Closing of the last Tony Romas and some history.
Learned today a favorite Swampy stop closed it’s first location February 20th.
Bobby Rubino’s Place for Ribs closed and is to be demolished for still another fast food chicken place. Those are popping up all over.Bobby Rubino had a history of being part of food spots. Most notably with Jilly Russo, which had him hanging out with Frank Sinatra…and some folks that were thought to be of the underworld variety. Russo later in the ’80s was convicted of such shenanigans.
Rubino was partners with Tony Roma, who had his own underworld ties. They opened the first Tony Roma’s in North Miami Beach. The restaurant started with burgers and steaks. Roma worked with his chef to change the menu and specialize in ribs with a “special sauce”. The place continued to be a success with a focus of ribs. An investor helped Roma slowly spread nationwide and then internationally. Rubino broke away to start his own restaurant of nearly the exact menu…just with different “special sauce”.
The spot Rubino chose for his first restaurant was further north of Tony Roma’s at the edge of Pompano Beach and Lighthouse Point on U.S. 1. The location had been the offices for the Sun-Sentinel’s north news offices. As they moved out, the place became a bar, appropriately, ‘The Newsroom’. Then Rubio came in 1977 and opened in ’78.
From the ’78 opening, a chain began and spread across the U.S., much faster than Tony Roma’s did. Eventually all closed
https://www.wptv.com/lifestyle/taste-and-see/last-remaining-bobby-rubinos-place-for-ribs-in-south-florida-to-close
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