5 Awesome Reasons to Eat at Via Napoli
When you visit the World Showcase at Epcot, you’ll feel overwhelmed with choice. You’ll have so many dining options that you may suffer from analysis paralysis. I’m here to recommend one particular place and thereby save you some aggravation. Here are a few reasons to dine at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria.
The Location
You’ll have no trouble finding Via Napoli at the World Showcase. It’s located at the Italy Pavilion. To reach this area from Future World, you turn left toward the Mexico Pavilion and keep going until you reach the right country. You’ll know that you’re close when you pass the Germany Pavilion, and you’ll know that you’ve gone too far if you see The American Adventure and America Gardens Theater.
Should you arrive by way of the International Gateway, you’ll turn right at the France Pavilion. Then, flip the previously listed rules. You’re close when you walk by America Gardens Theater, but you’ve gone too far if you see the Germany Pavilion. Grab some popcorn, caramel, and/or beer and turn around. In the unlikely event that you pass the United Kingdom Pavilion, you’ve gone the wrong way.
Once you reach the Italy Pavilion, turn toward this area and keep walking straight. You’ll see the signs that say Pizzeria and Ristorante right in front of you. It’s legitimately one of the easiest restaurants to find at the World Showcase.
The Theming
You can take a wild guess here. Yes, the theming is Italy. Specifically, it’s the southern part of the country where Napoli food has earned a place as one of the tastiest cuisines ever. The Bay of Naples is historically significant as the home to Mount Vesuvius, which once destroyed the entire civilization of Pompeii.
I’m not giving you a history lesson right now, I swear. Instead, I’m setting the table for the backdrop of Via Napoli. Disney leans into the tragic history of Mount Vesuvius in its kitchen. The three fiery grills that cook your pizza look like Roman deities, but they are actually named after active volcanoes. You can and should watch as chefs shove pizza pies into these gigantic ovens. Each fireplace has a name, with Stromboli on the left, Etna on the right, and Vesuvi fittingly in the middle.
Kids in particular love to watch the food preparations at this restaurant. It’s pretty rare for adults to shove their hands into fireplaces, after all. Plus, the kitchen is open, allowing guests to watch all meal preparations.
The Pizza
Italian cuisine comprises the entire menu here. Let’s be honest, though. Disney put the word Pizzeria in the title for a good reason. Neapolitan pizza is world-renowned, and this place serves some of the most authentic versions that you’ll find in North America.
The chefs who planned the menu here traveled to Naples to train with experts in Neapolitan pizza. I’m talking about second and third-generation chefs raised from a young age to become masters of their craft. The kitchen staff at Via Napoli understands all of the secret techniques to cook the dough, bake the crust, and mix the pizza sauce. And the wood ovens on display here are more than just for show. They’re specially built to maintain the perfect temperature to cook a pizza quickly and evenly.
The menu features nine different types of pizza, and I’m not talking about the ones that you’ll find at Little Caesars. Potential orders include San Gennaro (a white pizza with sausage and cherry peppers), Prosciutto e Melone (cantaloupe, arugula, and three kinds of cheese), and Carciofi (artichokes with truffle oil). Margherita is obviously an option as well, and you can order basic sausage or pepperoni if you want to stay in your comfort zone.
The pizza here is so good that I can say in all sincerity that I ate the tastiest cheese of my life here once. The attention to detail with each pie ensures that you can taste and appreciate each component. The sauce won’t smother the cheese flavor or the toppings. It tastes like pizza should rather than what we’ve all come to expect. Don’t get me wrong. A slice of pizza is always welcome, but we’re all used to average. At Via Napoli, guests get reminded of how extraordinary these flavors can and should be.
The Other Food
When most people say that they want Italian food, they ordinarily don’t mean pizza. When people want pizza, they say that. And Via Napoli’s title clearly indicates that it’s a Ristorante e Pizzeria. While the pizza is so fantastic that you may not want anything else, please don’t sleep on the other menu options.
You’ll have your choice of Antipasti, Insalate, and Zappe. These are Italian terms for small plates, salads, and soups. You should expect the small plates to consist mostly of meats and cheeses. It’s Italian food, after all. I’m a huge fan of the Antipasto Misto, which is designed as a shareable for parties of two or three. It’s a one-size-fits-all appetizer since it has meats, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables.
For your main course, pasta comes in many forms. The menu has six variations, and so you’re sure to find something that fits your mood. Otherwise, you’ll have a selection of six entrees, five of which are decidedly Italian in nature.
Pollo Parmigiana and Petto di Pollo are both chicken dishes, while Branzino and Arista de Maiale are sea bass and pork chop entrees. The Tortino Melanzane is an eggplant dish, giving you a cheap excuse to use your eggplant emoji. Finally, Bistecca is a 12-ounce New York strip, allowing those of us with lousy palates to say yes when our friends and loved ones want Italian food.
As for the desserts, they’re as delicious as you’d expect. Cannoli, tiramisu, sorbet, and gelato are all available. I should add that there’s a ricotta cheese fritter dish called Zeppole di Caterina that’s developed quite a buzz since its arrival. You simply cannot go wrong with any of the entrees or desserts here. I understand if you don’t believe me, but…
The Award
Look, anytime a stranger suggests that you eat somewhere, you’ll feel naturally skeptical. It’s basic human behavior. For whatever reason, you’re more likely to believe someone who gives out awards. And so you may not trust me. However, you will trust the Orlando Sentinel. After all, they’re the foremost experts on the Orlando dining scene.
This newspaper recently named Via Napoli as the Critics’ Choice for Best Theme Park Restaurant. Folks, they had their choice of every Disney and Universal Studios restaurant in town. They picked Via Napoli. That’s the strongest endorsement possible for the best pizza place at Walt Disney World.