Capriccio Ristorante

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Real Italian Food with a Caribbean Touch

Since 1994, Capriccio Ristorante has been the benchmark for Italian cuisine on the Caribbean island of Bonaire. The restaurant sits oceanfront in Kralendijk, and the story behind it is as warm as the trade winds: Lola and Andrea, an Italian couple who fell in love both with each other and with Bonaire on their very first vacation here, returned to the island to build something lasting.

The Chefs Behind the Kitchen

Andrea grew up in Robbiate, just north of Milan, and trained at culinary school in the city before becoming an executive chef at 21. Within a year he earned a Michelin Star — reportedly the youngest chef in Italy to do so at the time. Today he runs the kitchen at Capriccio, preparing each dish personally. Lola, originally from Padova near Venice, brings a different kind of experience: years working for prestigious restaurants in Los Angeles, preceded by a stint at the Italian Consulate as a party planner. Together they have shaped a restaurant that carries the Italian culture they grew up in, transplanted to the tropics with genuine affection.

The Menu

The Italian food at Capriccio is rooted in technique and honest ingredients. Homemade bread and pasta are kitchen staples; the daily fresh-caught fish — grilled and served with sweet potatoes and an Italian-style ratatouille — reflects the island's natural larder. Thin-crust stone-oven pizzas, antipasti to share, classic carpaccio with parmigiano, and a house-made tiramisu round out a menu that is short enough to be deliberate. All dishes are made to order, and the kitchen accommodates gluten-free, vegan, low-sodium and lactose-free needs as far as possible.

A Wine List Worth the Trip Alone

The wine program earned Capriccio a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence — serious recognition for a restaurant on a small Caribbean island. The list runs to more than 1,000 labels, the majority imported directly from Italy, alongside four private-label wines and over 32 grappas, cognacs and brandies. It is the kind of cellar that rewards exploration, whether you arrive knowing exactly what you want or prefer to be guided.

The Setting

Oceanfront, with outdoor seating and the option of a private room for special occasions, Capriccio offers an atmosphere that is relaxed without being casual. Three decades of welcoming both visitors and Bonaire residents have given the place an ease that no amount of design can manufacture — it is simply a restaurant that knows what it is, and does it well.