Much of our menu sits on the shoulders of the restaurant’s original owner and Milan native, Enzo Danesi, steeped in classic French and Northern Italian traditions, which he brought to Barsanti's restaurant in Boston and later to Le Bocage in Cambridge, before opening Il Capriccio in 1981 with his chef and partner Maurie Fox-Warren. Chef Richie Barron, who started at Il Capriccio on day-one, and whose skill on the grill and artistry helped define the restaurant's style, became a partner seven years later.
Richie Barron’s influence was New England’s rising ‘Modern American’ movement, with its emphasis on using only the freshest, local ingredients. With Richie at the helm for three decades, Il Capriccio’s menu won many awards, sourcing its daily catch of seasonal fish from the New England coast, local vegetables from neighboring towns, and the finest meats from farms in Vermont.
Following Richie's retirement and the restaurant's post-Covid reopening at 704 Main Street in May 2021, Executive Chef Nathan Allen joined the team, headed by long-time Chef de Cuisine Pastor Avelar, with Alfonso Savedra, Bernardo Cruz, and other great cooks on the line. Nate and Pastor have built on Il Capriccio's rich, culinary heritage, to serve their twist on consistently fabulous Northern Italian dishes.