taking over the management of Tony’s Johnny had always thought that a steakhouse was needed in Custer County. Hearing about the wishes of the community confirmed the need and he decided to act on a vision he had for the back room of the building.
Also in listening to the community, Johnny has gotten involved in the needs of the school, the veterans and other community projects.
The function room where in the past community activities were held or, when necessary, the overflow diners from the main dining area were ushered into, has now been magically transformed into Johnny’s vision. To experience the new ambiance is in itself an uplifting experience that reminds one of an old mining office in the bygone days of silver mines. Today, the only restaurant in Silver Cliff that is fully air conditioned, it is also the only restaurant in the county that has in its employ four culinary school trained and certified Chefs able to design/create and deliver a world class menu that would satisfy most international gourmets. The warm, cozy and friendly aura of the bar area is especially conducive to joyful moments of camaraderie with friends, family and acquaintances.
The restaurant and entertainment scene in Custer County has definitely improved with the opening of the upscale Steak and Tavern. Now serving lunch and dinner from Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For lunch the Chefs recommend the most delicious half pound burgers with all the fixins’ and fries or chips made fresh in house. Also for lunch the most appetizing salads featuring classic arugula, different varieties of lettuce, fresh sun-drenched tomatoes and delectable homemade dressings guaranteed to satisfy the most discriminating tastes. The dinner menu, with its variety of out-standing steak cuts and other entrees, reminds one of the famous steak houses in New York and Chicago.
All the class and the quality of a high-end steakhouse yet competitively priced so that everyone can enjoy a delicious fare and beverage at Tony’s Steak and Tavern. Located on Highway 69 (Main Street) on the east end of Silver Cliff, and certain to become a destination restaurant, you are invited to come in for the ambiance and stay for the great cuisine. Truly a great experience. Bon Appetit!
(For the Menu and updates, see Tony’s Steak & Tavern’s Facebook page.)
Mary Jo “Jodi” King passed away peacefully on Monday, June 10th, at Vali Assisted Living in Westcliffe, Colorado. Mary Jo,
