Via Napoli Review
Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria is an Italian restaurant in EPCOT’s World Showcase. It’s Walt Disney World’s best pizza place, serving authentic Neapolitan pies with ingredients imported from Southern Italy. In this WDW dining review, we’ll share food photos, pros & cons, and thoughts on the service.
Calling this Walt Disney World’s best pizza place undoubtedly invites comments from those living in New York, Chicago, or other places believing they serve the definitive version of pizza. No offense, regional food pride is pointless (at best). Regional pride is fine–everyone has it–but the steadfast belief that cuisine should be monolithic and uniform is unnecessarily limiting.
Food evolves, is reinterpreted, and varies from place to place. That’s part of the fun. Why have a single style of pizza when you can have endless variations? Good pizza is good pizza, regardless of whether it conforms to some narrow version of what people from some specific place think it should. But I digress.
Another topic that always comes up with Via Napoli is service. Normally, we shy away from this in our reviews since service is incredibly hit or miss at Walt Disney World. You can go on two different days and have night-and-day experiences, or even be sitting at different tables on the same night and have a totally different take on service quality.
In fairness, most service at Walt Disney World is good. We’d peg around 80% of our restaurant experiences with servers and other Cast Members as good to great. The other 20% are not so good, and are totally unpredictable. It’s hit or miss to the extent that there’s usually no telling where or when you might encounter poor service. It does not depend upon the specific restaurant, or the caliber/cost of the dining spot. This inconsistency is definitely a problem at Walt Disney World.
At least, service is usually unpredictable. At Via Napoli, the service we’ve received has been consistently poor. We’ve now dined at Via Napoli over a dozen times, and I’d say we’ve had good service around 25% of the time. Given those numbers, I’m pretty confident that we have a large enough sample size, and our experiences are not anomalies. Via Napoli is a consistent offender.
In fairness, Via Napoli’s “style” mirrors that of service throughout Europe, where servers are generally more brusque and to the point. This contrasts with the American approach, which is more affable and outgoing. Americans are more accustomed to hands-on and attentive service, whereas Europeans favor hands-off servers who fade into the background of the experience. Calling one “good” and the other “bad” isn’t totally fair, and shows our biases as Americans. Look at it this way: you’re getting a wholly authentic European experience at Via Napoli!
With that out of the way, let’s move on to the theme and ambiance of Via Napoli…
Via Napoli has a indoor dining spread out across several rooms, plus a terrace seating area with doors and windows that can be opened (lower right area on the photo above). While we like the indoor area, it can be a bit loud and raucous, especially in the main room.
We prefer dining in the terrace at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria, which makes our List of the Best Restaurants with Outdoor Dining at Walt Disney World as an honorable mention since it’s not totally outdoors.
The inside of Via Napoli is beautiful albeit relatively understated. There are nice lighting fixtures and craftsmanship. By far my favorite feature of the restaurant was the open-air cooking area, including the three-ovens named Etna, Vesuvio and Stromboli.
In terms of ambiance, Via Napoli is fine. The seating area is large, open, and features high ceilings with minimal fabric to absorb sound. It can get pretty loud inside, but is still typically fine. After all, this is a pizza place, not an intimate fine dining setting.
Even though the pizzas are quite expensive, the true question is whether it costs more to eat a meal here than at most restaurants. If paying out of pocket and eating pizza, I would answer with a resounding “no.” The largest pizzas on the Via Napoli menu are around $40. That would be a fairly high price if these pizzas could only feed one.
However, they can feed ~4, depending upon appetites. Roughly $10 per person for an entree at a table service restaurant, especially one of the better World Showcase restaurants, isn’t that bad. Add in appetizers and drinks, and the total is around $20 per person, which is still quite reasonable given the alternatives.
It’s still quite a bit for pizza, but in Disney, you pay for the ambiance and location. It’s not the best-value in the EPCOT area, but you shouldn’t have sticker shock in looking at the pizza prices. All in all, it’s not that bad given the size of the pies.
Over the course of our first few visits to Via Napoli, we tried some appetizers. On our subsequent half-dozen or so visits, we’ve always skipped the appetizers. They don’t seem that special to us, and can quickly escalate the cost of the meal (which we normally try to make a good value).
