Port Foody Kids: Pizzeria Spacca Napoli
Authentic Neapolitan pizza, just like you would find in Naples, is hard to find amongst all the puffy overstuffed doughy crusts and tasteless cheese of the too-many-to-count chain restaurants that serve North Americanized versions of pizza. It can be hard for the small pizza place to compete against the advertising budgets of national and multinational fast food pizza joints. Port Moody’s family-owned Pizzeria Spacca Napoli has the best advertising campaign of all, its superb wood-fired pizza in a truly Italian setting.
School had just finished for the year and Port Foody Kids couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than to head down to Spacca Napoli’s prime location on St Johns Street. Its interior reflects both the classical Neapolitan pizza parlour, while also giving a modern contemporary feel. Even the lavatories give you that Italian feel (not just because of the wallpaper). Today we sit inside because of the heatwave but from experience dining on the patio, even there you can sense the modern, yet rustic feel of Naples. Plus, even if it is a miserable rainy day (typical for Vancouver), the patio is still very comfortable because of the exterior heating.
Spacca Napoli uses fresh local and imported Italian ingredients in its closely guarded traditional recipes. Run by three Italian-Canadians with “deep roots in southern Italy” (as the Spacca Napoli website states) the food follows traditions, ensuring that you get the true taste of southern Italy. Davide Di Giovanni, Danny Pero, and Paolo Pero started the restaurant in 2016 and since then it has skyrocketed to the top of the Metro Vancouver pizza game, winning multiple awards, and gaining huge amounts of press. Spacca Napoli has also scored very well with its patrons, getting positive reviews on many review sites not only for its food but for its very nice and friendly staff.
The menu is very traditional, and 100% Italian. A single glance at it will make your mouth water. When it came time to order, I went with a favorite combo of mine. I started with the amazing Bruschetta with the most flavourful combination of balsamic vinegar, cherry tomatoes and basil on an extra crispy version of Spacca’s pizza dough. I also couldn’t resist getting an order of Fritelle, a savoury Neapolitan street food made of deep-fried dough served with fresh tomato sauce for dipping. Of course, I shared these with my dinner companions. For my main course I ordered a Margherita pizza, and a nice cold bottle of Coca-Cola. The Margherita looks a bit intimidating at the start, but really is easy to gobble down after cutting the pizza with a large pair of scissors (another unique restaurant feature). After swallowing my last bite of pizza followed by a swig of Coke, I eagerly took to the dessert menu. I ended up ordering the Tiramisu. I would say that the Tiramisu is worth the price, because of how delicious it is – I can’t even find the words to describe it. I find that it is very consistent, but also it never seems to not surprise me every time I order it. As I left the restaurant, I only had one thought in mind. More.
When I was walking to Spacca Napoli on my most recent visit, I thought it might have lost some of its grace. After all, it had been a year since I last visited. But, when I was sat at that table and I took my first bite, I realized that Spacca Napoli had kept its standard up. Then, on my walk home, I knew that Spacca Napoli was now one of the staples of Port Moody, and one of the reasons why we have come to know Port Moody as Port Foody.