Capo

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Piece of California Dining History

Capo has been a fixture of Santa Monica's fine dining scene since 1998, occupying a striking red-gabled building on Ocean Avenue that dates to 1928 — originally an automobile club, now one of the most distinctive dining rooms on the Westside. The restoration preserved the bones of the original architecture: high-beamed ceilings, flickering candles, and a bright corner fireplace that anchors the room with warmth. The covered, heated patio extends the experience outdoors, steps from the beach.

The name itself is telling. Capo is short for capocuocco — Italian for "chef" — and the philosophy behind the menu reflects that etymology: simplicity, quality, and technique rooted in Italian tradition.

Chef/Owner Bruce Marder and Executive Chef Rene Morales

The restaurant is the work of Bruce Marder, a restaurateur since 1972 with more than thirteen openings behind him. His earlier West Beach Café helped define California cuisine in Venice through the 1970s and '80s; his Rebecca's Restaurant became internationally published for its art-forward architecture. Capo represents his move into fine dining proper, and the Los Angeles Times Magazine has described it plainly: "Overall, Capo has got everything right: the ambiance, the service, the wine list. Everything." Executive Chef Rene Morales leads the kitchen day to day.

Handmade Pasta, Fresh Seafood, and Wood-Fired Meats

The Italian menu at Capo centers on three pillars: homemade pasta made with market-fresh and imported ingredients, fresh seafood, and meats grilled over a wood-fired fireplace. The approach is one of restraint — letting premium seasonal ingredients speak through technique rather than complexity. Wood-fired steaks bring a bold, elemental quality that sits comfortably alongside the more delicate pasta and seafood preparations, making Capo equally at home as an Italian restaurant and a serious steakhouse.

A Wine Cellar Among the World's Best

The wine program is what places Capo in a category of its own. With over 2,500 selections and approximately 24,000 bottles assembled over decades, the cellar draws from Italy, California, and the world's classic wine-producing regions. Wine Spectator awarded Capo its Grand Award — the highest honor in restaurant wine service — for eleven consecutive years beginning in 2015, placing it among only 97 restaurants worldwide to hold that distinction. As Wine Spectator's Harvey Steiman wrote: "Capo's wine list is a stunning achievement, painstakingly built over nearly two decades."

Art on Every Wall

Dining at Capo also means sharing space with works by Pablo Picasso, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, and Peter Ladato, among others. The collection gives the room an eclectic, gallery-like energy that balances the rustic warmth of the architecture — a combination that has made Capo one of the more visually memorable restaurants in Los Angeles.