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Via Napoli vs real NY pizza?
- Thread starter Jess G
- Start date
hey guysI have a holder reservation for my epcot day... not sure if I just want to snack around the world this day for lunch or visit Via Napoli.... I am from NY so I'm used to good pizza. I hear people rave about via napoli, but now that I moved to SC I can see why someone from here would rave about any pizza that does not come from here (unless you're really interested in dominos
I don't want to go there and be disappointed
Any input from anyone who has tried both?
New York Pizza is not good pizza, says this person transplanted to Chicago, but whether I agree that New York pizza is good isn't actually relevant to answering your question.
Via Napoli pizza is very different from New York pizza, and very different from Chicago pizza, and very different from the Detroit deep dish that I grew up on. Different enough that you're better off not thinking of it as the same food. It's like comparing a New York reuben with corned beef piled high, sauerkraut and swiss on grilled rye to a turkey, avocado, and cranberry concoction on nine-grain wheat. Although they are both sandwiches, they are so different that I wouldn't really think one is a substitute for the other.
I enjoyed Via Napoli very much, but if you are of the view that pizza is better the more it is like New York pizza, you'll be disappointed -- it's not like that at all.
Chicago pizza isn't really pizza so there is that...
Eddie Garrison
Well-Known Member
Hey, a level headed response
Why do people want everything to be just like [insert regional area] meals? If you wanted that, then go to that region and eat that type of meal. Many times it's difficult to recreate a regional meal outside of said region due to many contributing factors. Such as chef/cook, recipe knowledge, water quality, ingredient accessibility, etc.
I typically will not get involved in discussions of this nature as it is all just a matter of opinion. Your opinion of one type of food may not be someone else's on the same type of meal.
I understand New York has a lot of great restaurants. I lived there four times in various areas of New York City and dined at many great locations. Thoroughly enjoyed the majority of them. However, just as any other area, they were not all my favourites when it came to certain meal types. My opinion of course and that's all it is. Opinion.
Is Via Napli's pizza the best ever? No.
Is it awful and uneatable? Not at all.
Agree until your last statement lolHey, a level headed response
Why do people want everything to be just like [insert regional area] meals? If you wanted that, then go to that region and eat that type of meal. Many times it's difficult to recreate a regional meal outside of said region due to many contributing factors. Such as chef/cook, recipe knowledge, water quality, ingredient accessibility, etc.
I typically will not get involved in discussions of this nature as it is all just a matter of opinion. Your opinion of one type of food may not be someone else's on the same type of meal.
I understand New York has a lot of great restaurants. I lived there four times in various areas of New York City and dined at many great locations. Thoroughly enjoyed the majority of them. However, just as any other area, they were not all my favourites when it came to certain meal types. My opinion of course and that's all it is. Opinion.
Is Via Napli's pizza the best ever? No.
Is it awful and uneatable? Not at all.
Eddie Garrison
Well-Known Member
BuddyThomas
Well-Known Member
That's my partner, Phil. I was taking the picture, ha ha.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Hey, a level headed response
Why do people want everything to be just like [insert regional area] meals? If you wanted that, then go to that region and eat that type of meal. Many times it's difficult to recreate a regional meal outside of said region due to many contributing factors. Such as chef/cook, recipe knowledge, water quality, ingredient accessibility, etc.
I typically will not get involved in discussions of this nature as it is all just a matter of opinion. Your opinion of one type of food may not be someone else's on the same type of meal.
I understand New York has a lot of great restaurants. I lived there four times in various areas of New York City and dined at many great locations. Thoroughly enjoyed the majority of them. However, just as any other area, they were not all my favourites when it came to certain meal types. My opinion of course and that's all it is. Opinion.
Is Via Napli's pizza the best ever? No.
Is it awful and uneatable? Not at all.
Agreed. There are dishes that are made differently, that some people like and some people don't like, and then there are dishes that are just plan bad that I can't imagine anybody liking.
I put Via Napoli in the first group - at least in my experiences. Note that this is also in the lense of WDW dining. I find very little WDW worth the money. Much of the food there is passable, middle of the road fare. When you add the price into the mix, I would say just about every restaruant in WDW (V&A being the exception) is one that I would pass on if it had the same food at the same prices around here. There are bars in this area that have better food at much lower prices that most WDW restaruant.
As far as WDW dining is concerened, Via Napoli is good. Take it outside of WDW and it is medicore at best.
-dave
Eddie Garrison
Well-Known Member
100% agree.
Never understood why people expect something over the moon for Disney dinning. It's never been a "foodies" must do destination. The food at Disney is fine for the most part. Nothing overly outstanding, to me anyway. Other than V&A's as you already stated.
And I agree there are bars around this area (Dr. Phillips especially) that have better food for much less money than most offerings at Disney. Now we enjoy dining at Disney don't get me wrong. Some very good meals over the years & visits.
xdan0920
Think for yourselfer
Interestingly, Via Napoli is serving a regional dish. Their pizza is prepared in the Neapolitan way. If you like Neapolitan pizza, you will probably like Via Napoli.
