thanks for the input.

walter wade wrote:Enough on this place.
It's overrated.
When you want the "real McCoy" Vito & Nicks, 83Rd
Ave & Pulaski. ONLY
ENOUGH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks,
Wally Wade

Comments like this are myopic and entirely miss the point, IMO. And repeating them multiple times during the discussion doesn't make them any more credible, either.

To compare Spacca Napoli to Vito & Nick's is essentially useless. They're not the same and don't try to be the same. Each is an excellent representation of its style and is worthy of multiple visits. Even if you're one of those rare people who only likes one style of pizza, you owe it to yourself to try both and decide for yourself.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

walter wade wrote:Enough on this place.
It's overrated.
When you want the "real McCoy" Vito & Nicks, 83Rd
Ave & Pulaski. ONLY
ENOUGH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks,
Wally Wade

Comments like this are myopic and entirely miss the point, IMO. And repeating them multiple times during the discussion doesn't make them any more credible, either.

To compare Spacca Napoli to Vito & Nick's is essentially useless. They're not the same and don't try to be the same. Each is an excellent representation of its style and is worthy of multiple visits. Even if you're one of those rare people who only likes one style of pizza, you owe it to yourself to try both and decide for yourself.

=R=

Agree with Ronnie_Suburban 100%. Why would someone keep visiting this thread merely to chime in "enough on this thread."

Anyway, I'm reminded that I am sorely in need of a Spacca visit.

-M@

I apologize. Your comment about comparing the two is correct. My error.
ALL, MAKE A GREAT FOR YOURSELVES!!!!!!!!!

Wally Wade

My wife and I finally got back to Spacca Napoli after too long of a hiatus. We split the Diavola (tomato sauce, Mozzarella di Bufala, Spicy Salami, Red Pepper Flakes, Basil) and a special white pizza that had mozzarella di bufala, porcini mushrooms, and a few others that I can't remember. Pizzas were both excellent. Crusts were perfect. This reminded us why we like SN so much.

My only complaint is that their wines tend to be served too warm. We each ordered a glass of red wine and mine tasted as if it was from a bottle that was opened the day before.

Went to Spacca Napoli for the first time today, and I had rather high hopes.

I was torn between the funghi, because I really do love the tomato sauce of pizze rosso, and the salsiccia and broccoletti. Decided to go with the funghi and it was a horrible choice. The mushrooms were not of good quality at all, I'm nearly positive that they were canned, though I was embarrassed to actually ask the waiter and didn't want to make a scene, and there were only two basil leaves on the entire pizza.

My friend, on the other hand, ordered the Diavola and loved it. The actually quality of my pizza itself was great - loved the slightly charred crust and fior di latte mozzarella....just wish I had ordered anything but the funghi. I should have read this thread more carefully before and heeded Kennyz's warning!




I did really enjoy the cannoli as we walked out the door though. It sure beats a fortune cookie as complimentary desserts go.

Hurdler4eva wrote:...and there were only two basil leaves on the entire pizza.

I'm not entirely certain because it's been a little while since I ordered the funghi, but my recollection is that funghi means funghi. Not funghi and basil. The two leaves were almost certainly decorative only.

I won't comment on the mushroom "problem," which more than one person has commented on, only because I've been lucky enough to avoid it (largely through ordering things more to my taste at the moment). Sorry to hear about your disappointment though.

I would definitely go back and give Spacca Napoli another try. Just order anything except for the mushrooms.

As promised, I returned to Spacca Napoli and this time I made a better choice with the Pizza Bianca con Bufala e Rucola. I was also very impressed that our pizzas came out mere minutes after we placed our order. It probably helped that we arrived shortly after 5 pm on a Tuesday and were only one of maybe three tables in the entire restaurant.



Amazing charred crust, just enough delicious bufala mozzarella, and so much beautiful fresh arugula! The olive oil was generously drizzled on and it all came together perfectly. There was nary a leaf of basil to be found...I guess Spacca just doesn't want to give me basil (and Gypsy Boy, for the record, in both the Funghi pizza and this Pizza Bianca con Bufala e Rucola, basil is one of the listed ingredients on the menu description) but the arugula was so good that I didn't even mind. I did notice that the crust in the middle wasn't as soggy, thin and fragile as my previous funghi pizza, but perhaps that is because this pizza didn't have the tomato sauce to cause the sogginess.