With that said, here’s some of what we’ve tried…
One such appetizer is the Calamari Fritti. I’ve never encountered calamari I didn’t like, and this was no exception. The sauce was rich and fairly well-flavored (not the best I’ve ever had, not the worst), and the calamari itself were perfectly breaded. I definitely have a weakness for calamari, and this really hit the spot. I probably would have been fine with two orders of calamari for myself, for my entree.
Here are a couple of other appetizers that we’ve tried since that first meal at Via Napoli:
Here’s the Fritto di Verdura. These are crisp fried vegetables served with marinara piccante.
This is one of the cheaper appetizers at Via Napoli, and are arguably worth getting if you want a bit of filler. Very straightforward and nothing that will wow you, but the batter is fairly good and the portion usually fair. (It’s hard to tell from that photo, but I think we got decent value out of this.)
Here’s the Arancini. This is fried risotto balls filled with mozzarella and meat ragù.
These were fine, with a nice crunch outside and a soft center. I wouldn’t say the flavor was particularly noteworthy, and at over $10 for this appetizer, I wouldn’t say the portion presented good value for money.
We’ve also had the Salami e Provolone (flavorful without being overly greasy) and the Eggplant Caponata (something I wouldn’t normally sample, but surprisingly delicious). With that said, I’d probably still steer clear of the appetizers unless something really catches your eye. Instead, go big on the pizzas.
Now, let’s take a look at the star of the show at Via Napoli: the pizza!
After a hiccup our first time visiting Via Napoli, we’ve had incredible pizza after incredible pizza there. We’ve tried most of the menu at this point, and have loved every choice. Here are some random notes I’ve collected from our experiences at Via Napoli.
Our current favorite is currently the Carciofi Pizza (pictured above). This is a white pizza topped with artichoke, fontina, mozzarella, and truffle oil. That might sound like an odd mix, but it is addictively good. I’m not a huge fan of artichoke, but it totally works here, and the truffle oil puts this pizza over the top. I’m pretty sure I could eat a Mezzo Metro of the Carciofi Pizza all by myself, and I’m not even exaggerating.
As is the case at pretty much every pizza place, Margherita is the cheapest option. Here, it’s no slouch.
Choosing the Margherita allows each ingredient to stand out, including the exceptional crust. The cheese is excellent, ditto the sauce, and the basil punctuates an extremely flavorful pie. If you’re trying to do Via Napoli on a budget, look no further.
The pepperoni pizza is also stellar. It went from being “nothing that knocks my socks off” as I called it at one point, to being an excellent pizza, and a worthy competitor to many real-world pizza places at which we’ve eaten. (Even though we favor Chicago-style deep dish pies, we loved these thin ones!)
Countless individuals in the Disney community have indicated what makes Via Napoli so special is the water. The team at Via Napoli sought out to find water-wells in Florida similar to those in Naples. Consequently, Via Napoli uses water nearly identical in chemical composition to the water of Naples, Italy.
Purportedly, this produces the best density for the dough, which in turn makes the pizza better. It seems to me to be more marketing fodder than anything else, but the dough on the pizzas we’ve had on our recent two visits has been really good. I wonder how many people who have gone to Via Napoli without knowledge of the dough-water have thought, “wow, this is some amazing dough!!!” Not many, I’d imagine.
The Quattro Formaggi Pizza (pictured near the top of the post) is another of our favorites, as is the Piccante Pizza (half pictured above). About the only thing I think we have not tried at Via Napoli is the Prosciutto e Melone Pizza, and that’s because I can’t get past the idea of cantaloupe on a pizza.
One thing we would recommend doing is doing a half and half Mezzo Metro (again, pictured above) if there are a couple of options you want to try. Not only does this present the best value, but it’s a good way of sampling more of this excellent menu on a single visit.
When I first wrote this review, it ended with the conclusion that Via Napoli was pretty good, but also overrated. Walt Disney World fans had overhyped the restaurant and inflated its reputation a bit too much. Nevertheless, we were eager to revisit later and see if our opinion would change. As Mulder from the X-Files would say, I WANT to believe.
We’ve now eaten at Via Napoli countless times, and it’s no longer a matter of “wanting” to believe. I DO BELIEVE. While it stumbles in terms of service, Via Napoli is otherwise so good that we’re willing to overlook that. It also has tremendous range. It’s good for large groups of family and friends, a nice romantic date night spot (depending upon where you’re seated), and even good with small children. Few World Showcase restaurants have so much universal appeal.
