The backstory Co-owner Will Clark says that the name Capri comes from merging Capo and Prima, the other spots he owns with business partner Eric Aulenback; both are Italian restaurants. As for Capri, says Clark, “You can hear the name and make a safe assumption that it will [serve] Italian.” The restaurant has a massive, stylish patio and bar that holds 200 (reservations open every morning, ruled by the day’s weather report). Indoors, two floors hold a couple hundred more. One dining room, called the Garden Room, is on the ground floor; the top floor is more lounge with a 30-seat bar.
Advertisement
What to eat Look around and you’ll see Honey Buns with house ricotta at a lot of tables. Focaccia with olives and roasted tomatoes has fine flavors but needs a few more minutes in the oven. Crunchy Caesar with toasty breadcrumbs will feed the whole family (though the menu doesn’t tell you, you can order a half portion). Beef strip loin comes two ways: a boneless 14-ounce cut or an aged bone-in 19-ounce steak. Cioppino, the Italian American seafood classic, is a bowl of delicious, dense broth with clams, shrimp, lobster, and a big piece of local white fish. Plates of pastas, including rigatoni alla vodka, are shared by diners at other tables. Also on the menu are popular classics such as chicken Parm, veal Milanese, tuna tartare, and arancini (fried rice balls).
Advertisement
What to drink The wine list is reasonably varied with wines by the glass from France, Italy, and California that aim to be food friendly and recognizable. You can delve into a more extensive bottle list and if you’re in a party mood, look at the Italian magnums. On the cocktail menu, a Martini is mixed with espresso, a Gimlet with red bell pepper, a Gibson with mignonette (the vinegar-shallot sauce that often comes with oysters).
The takeaway With its plush upholstered chairs and old-fashioned hanging lamps, the dining room feels cozy while the patio, on a clear night, draws you to a comfortable seat. Wherever you turn, the place is packed: date nights; girls’ night out, everyone huddled around one of the fire pits; neighbors who have walked over. It’s a very fashionable crowd. Reservations are hard to come by, but there are tables saved for walk-ins. Service can be jumpy. Our first courses, maybe made way before we arrived, came to the table before our drinks. The whole flow was off but the waiter was so charming and working so hard, all was forgiven. 500 Harrison Ave., South End, Boston, 617-752-0500, www.capriboston.com. Crudo, antipasti, charcuterie, insalada $12-$26; pastas, entrees $24-$105; sides $12-$16. (Free parking in the SoWa lot adjacent to the restaurant.)