Lake Ridge Restaurant Celebrates 25 Years

Lake Ridge Restaurant is celebrating 25 years in business this year, but they almost didn’t make it one month. Bob McKenna and Chef Scott Ringwood opened the restaurant in September 2001, the same month of the devastating terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers. 

“We got the approval to open on September 26, and nobody showed up,” McKenna recalled. “Nobody was doing anything at that point. Nobody was coming out to dinner. It was a scary time.”

Eventually the shock of the attack began to fade, and people emerged from their sanctuaries to begin a return to normality. 

Ringwood was leaving Dater Tavern in Clifton Park in aspiration to open his own restaurant a year before the attacks. He approached his friend about partnering with him. McKenna, who had been in the car business for 32 years, didn’t hesitate. 

The pair bought the property at 35 Burlington Ave, Round Lake and spent seven months renovating the building.

The key to their success? Well, it’s very similar to the car industry, according to Bob McKenna.

“It’s all about a customer experience, and you have to have good staff to give a good experience, and with that you get retention. That customer retention is great staff, great product, great experience; and from there you should be able to do a great business,” McKenna says. 

The great product comes from a lifetime of experience from Chef Scott and a tight menu that allows for the highest quality ingredients. 

The restaurant creates a cozy and intimate ambiance through its three dining rooms, two fireplaces, and a mahogany bar stocked with dozens of scotches and bourbons and a curated wine list. 

Whether you’re in town for the horse racing, have never ventured to Round Lake, or are a regular, Bob and Chef Scott invite you to Lake Ridge Restaurant, open Tuesday through Saturday, 4 to 8:30 p.m.