Without question, Via Napoli serves the best pizza “pies” in all of Walt Disney World. We’d take that a step further, proclaiming it one of the few places we’ve ever dined serving truly authentic Neapolitan pizza, right down to imported ingredients, wood-burning ovens, and even the water-sourcing (no joke!). Simply put, Via Napoli is one of the best World Showcase restaurants, and a great value if you split a pizza. It’s a really fun restaurant, and it lives up to the hype.
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Your Thoughts…
What do you think of Via Napoli? Do you think it’s the best Walt Disney World pizza, or do you think it’s overhyped? Planning on going? If you’ve dined here, do you agree or disagree with our review? Any questions? Hearing your feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments!
Hate to swim upstream here…but we weren’t impressed with Via Napoli.
Pizzas were average, queues were long (we agree, Disney should have separate lines for people with ADR versus roll-ups) but the service was appalling.
Aloof kind of sums it up. It might have been a one-off…but there are too many good restaurants on Disney for us to give it a second chance.
Best pizza I have ever had not just a wdw, period. I am a fan of white pizza and the prosciutto arugula and melon is to die for. Service is excellent we were on the dining plan and none of the desserts appealed to me so they made one special for me. The caprese salad was also delicious.
Via Napoli was the only table service restaurant our full group of 10 dined at in May. We loved it! Several varieties of pizza pie were enjoyed (the sausage is awesome!), along with chicken parmigiana and the arancini. I did want to share that the eggplant parmigiana really missed the mark. I didn’t mind that the dish was served with roasted potatoes instead of over pasta. But I did mind that the eggplant was devoid of any texture whatsoever. Almost baby food-like. :/ Still a wonderful Epcot dining option!
I agree with your review on this restaurant Tom
Via Napoli is on our must go list every time we visit.
In addition to the wonderful pizza, I have to add that my wife wanted something different and ordered lasagna.
I kept reaching over for bites of her meal. It was pretty large and so good. Although I would consider it a sin to visit this restaurant and NOT order pizza this dish makes me pause to consider it.
As well, really thought the desserts were fantastic as well
Totally agree. After our initial so-so experience, Via Napoli has become a go-to World Showcase option!
I have worked in a pizza place on and off for the past 15 years and can tell you that the water definitely makes a difference in how the dough tastes. My old boss talked about going south to open a pizza restaurant and he said that he would need to find a way to get water to make the dough with because the water would not make good dough.
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Via Napoli is definitely the BEST PIZZA in WDW have eaten there several times (different pizza each time) and was never disappointed. Arancini – calamari were very good my favorite is the Zeppole di Caternia dessert. And Via Napoli is must for all my trips. (Being a Chicagoan I love Chicago style PIZZA)
We are an Italian family….who have lived in an Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY forever.
If you want simply great Italian food and great pizza….you have to try this restaurant.
The pizza served here….while pricey….is simply delicious!
We have found ourselves eating here several times every trip now.
Even the small dishes like the rice balls and sauce are terrific.
We make a point of eating here…and next door at Tutto Gusto when we want great Italian food while visiting Epcot.
So….when you want delicious Italian food during your walls around Epcot…..avoid Tutto Italia…..and try this restaurant.
Its hard to win over a deep dish pizza lover with a thin crust. I have to agree that they do a great job! I still prefer my Chicago deep dish, but I like Via Napoli when Im at DW.
Tom,
Great review. I have never eaten at this location and I am not sure I ever will. Being from just outside of NYC we have great Italian Restaurants and Pizza places. I find myself always disappointed in Pizza or Italian on vacations (other then when i was in Rome). I am sure living in the Chicago area you may or may not have had similar issues. Having you say the pizza is pretty good and being from an area with great Italian food I may have to give this a shot next time i am in WDW.
If you liked the pizza in Rome I would venture to say you will like the pizza at Via Napoli. It is truly authentic Italian pizza, just like you will find in Italy.
The real star for me is on the dessert menu ~ the Zeppole di Caterina are little puffs of heaven served with fresh whipped cream and a delicious chocolate sauce!
The pizza is, hands down, the best on WDW property and not hard to get a same day reservation or walk up (in my experience). The pizza always hits the stop especially after walking most of the day.
Amazing dinner, the food was simply delicious. A special thanks to Nicholas, our server, who made our dinner. Thanks to him, it was the best meal of our lives.
Hmmmm… We’ve got ADRs coming in May for Tutto Italia. I was on the fence as to which Italy restaurant to visit. Now I’m back to “waffle-mode”! Help! XD
“I’ve never encountered calamari I didn’t like.” Agreed! Bring me mountains of it!
