The Capri is more than a restaurant. It is part of Fremantle's history.
The Beginning
In the 1950s, Fremantle was a bustling port with a thriving migrant community. Italian shops lined the streets. Boarding houses on Essex Lane gave new European migrants a bed while they waited for their families to join them in Australia.
One of those boarding houses had a restaurant attached. It fronted onto South Terrace. That restaurant was the Capri.
In 1954, Oddone Pizzale – Old Nonno – bought into the Capri. He ran it with his wife Genuina. She cooked. He welcomed guests. Together they built something that would outlast them.
The Second Generation
In 1966, their son Corrado and his wife Maria took over. Maria expertly steered the front of house. Corrado commanded the kitchen. Together they guided the family business through decades of change.
Fremantle transformed around them. The port modernised. The cappuccino strip arrived. Restaurants opened and closed. The Capri stayed.
Today
Corrado and Maria's children are at the helm now. They run the business with the same hands-on approach their grandparents taught them. The fourth generation is already part of the family trade.
The famous complimentary Capri soup and crusty bread is still served to every table. It is one of Fremantle's most treasured rituals, born in the early days when the Capri was a boarding house feeding hungry migrants.
The menu has evolved, but many of the original favourites from the 1950s are still there. Chicken and spaghetti. Scallopini. Cutlet. The most tender fried squid in Fremantle.
"Hospitality legend and Fremantle's living treasure, Maria Pizzale is still in the background, providing guidance and help as our family of customers continues to grow with us."
The Capri is home to the Pizzale family. It is also home to every customer who walks through the door. That has not changed since 1954.