An Italian restaurant hopes to breathe new life into a space that formerly housed an iconic Ocala restaurant for over 50 years.
Franco’s Italian Restaurant is currently under construction at 1801 E Silver Springs Boulevard in the Ocala Center shopping plaza.
Owned by Franco Esposito, the new restaurant will serve “authentic Italian” cuisine when it opens at the beginning of August. The restaurant will not offer liquor, but will serve beer and wine.
Franco’s will replace Lorito’s Italian Kitchen, which was sold in 2019 and closed its restaurant last summer after 53 years in operation.
In recent weeks, the restaurant has reported that the iconic wine bottle-shaped sign that sits adjacent to East Silver Springs Boulevard must be removed because it is too close to the roadway, according to city ordinance.
Esposito is hoping the owner of the property will preserve the sign and pass it along to the Lorito family, according to a statement issued by the business.
Franco’s Italian Restaurant will join multiple other restaurants that have broken into the east Ocala restaurant scene over the past year:
- Starbucks opened a new location along East Silver Springs Boulevard in mid-May.
- Cajun Jimmy’s Seafood Seller and Cafe is currently building out a New Orleans-themed restaurant at the former Blue Highway Pizzeria location on East Silver Springs Boulevard.
- Kwench Juice Cafe opened a new location in the Forty East Shopping Center at the end of last year.
- Sweet and Savory Eats opened up a new restaurant along East Silver Springs Boulevard last August.