FOOD | TASTINGS
Local and Company Food+Drink text by ANNA THORNTON • photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU
L
ocal residents are the focus of this exquisite addition to the Foley restaurant scene. In a town where beach-going tourists usually receive most of the attention, partners Sylvia Smith and Ephraim Kadish decided it was time to turn the tables. Smith and Kadish set out with a vision to provide premium dining in an area with limited dining choices. They searched for two years for the right location when a dilapidated armoryturned-antique-mall captured their interest. Within minutes of stepping into the historic building, they knew this was the spot they had been searching for. After a year of intense renovations to the 87-year-old armory, Smith and Kadish opened their doors in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. Despite weathering a hurricane shortly after opening, the resilient duo kept moving forward, and today they are turning out high-quality food in an upscale-casual setting. While the armory has been given a dazzling new interior, it was important to the owners to preserve aspects of the building’s
history, including industrial steel beams, exposed rafters and an original brick arch. The venue features two dining rooms, a stunning bar, an open kitchen area and a cozy lounge — all designed to foster community. Smith and Kadish believe that quality is in the details. That’s why they personally oversee every aspect of their business, from the demolition and design to ingredient selection and staff training. Smith describes their approach to the dining experience, explaining, “The reason we didn’t want to be a restaurant that’s driven by tourism is because we wanted to cook really, really good food. In my mind, you can’t teach people to cook like we cook if you lay them off at the end of a busy season.” While you can always count on a friendly greeting from the staff, Local and Company keeps things zesty with a menu that shifts with the growing season. So, call up your company, friends, family, that new neighbor you’ve been meaning to talk to — the more the merrier — and drive on over to this Eastern Shore hot spot for superb food and even better fellowship. MB
Local and Company • 812 N McKenzie St., Foley • 201-1000 localandcompanyrestaurant.com • 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. M - Th; 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. F - Sa; closed Su 16 mobilebaymag.com | july 2021
