From a young age, Tony Marron knew he wanted to cook.
“We couldn't afford to go out to eat, so my mom was always cooking,” Marron said. “I'd help her, and I would watch how she always seasoned everything, so nothing was ever bland.”
Marron said he almost enrolled in culinary school after high school, but instead went into the automotive industry. However, when the housing market collapsed in 2008, he saw an opportunity to pursue his original dream.
“Everything was closing down, and I decided, ‘You know what? People still love to eat,’” Marron said.
After a few years of preparation, Marron opened Uncle Tony’s Cafe in Porter in November 2010. The business has since moved to several locations, but reopened in Porter in April 2025.
Marron said he rebranded the restaurant to Uncle Tony’s Burgers when he moved to his current location. The eatery offers an assortment of gourmet burgers, tacos, wings and Texas-style cheesesteaks.
A closer look
In addition to using high-quality, fresh ingredients, Marron said he considers seasoning to be one of the most important aspects of crafting his burgers.
“We buy bulk Angus beef—good quality beef,” he said. “We break it all up, we season it and we mix it, so you got flavor inside. When we cook it, just before it's done, we season it on the outside, so now you got seasoning inside and outside.”
Marron said the Ultimate Rattlesnake Burger is among the restaurant’s most popular menu items, noting the burger has won awards at several competitions. The burger consists of Angus beef, custom-made sausage from Chappell Hill Sausage, red onions and fresh jalapenos.
“We mix onions and fresh jalapenos, so the fresh jalapenos give it a little bite,” Marron said. “When we cook it, we melt Muenster cheese on it, and we butter and toast a jalapeno-cheddar sourdough bun.”
Marron noted other popular menu items include the restaurant’s trash can tacos, which feature grilled chicken, onions, mushrooms, pineapple and fresh jalapenos. Additionally, he said the Texas cheesesteak has been a hit among guests.
Marron noted the restaurant now has a new mobile app that allows users to order meals online at lower prices than those offered through other delivery services. He said the restaurant also has a pickup window for customers to retrieve online orders in their cars.
What's next
Looking to the future, Marron said he hopes to find a new location in Porter within the next few years.
For now, Marron said he’ll continue to enjoy providing quality food to his customers.
“For me, [the most rewarding thing] is seeing the faces of customers who appreciate my food,” Marron said. “People appreciate good food, and I can say, ‘Okay, I made that.’”
