Brick Oven Pizza

Bringing some " buds" into the city.

We are V & N guys. 84th & Pulaski. ONLY

Choices:

Spacca Napoli??
Pizzeria da Nella on Fullerton??

NO COAL FIRE !!!!!!!!

Thanks,

Wally Wade

The Neapolitan pizzas are nothing like Vito & Nicks if that's the type of experience you're looking for. They apply toppings sparingly to an individual-size pizza and cook for a couple of minutes, tops. You get a crisper toasted outer crust and a barely cooked middle which is chewier. Serio on Belmont is very good, but that may not be what you're looking for either.

if you want something like Vito & Nick's I would suggest Marie's on Lawrence near Pulaski

I think the OP is looking for recommendations for brick oven pizza while stating they are normally Vito & Nick's patrons.

Wally-

I've only been to Spacca Napoli so can only speak to that. I really enjoyed the pizza there. You might see what others say in the threads about SN and Nella's:

Pizzeria da Nella Cucina Napoletana
Spacca Napoli

Let us know where you end up and how you liked it!

We are NOT looking for a V & N experience. Or anything similiar.

Looking strictly for Brick Oven.
I've been to Spacca. It's ok. Been to Coal Fire.
The owner of Pizzera De Nella was the former lead cook at Spacca, So I've read.

If you been to both, appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks,
Wally Wade

gruppo di amici

far northside and right on the redline Jarvis stop - open thursday through sunday

can really only speak to the pizza - always happiest when we stick with the delicious margherita pizza - no frills - just solid and consistent.

http://www.gruppodiamici.com/
1508 West Jarvis Avenue Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 508-5565

There is a great neighborhood place that makes terrific, authentic brick oven pizza:

Pizza Art Cafe
4658 N Rockwell St
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 539-0645

(This is not Art of Pizza, BTW.)

The owner is Bosnian, I believe, and he fell in love with traditional Italian pizza. The bonus is that you also can order for the table the little Bosnian sausages called cevapicici. Ignore the pastas. It has a small but nice dining room and is BYO. Service can be a little slow, so order an app (like brushetta) and be patient.

They take reservations for groups, I believe. For afterward, there are lots of good bars (some with German beers on tap) a few blocks to the east. And Red Lion is a pub within a block or two.

walter wade wrote:We are NOT looking for a V & N experience. Or anything similiar.

Looking strictly for Brick Oven.
I've been to Spacca. It's ok. Been to Coal Fire.
The owner of Pizzera De Nella was the former lead cook at Spacca, So I've read.

If you been to both, appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks,
Wally Wade

Been to both multiple times, and I prefer Nella. Both use high quality ingredients, but I prefer the crust at Nella . . . much less soggy/flimsy in the middle.

walter wade wrote:Looking strictly for Brick Oven.
I've been to Spacca. It's ok. Been to Coal Fire.
The owner of Pizzera De Nella was the former lead cook at Spacca, So I've read.

If you been to both, appreciate your thoughts.

I find the pizzas at Spacca Napoli and Pizzeria da Nella to be quite similar (but agree with BR's comments above). If you think SN's is okay I'd be surprised if you didn't think PdN's is okay too. I think they're both among the best in the city. Here are a couple Margheritas so you can do a visual comparison.

Spacca Napoli


Pizzeria da Nella


Spacca Napoli
1769 W Sunnyside Av
Chicago
773-878-2420
http://spaccanapolipizzeria.com/

Pizzeria da Nella
1443 W Fullerton Av
Chicago
773-281-6600
http://pizzeriadanella.com/

As mentioned above both Spacca and Nella's practice the art of traditional Neapolitan pizza and are very much alike (no surprise there, since Nella used to be Spacca's pizzaiola). I like them both but, unlike the above two comments, I prefer Spacca since I don't mind a bit of a soggy center and I think the higher quality ingredients (the bufala, in particular) at SN are applied with a more liberal hand. But both are excellent examples of the breed, if that's what you are looking for. (I prefer the ambience of Spacca, too, which is light, airy, hospitable, and somewhat unique, as opposed to the interior of Nella's which is a little bit more functional bar-restaurant with an oven attached.)

Completely agree! De Nella's crust never dissapoints, no need for me to go to Spacca or Coal Fire anymore (which I used to do often). De Nella has become my go to spot for any pizza fix, even replacing Great Lake. I disagree that PDN and Spacca are basically the same, to me the obvious difference is the crust and I disagree Spacca has better toppings, if anything the sausage and veggies at PDN to me are superior.

BR wrote:

walter wade wrote:We are NOT looking for a V & N experience. Or anything similiar.

Looking strictly for Brick Oven.
I've been to Spacca. It's ok. Been to Coal Fire.
The owner of Pizzera De Nella was the former lead cook at Spacca, So I've read.

If you been to both, appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks,
Wally Wade

Been to both multiple times, and I prefer Nella. Both use high quality ingredients, but I prefer the crust at Nella . . . much less soggy/flimsy in the middle.

I must say that after having dined at Nella and Lazza Pizza in the last week, I might even slightly prefer the crust at Lazza . . . absolutely worth checking out, though not in the city.

Although I would not put in same league as Spacca Napoli, Pizzeria Serio at Belmont +Paulina has become our go to carry out pizza place (new baby, not an indictment on atmosphere of restaurant). Just another option to consider, more of a bar type vibe than a restaurant with decent beer list.

Decided on Pizzeria Da Nella. Lunch yesterday.
Very enjoyable. Casual, friendly atmosphere.

3 guys.
Split 2 salads. Also Margherita Pizza and Funghi Salsicia. Very Good !! + 2 bottles of wine.

Will go back.
Wally Wade