CHIReview
photo credit: Christina Slaton
Spacca Napoli
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Chicago may be known for deep dish and tavern-style pizza, but the city’s pizza scene is so much more than that. See: Detroit-style, Quad City-style, or whatever style the heat-lamp “pizza” you get in Terminal B at Midway qualifies as. No matter your preference, the Neapolitan pies at Spacca Napoli should be at the top of your list. They’re arguably the best in the city, and if you visit during the summer, you’ll be sitting on one of Ravenswood’s nicest patios, tucked away on a quiet tree-lined side street. Honestly, a visit any time of year is warranted—the food is that good.
photo credit: Sandy Noto
If you’re not a pizza enthusiast and just showed up at the address your friend texted you, the menu has a few salads and antipasti like grilled octopus to tide you over. But you should be coming here for the pizza first and foremost. Little touches put them over the top: sides of chili oil, and pies that come out uncut so you don’t end up with a pile of soggy dough on your plate. This is true even if you order a pizza like the Pistacchio, a specialty loaded with a heavy pistachio cream, cheese, sausage, and basil—the addition of the spicy oil helps cut through the richness for an unbelievable bite. Spacca Napoli also offers to make any of their pizzas on gluten-free crust, which is a nice option to have, and definitely tastes better than cauliflower versions haunting freezers at home nationwide. In fact, no matter what you order, it will be on a thin, puffy, crust that’s the perfect combo of charred and chewy.
photo credit: Christina Slaton
That’s largely thanks to a big, mosaic-tiled, wood-burning oven open to the dining room that’s as much art installation as it is functional. The warmth from the oven and cheerful yellow walls make Spacca Napoli a cozy spot for dinner during a dark Chicago winter. It’s a small mercy that you can make reservations for their indoor seating to avoid ending up with frostbite from waiting outside. If you can swing a visit during the summer months, go early in the evening to grab a seat on the first-come first-served patio. Spacca Napoli has a lot going for it, and locals know it judging by what can be long wait times, especially on the weekends. We promise the wait will be worth it.