Capri restaurants

Cookery writer Elizabeth David might turn in her grave if she knew how standards had dropped in the cuisine of Capri, but today’s visitors, a captive audience once they arrive on the island of Capri, are at the mercy of some unscrupulous fiends who'll charge a fortune for some truly diabolical food. That's not to say that David's love of the island and its food is misplaced, it's just that you'll have to seek it out.

So, a couple of rules when you come to Capri:

• No. 1: Avoid the tourist traps: if the place you're considering is full of tourists clutching plastic-covered menus showing dozens of pictures of meals that the kitchen can serve, you mustn't be surprised if the food isn't fabulous.
• No. 2: Check out the tourist traps: contradictory, of course, but it depends what you want. If you're after fine dining at a reasonable price then stick with rule No.1. If, however, you want to immerse yourself in the business and buzziness of the island, then linger over a coffee/ice cream/cocktail and enjoy people-watching at the myriad venues on the Piazzetta (and keep your credit card handy).

It might not be easy to eat well on Capri, but it's certainly not impossible.

I've tried to include a mix of places that are convenient, along with a few destination places. And new places are opening all the time; along with old-school chefs cooking traditional fare are the new bloods that are experimenting with their ingredients to create something entirely new; some very successfully.

I'll be trying out new places all the time and would welcome any suggestions (and, of course, any feedback on those I've listed is always welcome). My recommendations are not set in stone; if standards drop, so will my review.

Buon appetito.