At 65, Ricky Doody, founder of NCR Ventures, has shifted his focus from big restaurant chains to more intimate, high-quality dining experiences. NCR, standing for Next Cool Restaurants, was co-founded by Doody and his brother Chris, who previously created the Bravo! Cucina Italiana and Brio Tuscan Grille chains. After selling these in 2018, Doody now prefers to manage a smaller number of restaurants, aiming for around 10, with Bar Italia being the only one expanding to multiple locations, including new openings in Ohio and Florida.

Bar Italia is set to open in the Center Point plaza in Lakewood Ranch on July 13, aiming to provide a fresh dining option in an area lacking diverse choices. Tony Cox, Director of Training and Development, highlights the high-quality, made-from-scratch food, including in-house pasta, pizza dough, and sauces, with bread baked by Breadsmith of Bradenton. The menu features classic Italian dishes such as chicken parmesan and veal marsala, and Cox recommends the limoncello margarita.

Cook James Prosso praises the pepperoni pizza, which combines sweet and spicy flavors with honey, Calabrian pepper oil, parsley, and parmesan cheese. The focus is on authentic Italian dishes, with Doody and his wife Wendy Berry Doody traveling to Italy multiple times a year for inspiration. The light and flaky pizza dough and flavorful yet subtle marinara sauce are highlights of Bar Italia’s menu.

Bar Italia will start with happy hour and dinner service, gradually introducing lunch service to ensure smooth operations.