In a luxury hotel that embraces the biodiversity of Capri, local hospitality coexists with attention to detail, from the suites to the swimming pools facing the Faraglioni rocks. But the Manfred Group's Punta Tragara also boasts one of the most promising young chefs of Campania's new generation: here's how Antonio Pedana's cuisine has evolved in the year since his debut.
The chef and the gourmet
The question was already in the air as we docked on the crowded shores of Capri at the start of the season: how much can the cuisine of a fine dining hotel with a multilingual clientele evolve in a year? It was a natural question, given that chef Antonio Pedana took over Le Monzù in the spring of 2024, inheriting the management of an entire hotel restaurant at the age of just 30.
The answer came at the top of that natural skyline of rocky walls and green corridors that is Punta Tragara, during a chat in front of the stacks, ready to pause the conversation about the latest dishes on the table to open a decisive human interlude. Antonio is someone who has learned to channel his creativity into a haven of clarity: you taste the spark, but when it arrives, you know it will never spoil the enjoyment. “For me, whatever the format, what really matters is listening to the guest before creating. If we narrow the field of palates, we risk speaking to only a few.”
A recipe in line with La Rossa's tastes, given the restaurant's Michelin star confirmation last November: “Never take anything for granted: every step must be taken with clarity and commitment, trying to stay on top of things even in moments of maximum pressure.” And so the plot thickens, according to the high standards of hospitality and the refresh of 70% of the menu items in 2025, “for a total of four complete courses including freestyle and vegetarian options.” The result is a duet of ecosystems that are close yet distant in their intrinsic complexity: “On paper, there is no degree of separation between fish and land: the alternation allows us to enliven the experience.”
So, at dinner, it almost feels like taking a tour of the island in three hours of culinary excursions (without skimping on unexpected foreign touches); you travel, in fact, from the firepower of rabbit saddle, Colonnata lard, and gomasio to the vertical plunge of Bottoni Capresi made with shellfish essence. All with the subtle touch of a chef who is now one of the most talked-about young faces of Campania's new generation.
The hotel
A brief rewind to frame the set from above: with Punta Tragara, the Manfredi Collections Group has launched an initiative that is diametrically opposed to luxury standardization, combining many small rituals of identity that are far removed from the concept of gratuitous ostentation. The Torta Caprese offered in the rooms to replace XS sweets, the staff who break the ice by dispensing advice on secluded beaches and coastal trips, the wellness area by Fabrizio Narducci, where natural vegan treatments regenerate the skin with advanced biotechnology: here, holiday leisure takes on a relaxed tone, free from tension, with Campania warmth mixed with attention to detail.
We are, after all, just ten minutes from Capri's central square, just after the flower-lined avenue that offers cool shade to those reaching the belvedere adjacent to the hotel. one of the island's most famous views, it was no coincidence that it was chosen in 1920 by Le Corbusier to design the sumptuous residence of Villa Vismara, frequented at the time by illustrious figures such as Churchill and Eisenhower. A Belle Époque that was followed in 1968 by Count Goffredo Manfredi, who consolidated the foundations of an architecture that mimics biodiversity and updates memory. Today, this is the appearance of the 5-star hotel inaugurated in 1973, with a succession of cantilevered elements along the various floors—see the tapestries in the corridors, the poufs on the steps by the pool, and the windows that enhance the light reflections in harmony with the period mirrors.
On the other hand, upon entering the room, art acquires full three-dimensionality to create a cozy, designer sphere. The “Art Suite”, for example, combines wood and stone with a bathtub suspended over the abyss and a catalog of modern works, while the “Certosa Suite” winks at the Certosa di San Giacomo in a “double-faced” mottling of imperial marble and local ceramics. Furthermore, in the “Monacone” you feel like you are sleeping on a yacht, while in the “Pegaso Etro” you are inside a fresco with a plant background that colors the fabrics and walls.
And, as soon as your appetite starts to grow, the same connection with the landscape changes frame to take in The Grill Poolside Restaurant, the latest addition to the complex's gastronomic offering.
The all-day menu by the pool, from pizza to fish
The kitchen has been split in two, along with the team, chef Pedana tells us, so that summer 2025 coincided with the debut of The Grill, a hotbed of express cooking set up on the open space terrace. Lunch is served among the wisteria blossoms, overlooking the bay dotted with seagulls, while dinner is enjoyed under the night sky to the sound of live music or DJ sets. Whatever the moment you choose, the menu focuses on the cornerstones of southern Italian cuisine, including the “H2O ” pizza (a round pizza made with water, which is immediately delicious and easy to digest), the eggplant meatballs with “Chiummenzana” sauce, and the octopus, escarole, pine nuts, olives and capers with a lively dash of paprika oil, lightly brushed over the tender flesh.
