Tony’s Burger Shop at Van Aken District has closed. Chef and owner Anthony Zappola opted not to renew his lease so that he could better focus on his other two restaurants. Those include Lox, Stock and Brisket in the Market Hall of Van Aken and Tripi Italian Specialties (3928 Lorain Ave.) in Ohio City. Tony’s Burger Shop finished out the five-year term that began with the Rice Shop, which Zappola opened in 2021.
Zappola also divested himself of the Tony’s Burger Shop located inside Erie + Vine in Willoughby.
“I realized that two restaurants are better than five,” Zappola explains. “We’re doing really well at Lox, Stock and Brisket, and Tripi is killing it.”
After returning home to Cleveland in 2018 following more than a decade of working for Top Chef Tom Colicchio, Zappola opened Lox, Stock and Brisket in University Heights. He went on to open the Rice Shop at the Ohio City Galley. When that food hall went bust, he opened the Rice Shop at Van Aken. Two years later, he relocated his popular Lox, Stock and Brisket concept from Cedar Road to Shaker Heights.
Zappola says that after nine years of juggling multiple concepts and working seven days a week, he is trying to simplify his life and his portfolio. Going into the holidays and winter season, Tripi will cut back to six days a week, closing its doors on Mondays.
“I’m trying to do more fun events and make some exciting food and not things that I have to do,” he says.
On Nov. 20, Tripi hosts its next wine dinner featuring live jazz, beer and wine, and a selection of cicchetti, Venetian small plates. Guests can expect items like vegetable fritto misto with pesto mayo, butternut squash gnocchi with pecorino, beef carpaccio and Italian fish sandwiches.
“I love this neighborhood and want to grow this business,” adds Zappola.
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