Via Napoli, Italy Pavilion, Epcot

In Which Jay and Bendy Roll the Dining Dice and End Up with a Cheese Baby!!!

Although Jay and I do enjoy pizza ... and in my case that's an understatement because I could eat pizza every day of my life and never grow weary of it ... we do not usually eat it while we're on vacation since it's something so readily and tastily available at home. But people whose opinion we value kept telling us that Via Napoli, which just opened its doors in August of this year, was serving up some terrific "authentic" Italian-style pizza at Epcot that would make our bellies very happy. Added to that was the lure of their reportedly strong, tasty sangria, available by the pitcher.

Pizza and fruity wine?

What's not to like?

The only potential problem - and considering how wacked the food scene is at Disney during the Food & Wine Festival it was a big problem - was that we didn't have a reservation for Via Napoli because it wasn't on my dining radar before we left Stinktown. If we were going to sample their wares it was going to have to be an early lunchtime visit during the week; in our experience that's about the only time guests without reservations can nab a table at some of the more popular Epcot eateries. On this particular day we were supposed to have visited the Animal Kingdom and then popped over to Sanaa so Jay could enjoy some spicy African-themed cuisine. But we never made it there for a whole host of reasons and that's how we found ourselves in Via Napoli's lobby about ten minutes before they opened for business, asking if there were any way we could have a table for two.

Imagine our happy surprise when the young lady behind the reception desk told us it would be no problem. We were among some of the first guests seated that afternoon, and found ourselves near the back of a very large restaurant at a two-fer table next to a frescoed wall. Via Napoli is bright and open and airy with charming touches designed to make it seem as if guests really are in Italy - terra cotta floors, hand-painted tiles, and the above-mentioned frescoes. But the best design element in the entire place is the wood-fired ovens in which they cook the pizzas. Each oven has been named for one of Italy's famous, or infamous, volcanoes: Stromboli, Vesuvio, and Etna.

Lobby chandelier


Restaurant section we were seated in


Stromboli


Vesuvio takes a punch!


Etna ... belching fiyah!


We had a terrific, friendly serving team - an experienced server as well as a new staff-member he was training. They made some great suggestions and seemed thrilled that Jay and I were going to share a pitcher of sangria, which they both told us was "just like it is at home."

All I can say is wherever those guys are from, they make some damn fine sangria!!

Sangria ... so good!


Because it sounded really refreshing, and our vegetable intake was somewhat lacking on this trip, we split a house salad which included a mix of fresh greens, tomatoes, peppers, and olives with a red wine vinaigrette. I picked around the olives and peppers but thought this was a great start to our meal - the greens were truly fresh and really tasted good while the vinaigrette added a nice tartness. And gawd bless them for not drowning the salad with it, but just lightly drizzling it over the top before tossing everything together. It was perfect!

You don't win friends with salad ...


There was never any doubt that we would share a pizza, but I would like to let everyone know that there are plenty of non-pizza options on Via Napoli's menu. I do think it's important to note, however, that this place is first and foremost a pizzeria - if your primary crave is for pasta I really think you should go next door to Tutto Italia. That's just my take on the Italian dining situation at Epcot and I'm sticking with it! Having said that, Jay and I ordered a large Quattro Formaggi - a wood fired four-cheese pizza made with mozzarella, parmesan, fontina, and provolone.

The portion size was huge for two people, but somehow we managed to put it all away which was why, at the end of the meal, we joked that we were both going to give birth to a cheese baby. And as for taste ... this was honestly one of the best pizzas we've had in a long, long time. The crust was light and crispy while the cheeses blended together in a tangy, flavorful baked pool of goo that made my toes curl with happiness.

Quattro Formaggi


Cheesy does it!!


We're convinced ... Via Napoli is the real deal - tasty, simple food; great service; and a casual, relaxed atmosphere. As long as they stick with their current formula it should be a very successful operation because the menu and setting will likely please just about anyone who walks in the door be they kids or adults. If you love pizza, the next time you visit WDW you have got to give this place a try ... I dare you to be disappointed!