'Local’s Choice' Tips From Isis and Tony Wright
When Isis and Tony Wright moved to the Florida Keys 10 years ago, a career in the restaurant industry was the farthest thing from their minds — but in 2020, they found themselves moving in that previously unconsidered direction. The birth of their restaurant, Italian Food Company, was made possible through serendipity and little miracles.
Tony was born in Italy to a Sicilian mother and American father and was raised there for 22 years. Isis married into Tony’s Italian family and was immediately drawn to the culture and its people. It was their longing for classic Italian fare that led the couple to create and launch the Italian Food Company in Key Largo.
The restaurant concept began with a handful of recipes passed down from Tony’s mother before the Wrights convinced a Neapolitan pizza chef to join them in the new venture. The rest, as they say, “is history.” Italian Food Company soon expanded into three locations —each with its own personality and variations in the menu.
Isis and Tony have created a family-like atmosphere that gives their employees the opportunity for growth, while also delivering a dining experience that stands apart from others in the Keys. It’s the reason that families return time and time again.
The couple has recently opened a new restaurant called Lido 73. The oceanfront dining spot honors the legacy of its building’s original owners, Tom and Pam Timmerman, while featuring an atmosphere that transports diners to an Italian beach club. “Lido” is the Italian term for a beach club — a summer gathering place for families, friends and tourists. That’s exactly what the Wrights hope their new venture will become: a gathering place where Italy meets the Florida Keys.
Their motto: “Excellence is a habit. Everything we do has our signature on it. It reflects who we are. As Mother Teresa advised, doing the small things with great love … all of it combines to a habit of consistent excellence.”
Where they dine (other than their restaurants, of course!): At home with their daughters and family. Also, at the Upper Keys’ High Tide for breakfast; Num Thai for sushi and dumplings and soup; and Chef Michaels and Shima for special evenings.
Where they explore: Anywhere that takes them past Islamorada and has the ocean on either side of US Highway 1, enjoying the magic of a 100-mile stretch of islands that reminds them a bit of Venice.
How they relax: Floating … on their canal on a water trampoline, on the ocean next to Rodriguez Key, on the sandbar — anywhere it’s possible to feel the water and float.
Tony and Isis Wright bring the essence of the Italian beach club experience to the Upper Keys with the new Lido 73.
The couple's goal with the new Lido 73 is to transport diners to a traditional Italian beach club, like the one they enjoy during summer visits to Italy.