Eat Here: Mr Capri, New YorkBy Angelica Malin
Looking for a new spot in the West Village? Look no further than Mr Capri; an upscale Italian restaurant nestled in the heart of the West Village, which takes inspiration from regional Italian cuisine and the owner’s mothers kitchen to create delicious food. Here’s what you need to know:
Mr Capri: Why Go
If you haven’t already seen it splashed all over your Instagram feed, Mr Capri is the trendiest new opening in the West Village.
Inspired by the idyllic island of Capri, Mr. Capri brings the flavours of the surrounding coasts to New York’s most desirable area. The restaurant itself is a realisation of a lifelong dream; the 75-seat restaurant is run by Capri-natives Alessandro Passante and his brother Mario Passante, who serves as culinary director. You can tell it’s a family-run place; the restaurant has an intimate, warm feeling, with charming wait staff who really want you to have the best experience possible at Mr Capri.
Mr Capri is the kind of place you save for something special; perfect for date nights, anniversary, birthdays and celebrations. They’ve also recently introduced Italian-inspired brunch, so we imagine it’s going to be quite the hot spot on weekends too.
Mr Capri: What to Eat
There’s tough competition in New York with so many great Italian restaurants, but Mr Capri does things very well. Everything is fresh, innovative and you can taste the quality in the produce. The menu has been cleverly designed to make it easy to share and enjoy dishes together.
There’s a few stand-out starters you must try; the Prosciutto e Burrata Fritta is all over Instagram for a reason. Expect a panko-crusted, pan-fried burrata cheese, wrapped in 24-month aged Parma prosciutto. It’s rich, decadent, salty and creamy all at once – a flavour explosion. The Centocolori Romaine salad with radicchio, avocado, heirloom cherry tomatoes, lemon and olive oil is really very good – light, fresh and zingy. We also tried one of their daily specials – a fresh octopus salad lightly cured with fresh citrus, it was one of my highlights of the evening.
The pasta dishes are really the star of the show here; the pasta is all made in-house and is as good as any in Italy. We went for a selection; the Ziti alla Genovese with slow-cooked onions, beef ragù and pecorino cheese is good, but perhaps not my favourite of the night. Their Linguine Vongole is a classic for a reason, here with three clams, white wine, peperoncino and shaved fennel – the fennel is an interesting addition to a classic vongole but really works here. Finally, the culinary highlight for me is the Caprese Ravioli – a simple homemade ravioli with caciotta cheese, marjoram, tomato sauce and basil, I really can’t fault it.
For dessert, we enjoyed the Meringata – a stracciatella semifreddo with meringue and mixed berries compote. It tasted close to an Eton Mess back in London, and for that reason I really loved it.
Mr Capri: What to Drink
I’m currently on the mocktails, but for a tipple they have an interesting list of Italian-inspired cocktails. The Montesolaro Grappa Riserva with Amaretto di Saronno, orange bitters, and orgeat syrup comes highly recommended by the waiters. There’s also a wine list, with a great selection of Italian red and whites. Finish with a shot of Limoncello for a real Italian experience.
Mr Capri: Our Verdict
I liked Mr Capri a lot; the atmosphere is convivial and romantic, the food is great and the vibe is distinctly West Village. The perfect restaurant for a special occasion in 2023.