For dessert, I ordered the tiramisu, which, like the Spumoni, is from Lezza. I wasn't impressed at all and definitely wouldn't order it again. At $4.50 for a piece, I expected more than Trader Joe's quality. The ratio of mascarpone to ladyfingers was way off, and the skimpy layer of ladyfinger didn't have the faintest hint of espresso.



My revised verdict is to order a specialty pizza, staying away from the mushrooms, and skip dessert and hope for some cannoli on the way out.

Hurdler4eva wrote:My revised verdict is to order a specialty pizza, staying away from the mushrooms, and skip dessert and hope for some cannoli on the way out.

While the focus is most certianly pizza you would be missing out on a few steller starters and one of my favorite desserts in the city. Love prosciutto with mozzarella di bufala and basil, caprese with mozzarella di bufala in season and Melanzane, eggplant simmered with tomato, basil and garlic.

I'm a sucker for spumoni, really good spumoni, and Spacca Napoli has a terrific imported version.

Spumoni, Spacca Napoli

Visited SN for the first time in many months the other day. I was impressed: the crust, temperature, restraint with and respect for ingredients and combinations, were are all there. The kitchen and service were at least as good as ever, probably better. SN also has a vision and the owner sticks to it. I half-expected to see some concessions made to appeal to a lower common denominator in terms of the pies offered, the way they are cooked, the non-pizza offerings. Nope. A great place to have in Chicago.

JeffB wrote: SN also has a vision and the owner sticks to it. I half-expected to see some concessions made to appeal to a lower common denominator in terms of the pies offered, the way they are cooked, the non-pizza offerings. Nope. A great place to have in Chicago.

Agreed, and am due for a trip back as well. In my ultra pizza freak days I spent a good amount of time at SN. Jonathan (the owner) has always been very gracious and talked pizza minutiae whenever I was inclined, and is very hospitable in general. The other thing I like is the fact that they were doing this when there were literally 4 or so places in the country that were VPN certified.

Aside from the great appetizers and pizzas we had on Saturday, they have a dessert called Nutella described as "A battilocchio style focaccia with hazelnut cream and confectionery sugar."
It's a very thin dough cooked in the oven till crispy. They spread Nutella on one side, and fold the other side over so it looks like a Calzone (the dough is cripy, though) and sprinkle with sugar. Simple and absolutely delicious. One order was a sufficient treat for 3 people. If that wasn't enough, they handed out mini-cannolis as you left.

Jonah

Back tonight for a delicious meal with friends before they head back to Madrid. They loved the pizza. The char was gorgeous on all of the pizzas and the crust was amazing.

I tasted Mr.pairs4life's Buffalo mozzarella pizza and can't believe how simple and rich it was. I had the funghi pizza that was chock full of mushrooms, there appeared to be a variety of mushrooms on the pizza but I was too busy catching up with our friends, & eating to figure out what was on there.

Service was great as usual. It was bustling when we arrived and still packed when we left two hours later.

I had to beg my friend to take the tiny gratis cannolo as we walked out the door. He saw they were already filled and assumed it would be soggy. He was shocked by how crisp the shell was and let them know he thought it was delicious.

Spacca Napoli remains the benchmark for Neapolitan style in Chicagoland.

Buratta, white anchovies and prosciutto.



Il Mantuano and Diablo



Spacca Napoli, count me a fan!

Happened to visit myself yesterday. As good as ever. The burrata was especially satisfying.

I have been here several times and have always enjoyed it. Can someone please educate me though--is neopolitan style pizza supposed to be slightly soggy in the center ? While the edges of the pizzas I have gotten here are always charred, the center (especially on ones with mushrooms) often end up limp. Is this intentional?

bnl wrote:I have been here several times and have always enjoyed it. Can someone please educate me though--is neopolitan style pizza supposed to be slightly soggy in the center ? While the edges of the pizzas I have gotten here are always charred, the center (especially on ones with mushrooms) often end up limp. Is this intentional?

