When I went to Italy for the first time, I discovered that Chicago’s Spacca Napoli not only measures up to the real deal, but surpasses some of the Italian pizzerias in ITALY! This place specializes in bringing only the freshest Italian ingredients to their restaurant to serve up some authentic Neapolitan style brick oven pizzas. Spacca Napoli is VPN certified, which means their food meets the standards of Naples, Italy and is therefore authentic according to the Italian people… mic drop:).

My favorite antipasto to start with is the prosciutto e bufala or caprese con bufala if you’re vegetarian. I have heard rumors that they import the cheese from Italy and there was a time that they could not get this exact mozzarella, so they did not serve it at all! THAT’S dedication to get some delicious cheese.

The daily specialty pizzas often feature seasonal vegetables or imported cheeses that make for some tasty pies. My favorite of their mainstay pizzas is the prosciutto e rucola. The combination of the fresh arugula sprinkled over the prosciutto is only complimented by the doughy, crusty goodness that you fold to eat, and you’re suddenly transported to Italy.

Oftentimes you’ll see chef and owner Jonathan Goldsmith greeting friends and patrons or back in the kitchen creating authentic and great food. 

This spot is also nicely tucked away into the neighborhood and has outdoor seating in the warmer months when weather permits. I highly recommend this local little Italian escape :).