Cindy Anderson, Bartender
Cindy Anderson is Runway’s longtime bar manager who’s become as much a draw for regulars as the food. She’s recently taken a step back to bartending, with more fun and less responsibility. She remains one of Runway’s most recognizable faces.
Resy: How did you get your start at Runway?
Cindy Anderson: It was 1995, I think there was 17 snowstorms back-to-back in New Hampshire and I was like, ‘That’s it.’ I packed the bags, moved down here. I met Anthony through a gentleman who owned a restaurant in Massachusetts that I worked for. And he was like, ‘You need to hire this girl.’ I was a waitress here for, I’m gonna say a year, and it was really rough. So I was gonna go work at this other place. And Anthony looked at me, like, ‘Really? Why don’t you just stay here and work behind the bar?’ So I did. I took the chance and 29 years later, I’m still here waiting on customers and hanging out, making great money.
What do you love about Runway?
The nostalgic part of it. Just the whole family-oriented feel, and good food. And now we have entertainment, so now it’s totally stepped up a whole other notch.
30 years is an eternity to stay bartending in one place. What’s kept you here?
Making people happy, you know? Just making a cocktail, people liking what I make, or the food that we have here. It’s definitely an experience; it all wraps up together with the food and the cocktails.
What role do you think you have in this restaurant’s history?
[“The queen!” interrupts current bar manager Christiano Souza. He’s one of several staff to brag for Anderson as she attempts to stay understated.]
It’s kind of funny that people come in and they still yell my name. The fun part is when someone wants me to make a drink, and basically, they just want a vodka soda. And the other bartenders are like, ‘Really? We can’t make a vodka soda?’ And the regular is like, ‘No, we want Cindy to make it.’ Sorry guys.
What are some of your favorite stories from working here?
Dan Marino and his family, I’ve known them for years. Super cool. Super nice. And he knew that I was a big New England Patriots fan, so he brought in Tom Brady, back when he first started. He was just a rookie. And he came in with his Red Sox hat on, and I was like, oh my God. But he ended up leaning over and giving me a kiss. And I said, if I would’ve just tugged him, I would’ve been Cindy Brady. Gisele who?
What’s your favorite dish?
The zuppe di pesce. It’s all seafood, and being from New England, I guess that would be pretty much it. The lobster, the shrimp, the clams, the mussels over pasta.
Dining and Cooking