thekittchen

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Privacy Statement
  • Recipes
    • breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Appetizer
    • Side Dish
    • Dessert
    • Cocktails
  • Travel
  • Home
  • Life
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Press
    • Press Page
    • Services
    • Speaking Engagements
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Privacy Statement
  • Recipes
    • breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Appetizer
    • Side Dish
    • Dessert
    • Cocktails
  • Travel
  • Home
  • Life
  • Videos
  • Shop
  • Press
    • Press Page
    • Services
    • Speaking Engagements
×
Home » chicago restaurants

Pizza with Eataly and Spacca Napoli Pizzeria

Published: May 7, 2014 · Modified: Jun 21, 2018 by Kit · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

IMG_7201

When Eataly invites me to an event, I always say yes. When the event involves doing a side by side taste test of pizza, I feel extra lucky. On Monday I had the chance to try Eataly's pizza and Spacca Napoli's pizza side by side. Spacca Napoli is a pizzeria in Ravenwood that for one night only was serving pizza along with Eataly's pizzeria Rossopomodoro.

IMG_7209

Both pizzerias specialize in Neapolitan style pizza. Classic Neapolitan style pizza is comprised of few, carefully selected ingredients, such as San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and simply made dough that rises overnight. Of course each pizzeria has their own way of making Neopolitan style pizza. Some crusts are slightly thicker than others, and the proportions of cheese and tomato sauce are always different.

Both Rossopomodoro (the name of Eataly's pizzeria) and Spacca Napoli cook their pizzas in wood fired ovens. The heat is so strong that the pizzas cook in just 60-90 seconds. My pizza was in front of me less than 10 minutes after it was ordered. The heat from the wood fired oven is what makes the crust crisp on the outside and doughy in the middle. This is the crust that I want when I am having pizza.

IMG_7205

The point of the event wasn't to decide if one pizza is better than the other, but rather to appreciate two local eateries interpretation of Neapolitan style pizza. I found that Eataly's pizza (pictured above) had a slightly thicker crispier crust, and more sauce. It has almost equal proportions of cheese and sauce. I generally like pizzas with more sauce, but this sauce was so flavorful that I didn't mind that some bites didn't have cheese. Rossopomodoro finishes the pizza by drizzling olive oil over the crust which was a nice touch, and I ate every bite.

The Spacca Napoli pizza had a doughier chewier crust, and more cheese. They also added a small ball of mozzarella in the center of the pizza once it had cooked. I really loved the textural difference between the melted cheese and the ball of cheese. The cheese was definitely the star of the show on the Spacca Napoli pizza, with the crust and sauce - which were both superb playing a supporting role.

One thing I learned is that buffalo mozzarella is the best. It is so rich and creamy, and it melts beautifully. It is clear to me that both pizzerias are using top notch ingredients, and I could taste the difference. Eataly and Spacca Napoli are in very different parts of the city, and I loved how two restaurants that some may consider to be competitors came together and spent a night collaborating, and feeding me. I strongly recommend both Eataly's Rossopompodoro and Spacca Napoli.

Eataly is located at 43 East Ohio in Chicago's River North
Spacca Napoli is located at 1769 West Sunnyside Avenue in Ravenswood

More chicago restaurants

  • Nic + Junior's Chicago
  • The Salt Shed Chicago: A Complete Guide
  • Best Chicago Neighborhood Markets
  • Where to Buy Products Stocked at Foxtrot and Dom's

Comments

  1. Anne [A Squared] says

    May 07, 2014 at 11:19 pm

    This sounds like the best dinner ever.
    Reply
  2. Tomissa Porath says

    May 08, 2014 at 12:08 am

    Although I've walked through Eataly, I need to actually eat there soon!
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Welcome!

Welcome! I'm Kit and The Kittchen is all about my two biggest loves: Food and Travel! Here you can discover delicious and practical everyday recipes, plus travel destinations to feed your wanderlust. Thanks for stopping by!

More about me

Recipes

  • The Best Chicken Chili
  • Brisket Enchiladas 13
    32 Favorite Freezer Meals
  • Easy Recipes for Beginners
  • Buffalo Chicken Dip | Classic buffalo chicken dip served in an edible bread bowl.
    Best Game Day Recipes

Travel

  • Casa Beatnik - A Charming Boutique Hotel in Galicia
  • Kennebunkport Travel Guide | Things to Do in Kennebunkport
  • Nantucket Itinerary for Kids
  • Milwaukee Itinerary for Kids

Home

  • Upgrading Doors on a Budget
  • Cottage-Core Inspired Entryway Design
  • Chicago Balcony Design Reveal
  • Big Plans for Our Back Balcony

Footer

↑ back to top
thekittchen
About
First Time Here?
Contact
Press

Copyright © 2025 The Kittchen. Disclosure and Privacy Policy

  • 97