Thanks so much for the revision review. I hadn’t read the original. We are headed to Via Napoli in May and honestly I was thinking of cancelling it, we had never been there and we didn’t know whether we would like it. Your review has made me feel much better about our decision to try the restaurant. Thanks for the review.
Tracy
it is definitely worth a try! we love it!
I agree with you about the price. Yes $30+ for pizza is pricey but if you figure all 3 of us are eating it is only a little over $10 per person. Pretty reasonable. I disagree with Jeff about the desserts. The Zeppolle has been haunting me since I last had them in Nov! Yes I will be eating them in a few days!
We have eaten here twice since this review, and it was MUCH better both times. This review is due for a revision. I’d rate Via Napoli a 9.5/10 now.
As a NY Italian, I feel I am an authority on pizza and all Italian food. Via Napoli is fantastic and blows Tutto Italia (which is mediocre) out of the water. From what I understand, cooking a large pie is different from an individual one (it cooks differently in the over because of its size). Also, I’ve read complaints about Via Napoli pizza being “undercooked” — that’s how it’s supposed to be! Most pizza places overcook their pies.
I also sampled a pasta dish while there — also excellent. Homemade ricotta cheese, which makes a lot of difference.
Tom, you compare it to pizza places in Chicago. I hope you’re not comparing Neapolitan style pizza to that awful “deep dish” that Chicago is famous for (along with crooked politicians), are you?
Not to start a debate on a subject completely irrelevant to Tom’s excellent review, but, the last time I looked, New York (whose style of pizza I do prefer) wasn’t exactly wanting in the crooked politician department!
Thank you! I was looking for a NY/Italian pizza review. I have ADR for Tutto Italia for my upcoming trip in January. I wasn’t sure where to eat, but didn’t want to risk the pizza here, if it is “Florida Pizza”. I think I might switch my reservation.
Ha! DeepDish and ThinCrust are both great (prefer thin myself). You can’t really compare the two; akin to comparing Bagels to Croissants. While both are bread, they’re practically 2 different food groups.
We had an ADR here for the last night of our trip back in March. The ADR was for our large party of nine, and Via Napoli handle our group with ease. We had at times two to three Cast Members tending to our table. We were using the Dining Plan and I myself found it to be a great value. The entree were any of the pizza selections in a personal size, or any other entree on the menu. The desserts were your classic Italian desserts, with none really shining above the rest. All-in-All I think it was a great stop along the trip and a restaurant I will definitely be visiting again. 🙂 Great post!
hi jeff;
thanks for taking the time to write a review of the via napoli restaurant at epcot; my husband and i (both late 50’s and retired) visited disney last september when via napoli was doing a soft opening and only accepting walk ins; we had planned to eat at via napoli on the last night of our 14 night vacation but had a last minute change of heart and ended up getting into les chef de france instead; we loved the meal at the french restaurant! now we are returning to disney in september of 2011 and have booked ADR at both les chef de france and via napoli; since we are using the dining plan (which is free in september) we will definately get good value for our $$$ and i’m looking forward to trying the pizza as the pizza at pizza planet and pizzafari doesn’t look at that great; we always like to try new places at disney and enjoy the atmosphere as much as the food
We managed to get a walk up table for 4 adults and a baby on a Friday afternoon in late February. We lucked out and just happened to show up at the perfect time. We got the 1/2 meter with pepperoni and loved it. I wouldn’t go as far as saying it was the best pizza I have ever had but i would say it is up on the top of my list. I noticed and could taste the difference in the dough, but I also knew about the place before hand. Definitively better than any pizza I have had down here in South Florida but may compare more to some good pizza in NYC. We didn’t try anything else so I cant say anything about the rest of the food but I would still recommend trying it at least once.
Also they have a walk up counter that is to the left of the front entrance to the restaurant but rumor is that its not the same pizza that they serve at the sit down portion, not sure how true that is though.
Thanks for the review and photos Tom!
I do believe that Via Napoli offers the best pizza in WDW.
I’ve only enjoyed the small individual size pies but they have been fantastic each and every time.
The flavors and textures were spot on and it had a fresh taste overall.
If you prefer a thick to medium crust and/or softer texture then this pie will not make the top of your list.
Give the strawberry fresca a try as they are quite delicious albeit pricey.
Love the blog.