The real highlight, however, is the meat (from Wagyu to Tomahawk, including cockerel and Chateaubriand) and locally caught fish with parsley potatoes cooked in a Josper oven, further enhancing the smoky flavor that runs through the various moments of conviviality. On the other hand, Sorrento lemons bring freshness to the midday break, thanks to the use of both juice and zest—on Tagliolini with a voluptuous butter sauce—and less common aromatic parts, such as in the preparation of Fiordilatte wrapped in leaves.
For those who love a grand finale, the trio of Caprese-Babà-Delizia al limone remains a valid option. Then you are truly ready to settle into your suite—but not before consulting the drink list of bar manager Roberto Visone. The essentials? La Dolce Vita, with Vitoria Regia Tropical gin, lemon, peach, and hibiscus, ideal for an energizing post-swim sip, or the remix of oriental influences in Parthenope (Ketel One vodka, sake, lime, yuzu, shiso).
Le Monzù and Antonio Pedana's new dishes
It is precisely at dusk that the initial question returns: how has Le Monzù changed in a year? If the panoramic backdrop keeps its promises, the plot of the dinner reveals several twists in style and content: at its core is an idea that takes off and charts new courses, without ever straying from the margins of the product's expression.
The regatta runs smoothly from the start, with its slot of insightful tastings in Indian style: Bao Bun accompanied by a squid emulsion, Tartelletta, snow pea mousse, Pecorino Romano cheese and peas, and finally Zucchini Sphere alla Scapece, for a totally green cleansing that prepares the taste buds for Pane Sfoglia, pink pepper, lime and Maldon salt; the latter is made lively by the citrus, tempering the buttery texture of the leavened dough as much as possible. The Seppia (squid), already offered in 2024 and slightly revised in its composition, remains on the menu, with the (successful) intention of “marrying” sourness and umami. The mollusc is at the centre, finely cut to reveal its tantalisingly transparent flesh, followed by the tartness of green apple and the pungency of glasswort. The result is a mouthful that climbs a double salty ladder, incorporating the returns of squid ink and powdered seaweed.
Would you ever think of trying a lobster zabaglione (eggnog cream)? You can find it in the dish dedicated to shellfish, where you would expect to find the ingredient in its pure form. “At the opposite extreme, we chose to make a butter that encapsulates the flavor of the lobster itself,” explains Antonio. “This is obtained from the shells, which are dried at 90°C and cleaned of any impurities. Their aromas enrich the fat, allowing us to prepare a savory zabaglione by whipping together butter, eggs, and lobster coral in the traditional way.” There is also a dialogue with the first fruits of the season: the chef gathers carrots from the garden to add crunchiness (“by cooking them in their own juice”) and “the missing acidity” (“in a reduced cream version”). Speaking of acidity, the fish mousse served alongside the claw as a side dish is reminiscent of leche de tigre, but with a distinctly Italian twist: “The citrus is less invasive here than in the Peruvian school, so I add red Tropea onion and lemon instead of lime.” The highlight of the dinner is the Linguina, which overcomes the obstacle of tradition.
“The secret? We cook the red mullet in its own broth and then add the pasta, so that it absorbs the nuances of the bouillabaisse.” In the last two minutes, once cooled, fennel pesto is added, a strategic wild card due to the temperature difference. In addition, sea urchin mayonnaise, natural sea urchins, and more red mullet. It's the thrill of a party boat with sails unfurled, a gamble that pays off by challenging the complexity upstream. More in the ranks are the Bottoni capresi with shellfish and Mazara red shrimp, whose provola cheese core lengthens the finish, pleasantly rivaling the thickness of the crust when chewed. At the same time, the Rombo, caviar, and poached razor clams hits the mark of versatility, thanks to a multiple process aimed at tenderizing the meat.
“After a quick fry, the fish is cooked in oil at a controlled temperature.” However, it is the Greco di Tufo in a beurre blanc sauce that surprises, overturning the axioms of filet tout court. In response, the dining room (predominantly female this year) opts for a Bourgogne Rouge ‘Joie de Vigne’ 2022 from Marchand-Tawse, favored by a small percentage of Gamay and aged for 10 months on the lees in steel—an unexpected pairing that “pushes” the dish without overpowering it. The finale has the sunny hues of a lemon mousse, almond crumble, and black lemon sorbet: the essence of Caprese condensed and infused into a dessert that rediscovers the dynamic textures of dried fruit. We answered the question: Le Monzù is undergoing a complete upgrade.
Contacts
Hotel Punta Tragara- Ristorante Le Monzù
Via Tragara, 57, 80073 Capri NA
Reservations: +39 081 090 1201
Information: +39 081 837 0844
