There are few things better than fresh pasta, especially when paired with bacon. Cafe Capriccio in downtown Albany serves up a variety of fresh pasta options, including this lovely carbonara with bacon, onions, cheese, and egg served over homemade tagliatelle.

It’s no secret that Cafe Capriccio provides top notch Italian fare in Albany. The restaurant has been around for decades, and is consistently rated as one of the City’s best. The ambiance leans a bit to the classier side, with a cozy basement feel and very attentive, formal service. As an added bonus, there is live jazz music on Friday nights!

Most of the appetizers and dishes are a bit pricey, but you can order pasta in the half portion size (above), which is more than enough to be filling as a meal. The pasta had a nice consistency, with a hint of al dente firmness. The sauce was light and flavorful and did not have the heavy creaminess that seems to come with many lesser carbonara versions. And the chunks of bacon dispersed throughout were a welcome and delicious component of the meal. I will never sway from my opinion that bacon makes everything better.

The menu at Cafe Capriccio has many other offerings that always catch my eye, although I usually stick to the pasta. An eggplant appetizer and a similar eggplant entree stuffed with spinach and roasted red peppers are both wonderful. They also offer an appetizer of homemade ravioli that varies by day – on our visit, it was a wild mushroom and goat cheese ravioli. The full entree list (mostly in the $30 range) includes a number of steak, chicken, seafood, and pork options.

For those nights when you want a slightly upscsale dining experience with a classic Italian feel, I don’t think it gets much better than Cafe Capriccio in downtown Albany. Try a fresh pasta dish, especially one that includes bacon, and you won’t be disappointed.