While the idea of a Japanese Italian restaurant immediately makes you think of fusion cuisine—curry spaghetti?—the menu is actually very traditional. You’ll taste margherita pizza, rosemary grilled chicken, spaghetti with garlic and pepper exactly as it’s served on the streets of Sicily, down to the al dente noodles and liberal use of herbs.

The restaurant is known worldwide for its generous servings, quality ingredients, classy-but-comfortable atmosphere, and authentic Sicilian cuisine. The dishes are meant to be shared. Everything is cooked fresh, before your eyes, in the open kitchen. That’s the kind of quality that has made Capricciosa famous for nearly 30 years.

Capricciosa’s founder, Masaaki Honda, studied in Italy for several years before opening the first branch in 1977 at Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. He chose the name Capricciosa—Italian for "spontaneity"—to capture the atmosphere of fun, casual gatherings where everyone enjoys deliciously satisfying food while having a great time. This started a trend in Japan of Italian food with affordable prices and friendly service.

In the 1980s, Honda sold the franchise rights to WDI Corporation, which helped bring it to several countries around the world.

Capricciosa carries all the other traditional Italian favorites. "We brought in many of the bestsellers from other Capricciosa branches," says operations manager Will Tan. This includes appetizers like escargot and Rice Croquette; Capricciosa Pizza and Calzone; Lasagna "Capricciosa Style;" and their famous Homemade Pumpkin Pie.

Though Capricciosa’s name means "spontaneity," this does not mean it’s sloppy. Leave the preconceptions of a family restaurant at the door. While the interiors are comfy enough for a Sunday lunch with the kids, the classy modern interiors are still classy enough for a date or a meeting with clients.