Looking back on his childhood and his Italian roots, some of Andrew Venezie's favorite memories revolved around family dinners his grandmother made; he assisted her and crimped the edges of ravioli or rolled gnocchi. It is part of what inspired him to take over ownership of Ilario’s Italian Cuisine and Catering in January 2022 when the former owner, Stephen Swindell, sold it.
He also spent a considerable amount of time working in the service industry bussing to bartending during high school, learning the skills of the trade, which lent themselves to the transition of ownership.
When Swindell opened the restaurant in 2011, it just sold pizza, Venezie said. It swiftly turned into a sit-down restaurant with a full Italian menu and has largely remained the same since Venezie took over.
“Most of the menu, I'd say anywhere from 90-95%, is still the same. I didn't want to change too much because the reputation within Kyle and the surrounding areas was already good,” Venezie said.
