8 Best Restaurants in Capri, Italy: Casual to Classics

For over thirty years, my in-laws have spent a month on the gorgeous island of Capri, Italy. Over time they have gotten to know the shopkeepers, hoteliers, and restauranteurs, and many have become close personal friends. Clearly, over that stretch of time, they’ve also scoped out the best restaurants in Capri.

In the past 10 years, we have also joined them many times for a few days in Capri, before or after heading off to Rome, Positano, Ravello, or Orvieto. We tend to go back again and again to our old favorites, but on each trip, we have also managed to try something new to put together this guide of where to eat in Capri.

Best Restaurants in Capri

Since we always stay in Capri, I don’t have any recommendations for Anacapri — maybe that will be a mission for our next trip!

Villa Verde

You can’t spend time in Capri without at least one meal at Villa Verde in Capri Town. As you walk in you’ll notice the wall of celebrity pictures (see if you can find the non-celebrity photos of Ellen and Arnold Gruber). One of the nights we ate at Villa Verde, Magic Johnson was also eating there with his wife. Magic is a fan of Capri and you’ll see his megayacht anchored in the harbor frequently. Earlier in the week we saw him walking through town with Samuel L. Jackson.

When you go to Villa Verde, you’ll want to sit in the expansive garden. The dedicated staff has worked here for years so you are ensured top-notch service, service that sometimes goes back generations. Everything here is fresh and “from their garden” but there are a few specialties you’ll want to try. First, the fried stuffed zucchini flowers are some of the best that I’ve ever had.

Another dish that you just have to order at Villa Verde is pasta e fagioli. It is more like a pasta dish than a soup, and it is absolutely delicious. But you don’t order it just for the taste, you’ll also enjoy the theatrical presentation — but I don’t want to ruin the surprise but the song will stick in your head whenever you hear the words pasta e fagioli.

I was also completely blown away by the Veal Milanese. I usually don’t order veal but when I had a bite of my in-laws, I just couldn’t stop stealing from their plates. It is so incredibly tender with crisp breading on the outside. For dessert, try the wild strawberry tart. You will see these tiny wild strawberries throughout Capri and if you like strawberries, you should get them…every…single…time.

Villa Verde is located at Via Sella Orta, 6, Capri

Terrazza Brunella

Terrazza Brunella at Hotel Villa Brunella offers one of the most spectacular views in Capri, and one of the most delicious meals. I’ve been here for lunch a few times and it is easily one of my favorite restaurants in Capri. It is also a perfect place for dinner with a gorgeous sunset view over Marina Piccola.

All of the pasta dishes are amazing, as is the lemon risotto, but my favorite is the Scialatiello Aumm Aumm pasta with eggplant, cherry tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella.

Terrazza Brunella / L’Agave is located at Via Tragara, 24, not far from the Faraglioni Rocks viewpoint. 

Da Paolino Lemon Trees

It is a bit of a hike to get down to Da Paolino from Capri Town, but it is worth the price of the cab. You will be seated in a lemon grove lit with twinkling lights and the sound of trickling water fountains in the background. Watch out for those lemons because they are as big as a grapefruit so you wouldn’t want one falling on your head.

As you can imagine, everything is here lemon themed. From lemon pasta to salt-crusted branzino with lemon, to grilled mozzarella in lemon leaves — and everything is delicious.

You’ll start off with an abundant buffet of antipasti with grilled vegetables, seafood, cheese, olives, and more than you could eat for your entire dinner. I fell in love with the zucchini alla scapece — lightly sautéed zucchini finished with vinegar and mint. It was so good that I had to recreate it with some fresh zucchini from my garden last summer.

As generous as the portions are, you’ll want to save room for dessert. The dessert buffet is set in its own climate-controlled room. Just imagine, a room full of desserts! And of course, Paolino won’t let you leave without a sample of their very own limoncello.

Da Paolino Capri is located at Via Palazzo a Mare, 11, Phone +39 081 8376102

Ristorante Faraglioni

Named after the famous Faraglioni rocks, Ai Faraglioni has been a favorite of my in-laws for many years. Instead of being stuck inside, at Faraglioni, you can eat outside at a table lining the popular Via Camerelle, tucked away in your private little booth while doing some people-watching of the tourists walking by.

They are well-known for their lemon risotto and their seafood, including urchin and crab. Any of their salt-encrusted fish are delicious, especially the branzino. My father-in-law is a fan of the chef’s egg specialty.

Ristorante Faraglioni is located at Via Camerelle, 75, Tel. +39 081 8370320

Aurora

Aurora is a bit tucked away, with sidewalk tables along a pedestrian walkway, but it is worth going even if it doesn’t have a view. The restaurant is popular with celebrities and has a claim to fame of being the oldest restaurant in Capri.

They feature everything from light grilled pizzas to local specialties such as grilled cheese (no, not the sandwich!) We had a lovely lunch here and I couldn’t stop eating my risotto with shrimp.

Aurora is located at Via Fuorlovado, 18, 80073 Capri NA, Italy

Buonocore Gelateria

If you are walking through town during the day, you’ll inevitably smell the mouth-watering aroma of freshly baked waffle cones at Buonocore. As you can imagine, the thing to get here is gelato — in a cone. It may be messy to eat, but it is delicious.

Buonocore Gelateria is located at Via Vittorio Emanuele 35, Capri

Lemon Granita stand

If you take a walk up Via Tragara to the Faraglioni rock viewpoint (also see my tips for hiking to the Natural Arch in Capri), you’ll probably hear singing from up ahead. The joyous song is coming from the small lemon granita stand close to the path down to the beach.

You’ll want to stop and sample the icy cold lemon granita, which is so refreshing on a hot day and the service couldn’t be more pleasant.

Bonus: La Scalinatella

The reason this is a bonus, even though I think it may just have the best food on the island, is that the restaurant at La Scalinatella Hotel is only open for lunch and only for guests of the Morgano Hotels — La Scalinatella, Casa Morgano, and Grand Hotel Quisisana.

If you are lucky enough to be staying at one of those hotels, you must go. My in-laws have stayed at the Scalinatella for years and we have stayed there and also next door at Casa Morgano (Scalinatella is strictly adults-only but Casa Morgano accepts kids.)

Lunch here is not going to be a quick affair, but you are in for a treat so relax and settle in for the ride. There is no fixed menu and the waiter will list the dishes of the day for you to choose from. I recommend starting off with one of their amazing peach bellinis and snacking on their light and crispy zucchini fritti while you wait.

The pasta is delicious but you really want to sample their fresh seafood. Everything is fresh from the sea and offered in abundance. I’ve had a crab the size of my head and the spaghetti vongole has enough small, delicate clams to feed an army.

Hotel La Scalinatella is located at Via Tragara, 8, Tel. +39 081 8370633

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You may also be interested in these articles:

• Plan a day trip to Ravello
• How to Hike to the Natural Arch in Capri
• Where to Shop in Capri
• Where to Shop in Positano

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