BIZ FEATURE: ITALIAN FOOD COMPANY BRINGS A TASTE OF ITALY TO KEY LARGO & ISLAMORADA

Italian Food Organization owners Tony and Isis Wright in no way dreamed of opening a restaurant. With a like for Italy and fantastic meals came an possibility the two couldn’t move up.

Now, patrons stopping by the bar-trattoria type restaurant are indulging in authentic southern Italian cuisine, with freshly-designed Neapolitan (Naples-fashion) pizza, delicious boccas that overflow with toppings, a choice of home made desserts and additional. 

With outside dining beneath coated patios, patrons gaze all around the landscaped backyard garden as they take in lunch and evening meal. They sit at Sicilian lava tables imported from the Mt. Etna area. There is even a table from Tony’s youth.

Opening in July 2021, Isis reported, the cafe incorporates different features of the Italian delicacies scene. She claimed the cafe has functions equivalent to that of an Italian bar the place folks arrive and get coffee and a croissant in the early morning or a rice ball in the afternoon. It’s not only a area to seize foods, but it is also a put to converse with people you know. 

The cafe also provides features of an Italian pizzeria as perfectly as a trattoria, which Tony describes as an Italian-model taking in establishment that is generally much less official than a restaurant. 

“When we launched, we did not know if we’d open up for breakfast and have paninis, sandwiches and pizzas or if it was heading to be a restaurant,” Tony reported. “We ended up likely to permit the restaurant talk to us.”

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the program for the Wrights’ next enterprise. The year in advance of, Tony said the home, formerly dwelling to Papa Johns at MM 98 in the median, caught his eye. He was not exactly confident what he’d do with the put if he determined to obtain it. But he knew the area experienced likely. 

In March 2020, the Wrights shut on the residence. Within just months, the two talked over what would come following. They looked at the Keys and believed about the items they liked. Which is when they turned to their summer season sojourns to Naples, the Amalfi coast, Sicily and Taormina. The Wrights revel in the blue sea and lively bouquets. They are drawn to common Italian ingredients, from hearty back garden tomatoes and clean regional herbs to neighborhood olive oils and refreshing sauce. Sharing the authenticity and warmth of traditional Italian trattorias and eaters turned the Wrights’ want. 

Visiting Italian Food items Firm is a sensory practical experience, stated Isis. 

“Visually, there are so a lot of lovely points from Italy,” Isis explained. “Then you consume the food stuff and all these flavors burst into your mouth. Italian cooking is pretty straightforward but flavorful simply because they get their time. By the time you end your complete eating experience you really feel a thing.” 

At Italian Food stuff Corporation, all items are sourced from Italy. Contemporary, basic Neapolitan pizza dough, sauce from ripe, shiny tomatoes, fresh Italian mozzarella and seasonal added virgin olive oil are among the staples. The Neapolitan pizza’s typical fashion is marked by its signature feature of fresh new seasoned tomato sauce and flash cooked in an oven. 

Tony said some folks assume the pizza is also juicy in the center. That’s simply because all the components are clean. 

“It has a wonderful heritage when we’re talking about hundreds of many years producing the same design and style pizza the same way for good,” Isis mentioned. “It’s going to be much lighter and thinner in the middle. It’s a Neapolitan, juicy pizza that’s eaten with a knife and fork.” 

Italian Food Company’s pizzeria is led by the Wrights and the maestro imported from Italy in master pizzaiolo Leopoldo Figlioli. And lately, the crew extra one more expertise with government chef Ben Loftus. He started out his occupation in the Florida Keys around 20 yrs back, perfecting and bringing French cuisine to distinguished acclaim throughout his tenure in Islamorada. 

He was a foodie most loved, elevating the dining working experience at Pierre’s to a person of the finest dining establishments in Florida. His subsequent roles with Cheeca Lodge and Spa and The Hungry Tarpon expanded his approaches and models into new American and coastal cuisines. Tony claimed introducing Loftus will let them to deliver some traditional and new preferred Italian dishes to the Wrights’ up coming venture — a new restaurant situated at the previous Bentley’s in Islamorada. 

“He’s gained the respect and admiration of lots of men and women in the Florida Keys. I get phone calls nearly each day with genuine enthusiasm and help for Ben’s new purpose with us,” Tony claimed. 

Loftus reported the Italian Food items Business offers a special option to innovate, increase and convey a new cultural eating encounter to the Keys. 

“Italian delicacies is superbly very simple, with so quite a few possibilities to delight visitors. We’ve already reviewed preliminary additions to the menu for Islamorada, and we’ll insert specials to the menu as I’ve done in the past,” Loftus mentioned. 

The new restaurant in Islamorada will give indoor dining, two one of a kind sitdown bars and an expanded menu, Isis reported they’re preparing to keep the main menu from their Crucial Largo site inside of their new restaurant, but they want to insert some seafood dishes. And the Wrights and Loftus reported they are hunting to place the previous Bentley’s restaurant back again on the map. 

“The creating has a feeling to it,” Tony explained. “Everybody arrives and tells me stories. Even the previous Bentley’s owner frequented below a person working day and asked if there’s anything he could do. I said possibly we can bring back a dessert. All people has such good reminiscences of this location.” 

Isis said the opening of the new cafe will be in 30 to 60 days. 

Additional details is at italianfoodcompany.com or comply with @theitalianfoodcompany on Instagram.