Anacapri is a business that has anchored itself in the Village of Pinecrest as a family favorite. From its heritage in Italy to its beginnings in America in the 1990s, the authentic Italian restaurant has proven to be a popular hub for the community to gather despite some obstacles along the way.

“Introducing real Italian food was a little tough back in the 90s,” said Giuseppe Zuozo— the restaurateur who brought his Italian roots to the soil of Pinecrest— explaining that bringing a part of his culture to a new city was difficult at first: Anacapri still remains the only Italian restaurant and market in the Village of Pinecrest.

Zuozo first came to Miami from Naples in 1973. After spending some time in the United States, he took a vacation to Miami where a friend took him to visit a building for sale. The weekend after that, Zuozo returned with the deed to the building in hand and the name “Anacapri” in mind for his new restaurant.

Zuozo’s legacy in Pinecrest is impressive noting how long the restaurant has been a part of the community: Anacapri witnessed the creation of Pinecrest as a part of Miami Dade County back in 1996. The restaurant quickly became a town favorite, attracting famous athletes, politicians, and singers. Most importantly, however, the restaurant became a family favorite.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a little girl. The food is always so good and it always makes me feel at home,” said Olivia Johnson who frequents the restaurant.

Family is an important aspect in Zuozo’s life and was one of the reasons he opened Anacapri, a restaurant which is evidently family-oriented. In fact, Zuozo explained that family was one of the reasons why he opened the restaurant.

“My mother put me to work when I was seven cooking at home a lot of times and I really liked it,” Zuozo said.

It’s evident that while Anacapri started with family, it still maintains this value many years later.

“Positive things is nice because you can trust to see families. Everybody knows who we are,” said Zuozo.