In a city known for deep dish pizza, it’s truly refreshing finding a pizza joint that doesn’t immediately put you in a food coma or have locations in every possible city. While we love ufoth of the latter options there is something to be said for Neapolitan style pizza. For all things doughy, wet sauce & cheese, & light garnishes, Spacca Napoli is Chicago’s go-to. We sat down at the decade old spot to give you the low-down on what you must order.
First we started with a classic: Bufalina. While most initially opt for the Margherita (can’t go wrong with that either) we chose the Bufalina as it’s made with Mozzarella di Bufala (Buffalo Milk Mozzarella). The main difference between that & the cheese used on the Margherita (for di latte mozzarella with pecorino gan cry & parmigiano) is that the Buffalo Milk Mozzarella melts much easier allowing for a “wetter” pizza. This may sound strange but it’s typical of a Neapolitan style pizza & boy is it delicious. The cheese begins to almost melt in with the sauce forming the perfect bite of all ingredients on it’s own.
Next up was the Arancini, Italian fried balls filled with rice, sauce, & cheese. Essentially it’s a fried pizza sans dough & it’s one of our favorite items on the Spacca Napoli menu. Scroll up to the first image on this page & that pretty much says it all.
Since the pizzas are lighter don’t be afraid to try a few (side-note: they taste great leftover). We recommend one pizza per person. The Sfizi ai Pomodori is a sauceless pie topped with a blend of 5 fresh tomatoes: red and yellow Piennolo, Corbarino, Greagnano, & San Marzano. Accompanying these tomatoes are basil & Mozzarella di Bufala. Similar to the Bufalina pie, the cheese from this pizza creates a “wet” center once melted.
You didn’t think we’d forget dessert did you?! This Panna Cotta was unlike any other we’ve had before. The smooth vanilla custard was served with a pear balsamic compote that while it might sound like an odd pairing, the flavors balanced one another perfectly. Do you ever have a craving that you’d like something fruity, savory, & sweet all at the same time? Well friends, this dessert is exactly what you need.
Be sure to visit Spacca Napoli at 1769 W Sunnyside Ave., Chicago, IL.
*Food C/O Spacca Nappoli
