Little Capo
I spent an evening at Little Capo recently ,I left lighter than I arrived.
That usually tells me everything I need to know ,not because I was dazzled Because we were looked after.
The opening matters
I always clock the first moments.
• The door the eye contact ,the pause before you’re seated
Little Capo handles this cleanly ,You’re welcomed you’re placed and you’re given space to settle.
No scramble ,No fuss ,the room exhales and So do you.
I’ve learned the hard way that if the opening is wrong, the rest of the evening has to work twice as hard.
Here, it doesn’t.
The eponymous Little Capo
The room, the decor, the brand
This is a small room with a clear identity.
• Warm tones
• Simple materials
• Nothing shouting for attention
The decor feels deliberate.
Muted colours ,Clean lines and lighting that flatters faces, not plates.
The branding is confident and quiet ,No slogans on the walls ,gimmicks and no need to explain itself.
You don’t feel sold to ,you feel welcomed.
I like rooms that understand restraint ,this one does.
It knows its size, its mood. It knows its guest and that clarity is rare.
The people behind it
You can feel the owners in this place.
This isn’t a corporate project.
It’s a personal one.
The restaurant is the latest venture from Stuart McCluskey, working with the hospitality duo Will and Jess Oxenham. They bring experience from Sydney, London and New York.
That mix shows. There’s confidence without ego. Decisions feel considered.
Menu.
Wine.
Staffing.
Pace.
All of it suggests hands-on ownership ,People who care about how the room feels at 6pm and still at 10pm.
The best restaurants carry the personality of the people behind them.Not loudly.But consistently.
Little Capo feels personal in that way.
Glass down ,First sip.The night begins. 🍸✨
I started with the Golden Martini
A martini tells you a lot.
This one arrived cold and precise.
• Clean spirit
• Gentle sweetness
• No tricks
The Golden Martini opened the evening without stealing it.
No smoke ,No fuss ,Just a proper drink, well made with some gorgeous pickled accoutrements on the side.
Glass down ,First sip.The night begins. 🍸✨
A strong opening. 🧀
Burrata, done with care
The burrata arrived first.
Roasted fig ,Spiced honey ,Pistachio.
Soft cheese against warmth and sweetness ,Texture without clutter.
Nothing fighting for attention ,Everything playing its part.
This is a dish that understands balance.
It doesn’t rush you ,It settles you.
A strong opening. 🧀
The dish arrives crisp and composed.
Calamari fritti with restraint
Next came the calamari fritti, served with salsa verde.
This is where kitchens often trip.
Too heavy ,too greasy too loud.
Not here ,Light batter ,tender squid and salsa verde cutting through cleanly
The dish arrives crisp and composed.
You taste judgement ,not fear ,that matters.
Gnocchetti sardi, nowhere to hide
Then the gnocchetti sardi.
With sausage ,saffron.fennel seed.
This is a dish that exposes shortcuts fast.
This one took its time , deep savoury notes ,gentle warmth from saffron and fennel seed used with care
The pasta held its shape ,the sauce clung, not swamped.
Nothing was overdone ,nothing missing.
It stopped at exactly the right point, that’s confidence.
Watching the room work
I spend as much time watching service as eating , Who scans ,who anticipates and who holds the rhythm
The team moves calmly ,Orders taken once wine appears when it should and plates cleared without interruption.
No hovering ,no pressure. you’re trusted to enjoy yourself.
Good service lives in the spaces between moments.
Pace over pressure
Timing matters.
• Too fast feels transactional
• Too slow loses energy
Little Capo finds the middle.
Courses arrive when conversation pauses ,not mid-sentence and not after momentum has gone.
The evening flows ,guests remember flow more than flavour.
This flowed.
Why this place stayed with me
I’ve eaten in bigger rooms with louder reputations.
The places that last share one thing ,they know who they are.
Little Capo isn’t chasing trends, It isn’t stretching for scale and It isn’t apologising.
It’s doing a small number of things well.
That comes from ownership ,from care ,from judgement.
A question for you
When did eating out become so tiring?
So many menus ,so much noise and so little thought.
Places like this remind me why restaurants still matter.
They’re about: Craft ,Rhythm ,Respect
Not spectacle.
I’ll stop here
If you value: Calm rooms ,thoughtful cooking ,hospitality that respects your time
You’ll enjoy this place.
I did and I’ll be back.
Good restaurants don’t shout ,They endure.
Here's to a Bright Future rooted in our Rich Past 🧔
#LittleCapo #EdinburghEats #HospitalityMatters #Martini #Burrata #Calamari #GnocchettiSardi #Tiramisu #RestaurantCulture #EvenKeel 🍝🍸✨
