COMFORT FOODINTHE HEARTOF PENSACOLA

For Polonza owner Judy Ring, the restaurant business is truly a family affair. A Pensacola native, Judy attended Jim Allen Elementary, Bellview Jr. High, and Escambia High School. Her post-secondary education was at Pensacola Jr. College, University of West Florida, and Auburn University. After college, she taught and was a counselor for 38 years in Pensacola, Huntsville, AL, and in Okaloosa County, FL. She and her husband raised 3 children and have 8 grandchildren. After her husband’s death, Judy shifted gears and became a businesswoman, taking on a small loan company, a print shop, a gift boutique, a real estate company, and restaurant, Polonza. The restaurant business was a familiar choice for Judy as her father, Dr. John Webb, and uncle, Adrian Webb, owned a BBQ restaurant in Pine Forest for many years. Judy and her brother, Mark Webb, worked in the restaurant and enjoyed the restaurant community immensely. When she opened Polonza, Judy decided to continue the family restaurant tradition by bringing on her niece and nephew, Jami Brown and Steven Turner, who both had many years of experience in the industry. From there, their vision came to light, to bring that expertise and hometown atmosphere, along with from-scratch recipes, to a restaurant/coffee bar where the food and drinks could be enjoyed while the patrons relaxed with family and friends.

The inspiration for Polonza’s food is all about family -the generations of family meals and excellent food their grandparents, parents, and their current generation grew up on. Coming from a family of farmers and dairy farmers, the food was not exotic, but it was fresh, expertly prepared, and full of avor. udy and family wanted to reproduce that with their customers, plus add in some of the dishes that spring from the cultures of the five ags that have own over Pensacola through history. Pensacola has a rich cultural heritage, and they want Polonza to re ect that in its food. This is why Polonza is known as a favorite among locals, especially.

ith the success of their breakfast, brunch, and lunch menus, Polonza has recently added a dinner experience for their customers. Their new dinner service is geared toward a slightly more complex meal, but with the same values of fresh and avorful. They want the customers to feel relaxed and welcome and to enjoy every bite. Their menu changes with the seasons, incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables and proteins that are lighter in the spring and summer and with more emphasis on warmth and richness in the fall and winter. They also provide at least one vegetarian option. Polonza offers a selection of small plates that are shareable, as an opportunity for diners to try new foods and or new preparations of old favorites. The dinner service runs on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights until p.m. The team at Polonza are always developing new menus and creating new event ideas. They plan on hosting more wine tastings and food events that feature local growers and products. They love being part of the Pensacola area and contributing to the camaraderie of downtown events. Polonza is also happy to host private special events. Their chef will prepare favorite menu items or will develop any menu of your choice. They enjoy accommodating their guests and want to give them the best experience possible.

Polonza is a favorite of locals and a special restaurant for many reasons. The food, the service, and the atmosphere work synergistically making it a great dining choice. Pensacola has been the family’s home for many generations, and they re ect the history in the community. wner, udy Ring says there are many wonderful things about being a part of Polonza and high on that list is getting to meet so many wonderful people who come into the restaurant. She and her family have made many friends over the years. Combined with making these friends, she enjoys serving them excellent food and making them happy, as that is the goal of Polonza to make people have a happy experience and create a desire to return.