Yes, it's intentional (or, more properly, unavoidable).

I actually visited last week myself after a bit of a hiatus and found the pizzas to be excellent. While I used to visit more often, at some point I detected a bit of a drop-off in quality and hadn't been there in some time. But the pizzas my group enjoyed last week were as good as any I've had there.

It's been quite some time since our last visit (which we enjoyed). At that time, Spacca Napoli was something of a "flavor of the month" on the Chicago scene; now it isn't. I can't even remember if they took reservations then, but I do remember waiting a bit for our table (even if we had a reservation). Am I correct in supposing that it's more likely one can get a table without waiting these days (with or without reservation) than it was then?

I live nearby. Substantial waits are the norm at dinner on weekends, particularly if the weather is nice (they have a large sidewalk seating area). Midweek and/or early, you should be able to stroll in. SN is very much in a good groove. My new food-neighborhood (Fountainhead, SN, Margie's, sometimes Glenn's) is a step up from the nearby old one (Piggery, AJ Hudson's (RIP Ginger's)).

The best. I could eat here every day for the rest of my life and be completely satisfied. My goodness this pizza is truly remarkable, I had never had such pizza, I mean, its incredible. Eat here, eat here soon and often. They are making magic here.

17/10 Would eat for rest of eternity

I dined at Spacca Napoli the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and there are just not enough superlatives to describe the pizzas they're putting out these days. I was never a fan of the overly soft/soupy middle portions of their pizzas but I have not encountered that in some time. Even more impressive: the absolute wonderful crusts, bubbles of char aplenty, with more flavor than ever before.

My friends and I shared four pizzas and all were outstanding but my favorite was the one with pistachio pesto and sausage. The sausage SN uses is fantastic. And the toppings on all of the pizzas were very well distributed. There was a time when I could think of several pizzas I preferred in Chicago to Spacca Napoli's. That's no longer the case - in my opinion they're firmly number one.

I live very nearby SN. It's so popular and crowded, and at one point I'd been so many times, plus I have my own oven at home, that I hardly ever go anymore. Big mistake. Fast forward to 2014 from SN's opening, which seems so long ago now, and the place is simply better than ever in all respects. The crew Jonathan has manning the oven could do it in Caserta. The whole place is a well-oiled machine, and the ingredients and attention to detail are still remarkable. No corners cut. On a recent visit I really, really enjoyed the "calzone," now a permanent menu item, with great ricotta and salame. And the squash blossoms (once rare, now ubiquitous during the summer) are the best rendition I've had in a restaurant, anywhere, period. So the fry station is as strong as the oven. The seafood dishes are great; the prosciutto is great; the cannoli are probably the best in town, definitely my kids' favorite, but you can't buy them. Good to see.

Seconded. SN is in our regular rotation and is consistently great. Love the fried zuccini app - and all of the appetizers, really.

Darren72 wrote:Seconded. SN is in our regular rotation and is consistently great. Love the fried zuccini app - and all of the appetizers, really.

Completely agree. Whenever we go, SN always feels like a special night out. The food is always outstanding.

Does anyone know from where SN sources their burrata? It's just incredible.

Well, nothing like answering a year old question, but yesterday Spacca's burrata was in a package labelled Deliziosa. It was excellent, as always.

They also have an interesting special now that has mozzarella, ricotta, zucchini and lemon slices. I wondered whether the lemon slices would be bitter (the peel was included), but it was wonderful. Whether it was the thinness of the slice, or the effect of the high heat, the slices provide a pure lemon flavor that paired wonderfully with the creamy but slightly bland ricotta.

LTH,

9 years after my first visit Spacca Napoli remains wonderful, never misses a beat, exemplary attention to detail and improves with age.

Spacca Napoli burrata w/prosciutto, white anchovy and 'nduja pizza



'Nduja from Nduja Artisans, burrata from heaven.....

Spacca Napoli, Count me a Fan!

In complete agreement with the above statement re Spacca which still remains one of my favorite Chicago restaurants, altho as far as the burrata is concerned it was really too much of a good thing, at least for the two of us. I think if there had been 6 of us and additional antipasti on the table, that would not have been the case.