Located at Hotel Hendricks on 25 West 38th Street, in the vicinity of the Theatre District, Isla & Co. offers an authentic Australian-style brasserie experience in a chic and modern environment. The place is just a stone’s throw away from Times Square, Grand Central Station, Bryant Park, and Herald Square.
Owing to its easily accessible location combined with its ‘coffee and brunch cafe by the day’ and ‘cocktail-driven dinner destination by the night’ approach, Isla & Co. became one of the most talked about restaurants in Midtown Manhattan in no time since it opened its doors for the public.
Food and Menu
Though the cooking style is predominantly Australian, the menu, which has been finely curated by Executive Chef Matt Foley, also has European and South East Asian influences. The focus is on serving fresh, seasonal, locally sourced, wholesome, high-quality preparations in a range of distinct flavors.
Isla & Co.’s dinner menu comprises delicacies like spicy green Thai curry, charred octopus, steamed clams, Isla burger with a side of fries or salad, braised short ribs, and pork sausage rolls. On the brunch menu, you can find avocado toast, Isla benedicts, oysters served with bloody mary mignonette, and a hearty selection of salads, burgers, and sandwiches.
It’s highly recommended to start your meal by trying their fabulous cocktail collection, hand-picked by supremely talented Mixologist, Tristan Brunel. During the day, they serve a variety of tea and coffee options, including matcha, chai latte, and ginger ale.
For desserts, you can choose between sticky date pudding or Aussie vanilla slice, a vanilla custard served with puff pastry and blackberries. If you are looking for something sweet on their brunch menu, you can order summer yogurt, Brioche French toast, or griddled banana bread.
Ambiance and Decor
The ambiance is classy but with a boho twist. The whole space can be divided into two main sections – the indoor dining area and the outdoor shaded garden lounge. The indoor room can comfortably accommodate up to 50 people, while the garden lounge can manage just about 30.
Combining the woodwork with cream-colored summer sofas has created a simple but elegant aesthetic. Plenty of indoor plants give the place a fresh and lively vibe. And the lighting makes the space very romantic, especially during the night. The music was on point – both in terms of selection and volume.
What Else?
Another important thing worth mentioning is that Isla & Co. is also available at several other locations. Williamsburg in Brooklyn and Fairfield in Connecticut are now open, and West Palm Beach, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia are soon to be inaugurated. They also have plans to take Isla & Co. to South Beach, Florida, and Dallas, Texas. While the West Palm Beach and the Atlanta outlet will open sometime this year, South Beach and Dallas people will have to wait a little longer.
