Our Story

Antonio Grande achieved his dream by opening his first restaurant, the Bel'vedere, in 1976 with his wife, Clara. The couple worked to achieve their primary goal, introducing authentic, gourmet Italian food to Americans outside of the traditional fare of spaghetti and meatballs. The Bel'vedere was so popular, the couple needed a bigger space; behold the inception of Il Capriccio in 1984.

Ambiance is paramount, when you dine at Il Capriccio, you feel right at home. Fresh flowers, gentile romantic lighting, chairs you can sink into and live pianists make for an unforgettable experience.

Antonio Grande (Chef/Owner)

The owner and head chef of Il Capriccio, Tony Grande received his culinary training in his native Italy at the renowned ENALC. From the beginning it was clear that Tony’s passion and creative flair for creating high quality dishes would lead him to be a star. From his start as First Chef at Hotel Europa in Foppolo, Tony became Chef de Partie at La Fenice in Venice, moving on to impress as First Chef in the Hotel Piccolo in Lago de Garda. Tony’s insatiable thirst for knowledge led him to cook internationally before landing on American shores on July 13, 1973.

Opening his first restaurant, Bel'vedere, in Clifton in 1976, Tony wasn’t afraid to experiment by evolving the menu based on his patron’s sophisticated tastes. Bel'vedere became so popular the parking lot could no longer accommodate his customers. On a whim Tony created Il Capriccio, the next level.

Tony's wizardry is evident at Il Capriccio where each day he rises to the challenge of creating dishes he knows to be the best Italian fare around for his clientele’s discerning and sophisticated palates. Even his menus are held to a high standard, all designed on premises and printed on authentic Florentine paper.

Tony may have over 4 decades of experience in the business, but he never wants to stop learning. He participates with GRI (Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani) as well as the Italian group OPRI, and travels to Italy to research menus in order to bring to you, the American public, the best of both his worlds.