Eddie Garrison
Well-Known Member
I meant actually in the region of where the food is originally from, not a "regional dish" in that aspect. My apologies if it read that way.
What I was trying to convey was if you like NY Style Pizza then go to New York & don't look for or compare other pizza types not in New York if that is the style you are looking for.
The thread is titled 'Via Napoli vs. Real NY Pizza'. Though just as you stated, Via Napoli is not that style. As such, there would be no comparison as you are comparing two different styles of food/pizza.
xdan0920
Think for yourselfer
True. They aren't really comparable. In so much as fried shrimp can't really be compared to Shrimp Scampi. However, I think you could say....If you like New York Style Pizza, then odds are, you will find Neapolitan style enjoyable. They are similar enough, that the odds are in that favor. I think.
Eddie Garrison
Well-Known Member
njDizFan
Well-Known Member
Ah a Pizza discussion that is something I can sink my teeth into:
As a former Pizza restaurant owner and self proclaimed connoisseur I certainly have my feelings regarding this topic. But what it comes down to is that pizza is a true comfort food and the style you grew up with is always going to be the one that your prefer and call "real" pizza.
There is just so many factors in creating a dish that is essentially bread with stuff on it. The amount of gluten used in the flour and how long you let it rise is a big factor(from a raised dough to an almost unleavened cracker). Cooked vs raw sauce. Direct on the bricks or screen or metal pan or thick pan. Pushed or tossed, 500 degree gas over or 900 degree wood fire etc etc. Even the age and maker of the oven makes a difference(Blodgett vs Bakers Pride-single deck/double deck) What it comes down to is they all can be delicious and each style has good and bad purveyors. Even in NY there is a wide range of styles from Joes in the West Village(wood fired) to the classic foldable crust.
I love them all but I will always take the slightly chewy style you would find in NJ/NY. With a perfect cheese to sauce ratio.
As a former Pizza restaurant owner and self proclaimed connoisseur I certainly have my feelings regarding this topic. But what it comes down to is that pizza is a true comfort food and the style you grew up with is always going to be the one that your prefer and call "real" pizza.
There is just so many factors in creating a dish that is essentially bread with stuff on it. The amount of gluten used in the flour and how long you let it rise is a big factor(from a raised dough to an almost unleavened cracker). Cooked vs raw sauce. Direct on the bricks or screen or metal pan or thick pan. Pushed or tossed, 500 degree gas over or 900 degree wood fire etc etc. Even the age and maker of the oven makes a difference(Blodgett vs Bakers Pride-single deck/double deck) What it comes down to is they all can be delicious and each style has good and bad purveyors. Even in NY there is a wide range of styles from Joes in the West Village(wood fired) to the classic foldable crust.
I love them all but I will always take the slightly chewy style you would find in NJ/NY. With a perfect cheese to sauce ratio.
MrHappy
Well-Known Member
I enjoyed Via Napoli very much. I'm a New Haven pizza snob, my wife is from Queens and swears on NY pizza. But guess what... we enjoyed Via Napoli too. All three different. I really liked the texture of the Via Napoli pizza, very good dough. Found it just chewy enough with good "bite." I don't recall any toppings issue, but just loved the dough/crust so much. They "import" the water from Italy I believe - or they found the exact same minerals/etc in the water somewhere in the US (as in Italy) and use that. From what I know about the art of pizza making, water is important apparently.
For the loud service, yeah, it's the Italy pavilion (I'm Italian).
For the loud service, yeah, it's the Italy pavilion (I'm Italian).
JillC LI
Well-Known Member
We usually enjoy Anthony Coal Oven Pizza in Garden City, but I'll have to give Salvatore's a try! Thanks for the rec.
Eddie Garrison
Well-Known Member
We live down the street, less than a quarter of a mile from the Anthony's in Dr. Phillips. We enjoy their food as well.
Tony the Tigger
Well-Known Member
Chicago pizza isn't really pizza so there is that...
It's cake!
MissM
Well-Known Member
It's a casserole. LOL (I tease my husband who likes Chicago "Deep Dish" style pizza that it's a casserole, not a pizza.)Chicago pizza isn't really pizza so there is that...
I personally quite enjoy Via Napoli. I love the Quattro Formaggi and look forward to it. We just had it for lunch last Saturday (pre-Toad the Wet Sprocket lunch) and it was super yummy as always. It's not quite NY style and it's definitely not deep dish. Both my husband and I like it and we have wildly different preferences in pizza normally. It has the slightly buttery flavor to the cheese he likes and the thinner crust I like. I know some people aren't fans but I like it a lot. I just enjoy it every time we've been. Maybe it's just because it's different from what I can find locally to me here in Tampa, but I really look forward to it when we go.
BuddyThomas
Well-Known Member
Great post! What was your restaurant?