A dining experience quintessential to the isle of Capri was an encounter my husband and I truly craved for and discovering Da Paolino Lemon Trees Restaurant was as delightful as it was gratifying.
A very short walk from the elegance of J.K. Place Capri was a treasure trove of mature lemon trees cultivated by the Paolino family.
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It started 50 years ago as a private garden where the Paolino’s served food and accommodated close family and friends. Now considered a “must-see” endeavor when visiting the isle, Da Paolino Lemon Trees not only evokes playfulness, it also sets out as a place where family tradition and relationships exists. Year after year, merrymakers in Capri drop by to revel in the lemon grove, savor in the local cuisine, and say hello to the Paolino family.
As I stepped foot in what seems like the most beguiling venue in the isle of Capri, I was mesmerized to be at one of the most picturesque locations I have ever been in my life. How many lemon groves do you think exist in the world and how many of them have a full-fledged dining room like the Paolino Lemon Trees? Surely, not many, and with this my husband and I slowly paraded inside with bright-eyes, inspired and excited to sample the Paolino’s ingenious cooking.
As we sat down at a cozy table with the most perfect view of the entirety of the lemon grove, I couldn’t help but feel fascinated with the kind of undertaking the Paolino family initiated in this very garden 50 years ago. I skimmed through their menu and discovered that almost everything is locally sourced and a lot of ingredients they use are still from their garden. While most of the guests here are on holiday, I learned that Da Paolino Lemon Trees also hold many weddings and other major events in their garden proving to be one of the premiere destinations in Capri time and time again. After a nice and wonderful talk with a member of the Paolino family, the lovely Michela, I was ready to taste the creative and inventive ways they’ve learned to introduce their lemons into their dishes.
“Now considered a “must-see” endeavor when visiting the isle, Da Paolino Lemon Trees not only evokes playfulness, it also sets out as a place where family tradition and relationships exists.”
For the antipasti, Michela recommended that we try the grilled mozzarella between lemon leaves with bruschetta covered in sliced tomatoes that went splendidly together. The lemon leaves were grilled exhibiting a good crunchy texture with superbly soft interior. We also sampled the aubergines parmagiana-style eggplant lasagna topped with lemon leaves. The pasta texture was quite evident and the eggplant flavor was distinctive while the sauces and cheese balanced the dish very well. This was certainly a healthy and fresh tasting dish.
For our primi, we tried a local dish in the form of the ravioli caprese in lemon sauce featuring a light tasting cheese called the cacholla from Sicily. Though the flavor is mild, it was quite heavy, saucy and cheesy. I love cheese so I was unquestionably enjoying myself to the fullest.
My husband and I also had the seafood scialatielli with fresh, homemade pasta. The pasta was thick since it was handmade and doesn’t have an oily texture. The dish has quite a strong and fresh seafood zest.
For the secondi, we started off with a savory grilled lemon chicken with option to squeeze as much lemon as you want. I was surprised by how much lemon juice came out of one slice of lemon, which went tastefully with the grilled chicken. The potatoes were appealingly crispy on the outside and soft inside. The vegetables also proved to be delicious without overpowering the dish. The lemon zest truly blooms well with the chicken. This combination is actually quite vigorously addicting!
One of the memorable moments I had at Da Paolino Lemon Trees was the very first time I chanced upon their impressive selection of desserts inside a private room dedicated just for sweets. They had a wide variety of confections laid out on a buffet that included unlimited gelato with sweet raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. They also have cakes, pies, and many others that I have never seen before.
One to partake before leaving though would certainly be their Limón cello.
If you’ve got to try it once, you might as well try it in the heart of Capri, beneath the most dreamy lemon trees you’ll ever see on a beautiful evening out.
Capri has always had that magical, effervescent effect on people and surely, a night at Da Paolino Lemon Trees will only heighten that extraordinary feeling that you have for the isle.
Stop by Da Paolino Lemon Trees to dine under the sparkling moonlit stars of Capri while devouring the many resourceful ways the Paolino family has learned to infuse the lemons from their captivating garden.
Thanks to Da Paolino Lemon Trees | Via Palazzo a Mare, 11, 80073 Capri NA, Italy | +39 081 837 6102