UPPER KEYS — After celebrating the one-year anniversary of successful operation in Key Largo, the Italian Food Company has opened a second restaurant to offer Islamorada its own “passport” to Italy.
Co-owners Tony and Isis Wright’s vision for the Italian Food Company, with locations at 98070 Overseas Highway and 82779 Overseas Highway, was for customers to feel as if they are visiting an eatery in Italy.
“We bring in different elements that make people feel good. It’s the complete dining experience. From the owners and history to the family recipes. The people, service and surroundings blend together for a sensory experience,” Isis Wright said. “It’s like visiting a foreign country. You just don’t need a passport.”
Several ingredients are imported to the island chain from Italy, including tomato sauces used in pizza and other recipes, extra virgin olive oil, sweet and spicy salami, prosciutto and prosciutto cotto (equivalent to ham) and several top-end, gourmet cheeses including mozzarella, burrata and parmigiano reggiano.
Meanwhile, local produce and meats, including chicken, fish and veal, are purchased from South Florida vendors.
“Italian cooking is not complicated, but it requires very good ingredients and patience,” Wright said.
This sentiment trickles down to the finest details at the Italian Food Company, and with regional pastas from Sicily, Rome and other parts of Italy, customers will literally enjoy “a slice of Italy” after walking through the doors.
The two-story building in Islamorada is decked out with wooden trattoria chairs with raffia seat coverings. The hand-painted tables are custom-built from lava imported from Sicily. And while the servers may not speak Italian, they know their Italian food.
“We recruited tenured servers from South Florida that formerly worked at top Italian restaurants. They are trained to serve the same way that they do in Italy,” she said.
A full bar includes imported Italian selections, featuring aperitivos like Aperol, Campari, Limoncello and Negroni, along with select local favorites.
In addition to wood-fired pizza, the menu includes such offerings as the Tuscan burger, seafood risotto, veal chops, pasta dishes and a menu of appetizers.
Italian Food Company’s Islamorada location also features a market, where customers can take home gourmet ingredients so that they can try their hand at cooking Italian cuisine for themselves.
Additionally, the online marketplace on their website sells Italian imports such as food bundles, pantry items and hand-crafted lava tables.
Wright said that their grand opening in Islamorada on Tuesday, July 26, was a cumulation of several months of hard work and that it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the Upper Keys community.
“We had a lot of repeat customers and friends say that they were excited we were going to open up a second location. When we saw their enthusiasm, we were confident that another location would be feasible. It’s an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime,” Wright said.
She discussed further the importance of local support.
“From the moment we started plans, everyone in the community has been so helpful and supportive. We’re just grateful that we were able to do this within six months. It wouldn’t have happened without the support of many people from behind the scenes that live and work in Islamorada.
For more information, visit italianfoodcompany.com or their Instagram, @ItalianFoodCompany.
Dining and Cooking