Tips Roadside, a hot spot for barbecue in Kenwood, closes

The owners of Tips Roadside have announced that the Kenwood restaurant has permanently closed.

In a social media post Wednesday, owners Andrew and Susie Pryfogle told customers they had made the decision to close based on “changing circumstances” and the restaurant being “no longer sustainable.”

“We cherish the memories created within these walls and the friendships forged over shared meals. Your patronage has been the cornerstone of our success, and for that, we are truly grateful,” the post read, adding, “the memories and flavors that defined our restaurant will live on.”

The restaurant, owned by the husband and wife team, debuted in 2018 with chef Thaddeus Palmese heading the kitchen. It featured barbecue and American-style comfort food — homey tri-tip sandwiches and barbecue an expansion of their popular food truck, the Tri Tip Trolley.

The couple took over the former Vineyards Inn in Kenwood in 2017, overhauling it into a bright and modern roadhouse with two large dining rooms, a full bar and an outdoor patio.

The 2017 wildfires caused construction delays, but original art inside the restaurant paid homage to first responders and the Pryfogles provided food to firefighters battling the flames in Sonoma County.

The Pryfogles did not immediately respond to phone calls Wednesday afternoon. A message on the restaurant's phone said the restaurant had permanently closed.

The closure comes on the heels of the mysterious shuttering of Flavor Bistro in Sebastopol, which opened in July 2020. The restaurant was an updated version of a popular downtown Santa Rosa cafe that closed in 2016. Several calls to the restaurant also were not returned.