Capri Italian Restaurant offers scratch-made pasta, unique dining option inside ‘Italian Ice Caves’

INDIANAPOLIS — There’s something special about Italian food that brings people together. For over half a century, Capri has been one of Indy’s favorite Italian restaurants.

It was first established in 1951, then moved to its current location– tucked away at 2602 Ruth Drive just off Keystone Avenue — in the 1970’s.

Whether you’re looking to take advantage of the last few days of Devour Indy, planning a romantic Valentine’s Day date or you have always wanted to dine in one of those cool ice caves, then look no further.

We’re saying “Buon Appetito” on this tasty trip In Your Neighborhood.                   

“It’s just a place where people have come for generations. People have brought their kids here. Now their kids are bringing their kids here,” said General Manager Aaron Medenwald.

For decades, Capri Italian Restaurant has been a local staple thanks to its house-made pastas, made from scratch each day.

The menu offers everything from traditional Spaghetti Bolognese to ravioli and their popular Tortelloni alla Pappalina.

“You have pancetta, mushrooms, onions[and] it’s in a cream sauce. It’s house-made pasta with ricotta filling,” he explained. “That was always one of my favorites and some of my friends… they don’t want to order anything else.”

There’s also plenty of meat and seafood options like Veal Scaloppina, filet of beef and mussels.

 “[Mussels] are one of our featured appetizers right now,” said Medenwald. “It’s pretty traditional… pancetta, tomato, chicken broth. Mussels is one of those dishes I could eat all the time.”

But in true Italian style, you must start off with an antipasti like Caprese salad, Burrata salad or the Insalata Azzurra.

“It’s mixed greens and cold smoked salmon with onions, capers, parmesan cheese and a little bit of balsamic as well,” he noted.

Speaking of lighter fare, one of the most popular items on the menu is the stuffed bell pepper.

“It’s not a traditional stuffed pepper,” Medenwald said. “It’s a roasted red bell pepper, but it’s stuffed with a mixture of chicken and cheese, pine nuts and white raisins.”

Guests can pair their meal with wine from their expansive wine list.

“[The list] goes anywhere from traditional Italian to Napa, New World. We have some Old World options and French options as well,” he said. “We rotate them.. we keep them very unique. Stuff that you’re typically not going to find at most restaurants.”

They have a vast selection of bourbon and spirits (including some of their own single barrel picks) as well for those looking to enjoy a cocktail in one of the most in demand seats inside the restaurant— right in front of the fireplace.

“Everyone wants to sit at this table. But obviously with the fireplace and the nice leather chairs it’s a fantastic setting,” Medenwald pointed out.

Though you will need to plan ahead to snag the most Instagram-worthy seats in the house.

“The Italian ice caves are what we call them. They seat up to 6 [and] have heaters in them and lights,” he explained. “They’ve been a massive hit.”

“We book them in 2-hour time slots… we have 9 seatings in the evening. There is a food and beverage minimum on them but I like to tell people that we have them available for lunch as well without any minimum,” Medenwald added.

No matter where you sit, don’t forget to look around. Because you never know which of their high-profile regulars you might see.

“One of my personal favorites was Andrew Luck because he’s a lot like myself when it comes to being interested in food and beverage.” he said. “It’s one of his loves. But just as humble as can be.”

Four Things You Need to Know About Capri Italian Restaurant:

• Capri was first established in 1951 and had long been a beloved staple in the Indianapolis food scene. In the 1970’s the restaurant moved to their current location at 2602 Ruth Drive (off Keystone Avenue, just south of River Road.)
• They are best known for their house-made pastas, made from scratch each day. Some of their most popular menu items include their stuffed peppers, Insalata Azzurra, Caprese Salad, Spaghetti Bolognese and Tortelloni alla Pappalina. They also offer a variety of meat and seafood options.
• Not only is Capri a great option for date night or Valentine’s Day (which is less than two weeks away), but they also offer two private dining rooms for events, receptions and even business meetings and presentations. In non-COVID times, they were able to accommodate parties of 200-300.  “For now, we are doing the smaller events,” said General Manager Aaron Medenwald. “We’re limited at 25 people max… or general seating 6 people max. We can do events up to 50 if it’s approved by the board of health.”
• One thing people often don’t know is that Capri is also open for lunch from 11AM-2PM Monday-Friday. So, if you love a good deal, it’s worth checking out! “Our menu is basically the same sized portions at about half the price,” said Medenwald. “It’s great place to have a work meeting, meet up with friends and have a bottle of wine and forget about the rest of the day.”

For hours and other information about Capri Italian Restaurant, check out their website by clicking here. To see more photos and reviews by local Yelpers, check out their Yelp profile. You can also connect with them on social media via Facebook and Instagram.

While on the north side of Keystone, check out these other popular local hot-spots: