Capriccio Cafe

Marco Sironi named his cafe after the Italian word for “whim,” and the whole operation runs on that same spirit of doing things the way he wants, which happens to be the Italian way. Sironi ran a coffee shop in Philadelphia before relocating to Florida’s Gulf Coast, and once he settled near Destin he noticed the town’s main thoroughfare lacked a proper coffee shop. Capriccio Cafe filled that gap, and it has stayed a locally owned fixture on Highway 98 East near Destin Harbor ever since, importing its coffee, meats, and cheeses straight from Italy rather than sourcing them locally.

The coffee program anchors the business. Sironi imports Segafredo Zanetti espresso directly from Italy and pulls it through hand brewed shots and cold brews behind the counter, while drip coffee comes from Lucky Goat Coffee, a roaster based in Tallahassee. Regulars order the espresso macchiato or a Nutella doppio, and the frappe menu covers the hot Florida afternoons when a straight shot of espresso will not cut it.

Food follows the same import forward approach. Meats and cheeses arrive from Italy and turn up in sandwiches built around prosciutto crudo, mortadella, and other cured selections, alongside a grilled tuna sandwich for anyone who wants something lighter. The crepe menu leans playful, with a dessert crepe called the Fluffer Nuffer that pairs peanut butter and marshmallow, and a savory version called The Roman filled with grilled chicken, romaine, tomatoes, onions, and Caesar dressing. Salads range from a caprese to a Runner’s Salad built on bresaola, a lean Italian cured beef, plus seafood versions topped with scallops or shrimp. Vegetarians can order a veggie focaccia sandwich, and the kitchen accommodates vegan and gluten free requests. Save room for dessert: tiramisu is a fixture on the counter, and a cheesecake flavor rotates daily.

The cafe itself is built for lingering. Free Wi-Fi, a patio for eating in the Florida sun, and a staff that treats regulars like neighbors give the space a relaxed, sociable feel that suits solo laptop work as easily as it does a group breakfast before a day on the water. That personal touch, more than any single menu item, is what keeps people returning to a coffee shop that could otherwise feel like just another highway strip stop.

Capriccio Cafe sits at 810 Highway 98 E in Destin, in the Destin Harbor area, and can be reached at 850-460-7050. It opens early and closes early, running from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and stays closed on Wednesdays, so plan a Wednesday coffee stop elsewhere. Because the kitchen shuts down before the doors do, arrive with enough time to order before the early afternoon cutoff, especially if a crepe or sandwich is the goal rather than just a coffee. More information and online ordering are available at thecapricciocafe.com.

Visitors staying near Destin Harbor or heading out for a morning charter can treat Capriccio as a pre trip stop. It opens at 6 a.m., which lines up well with early boat departures, and the espresso hits harder than most hotel coffee makers. Because it is a genuinely local, family run operation rather than a chain, calling ahead before a special trip is worth the extra minute, particularly outside the busiest summer weeks when small businesses sometimes adjust their hours.