Kosher in Capri, Italy: Terrazza Tiberio [Guest Review]

As we began planning our trip to the Amalfi coast, our travel agent told us that there was a Kosher restaurant housed in a lovely hotel in Capri just a short walk from where we would be staying. Thrilled, curious, and amazed we requested she please book our Shabbat meals there. Because my husband is not one to leave anything to chance, before we left New York City he confirmed that, in fact, the Kashruth standards at this restaurant were in accordance with those of the Orthodox Union (OU).

In fact, we were told that in addition to the full time mashgiach on premises, someone from the OU visits twice a month to check on everything. Again, not to leave anything to chance, we visited the restaurant Thursday night to assure ourselves that Shabbat meals were going to be freshly prepared and not airline dinners.

We walked into the beautiful Capri Tiberio Palace and were immediately greeted by the maître d’. He gave us a tour and took an imprint of our credit card so that our Shabbat meals would be charged automatically. He told us that if we had not come in in advance, he would have sent a request for our card to our hotel on Shabbat, so it’s a good thing we came in.

On Friday night, we entered the Terrazza Tiberio. The tables were set with linen, two challahs covered with a linen cloth, and an attractive container of salt placed next to it. There was a Kiddush cup on each table as well. We chose from a list of kosher Italian and Israeli wines and then a female mashgiach/sommeliere opened the wine and poured it for us. A lovely washing station was set up in front of the restaurant and dinner began. Before we even looked at the menu, we were served many different hors d’oeuvres. We enjoyed eggplant in tomato sauce, kibbeh, fritto misto, olives, and more. Both the dinner and lunch menus offered something for everyone—carnivore or vegetarian! Dinner appetizers included:

• Penne with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil
• Pasta with Meat Sauce
• Pasta with cherry tomatoes and amberjack (fish)

Main courses:

• Chicken Cacciatore
• Beef Stew
• Codfish Puttanesc

Desserts:

• Baba Rhum
• Caprese Cake
• Strawberry Semifreddo

Lunch appetizers:

• Rice Salad with tuna, olives, and capers
• Potato, Beans, Tomato and Basil Salad
• Seasonal Salad

Lunch Entrees:

• Amberjack with tomatoes, capers and olives
• Meatballs with Peppers
• Codfish in Olive Oil

The desserts at lunch were the same as those at dinner. All the food was fresh, beautifully prepared and attractively served in oversized bowls. Each meal was 65 Euro per person exclusive of wine.

Kosher traveling is not a bargain activity these days! I must add that Francesca Tozzi, the General Manager of the Capri Tiberio, made a point of greeting each table of diners. She was warm and welcoming and anxious for this Kosher enterprise to succeed. If it does, then there is hope that they will be able to establish a dairy Kosher experience as well, with thoughts of Passover dining well into the future.In the meantime, I cannot recommend this restaurant more! It is a boon to Kosher travelers and non-Kosher travelers alike! Buon appetito! ~Gloria Kobrin

More information on Terrazza Tiberio: Chef Francesco De Simone leads the Terrazza Tiberio kitchen team, together with Stefano Cerrotta, the Pastry Chef. Terrazza Tiberio restaurant has seating for 80 people distributed between the inside lounge and a splendid outdoor terrace overlooking the Southern part of the island, enabling one to dine in a contemporary-chic atmosphere, with a clear local identity. As of spring 2013, Terrazza Tiberio restaurant is the only Kosher one in Capri and Southern Italy, offering an “à la carte” menu with a range of kosher dishes certified by the Orthodox Union for practicing Jewish clients.

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About the Author: Gloria Kobrin, mother of two and grandmother of two, has been cooking her whole life for groups ranging from 4 to 100 people. Gloria specializes in creating delicious gourmet Kosher food that is approachable to the home cook. Author of the Kosher Cookbook App for iPhone,  iPad, and iPod Touch, Gloria shares her recipes and cooking tips on her Kosher Cookbook page on Facebook, her blog at: www.koshercookbook.blogspot.com and on Twitter: @Koshercookbook.