On a typical summer night in Sag Harbor, a line of 40 people can often be seen stretching outside the beloved Italian restaurant Il Capuccino. Inside, the team is busy preparing for a bustling evening, with Amber Tagliasacchi at the helm.“While we live in an area that welcomes thousands of people each summer, when you come to Il Capuccino, you feel like you’re with your family and friends,” she says.
She began working at the restaurant for her father, the restaurant’s owner, Achille “Jack” Tagliasacchi, when she was just 12 years old. Her early tasks included kitchen prep alongside chef James “Jimbo” Renner—slicing mushrooms, picking and cleaning basil, and battering veal and eggplant for their famous Parmigianas while listening to cassettes on her Walkman.
By 14, she was working weekend nights as a busser, and by 18, she was waiting tables. In her early 20s, Tagliasacchi pursued her dream of traveling the world—but eventually, the road led her back to Sag Harbor and a home-cooked meal. At 25, she officially became the restaurant’s manager. The new role came with challenges, but she instinctively knew what mattered most. “My father taught me everything I needed to know administratively. I took over many tasks in the office as well,” she says.
All pasta dishes are made with the freshest ingredients and recipes passed down for generations.
Photo by Lauri Patterson/Getty Images
Today, “Caps,” as locals fondly call it, has become a tradition passed down through generations. Tagliasacchi is central to that tradition. She’s there almost every day, involved in every detail—managing the front of the house, working the bar or being the voice you hear on the answering machine. She’s also the first face many customers see when they walk in. “Familiar faces let us know that we are right where we need to be,” she says.
Tagliasacchi’s natural gift for hospitality is the soul of Il Capuccino. “Traditions that Il Capuccino keeps going are homemade pastas, local seafood, wicker Chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling, and my father’s beautiful paintings of various locations and architecture in Italy,” she says. “We make sure we always have delicious Italian wines as well as wines from California, France, Argentina, New Zealand and here in Long Island.”
There’s a comfort in consistency, and Il Capuccino leans into it. “One traditional dish on our menu from the beginning is tortelli d’erbetta. This is a traditional dish from Parma. It is homemade pasta (ravioli type) filled with spinach and ricotta cheese, then baked with butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. I remember being 5 years old and loving it,” she says.
Il Capuccino has become many things to many people—an everyday family hangout, a first-date spot and a summer must-visit. “Don’t forget the garlic rolls! Made fresh every day—voted best on Long Island for over 50 years!”says Tagliasacchi. “Our portions are large (lunch for tomorrow), and our prices have always been affordable. We hope our guests feel welcomed, relaxed and satisfied.” 30 Madison St., Sag Harbor
