The Italians take their pizza seriously. Each region cherishes its own version with different doughs and sauces, but always with fresh local ingredients and baked with loving care. Perhaps the most noted pizza region in all of Italia is Napoli, better none in America as Naples – the home of authentic Neapolitan Pizza. In Old Napoli, as Dean Martin would say, the pizza is prepared in a round shape and characterized by a soft, thin dough with high edges. The sauces and olive oil are of local origin.
It would be nice to visit Naples and have such a pizza, but it’s not necessary. If you live in Charlottesville, a trip to Pi-Napo will deliver a genuine Neapolitan Pizza, exactly like the original.
Our daughter, Laura treated us to a pizza dinner at Pi-Napo this week and it was exquisite. Their pizzas have a soft, chewy crust, a thin center, simple fresh toppings, and are baked in a flaming hot wood-fired oven in less than 90 seconds.
Pi-Napo is located on Jefferson Park Ave, catty-cornered from Dirty Nellies’ Pub at the site of the old filling station. Even though the students haven’t returned, the restaurant was bustling with business from both eat-in and lots of take-out orders.
Pi-Napo has an extensive menu of traditional Neapolitan favorites including their specialties – the Margherita and Mescolare Meat Lover’s pizzas. Pi-Napo also offers fresh salads and in-house made Gelatos. I tried the Vanilla Gelato and could have eaten a quart. It was superb.
I have eaten lots of pizzas in my time, but none better than that served at Pi-Napo. How many ever stars are given to great restaurants, I’ll give them that many and more.
Try it. It’s the best pizza on this side of The Pond.
