A true taste of Naples in Rosebank with Napz Pizzeria Napoletana

Time Out

4 days ago

Open for lunch and dinner between 12h00 and 20h30, Napz offers both dine-in options as well as Uber Eats deliveries – that is, until they sell out each day. It's a perfect spot for a family lunch, a casual early date night, or an unforgettable event.
Napz isn't just another pizza joint. They serve vera pizza Napoletana, meaning 'authentic Neopolitan pizza'. The owner, Enrico Adinolfi, trained in Naples at the AVPN (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana) and ensures that Napz only uses imported Italian ingredients of the highest calibre.
Family-owned and run, Enrico and Viviana are the husband-and-wife duo that make the magic happen, though you're likely to see their son, Maximus, playing somewhere in the restaurant too. Their families hail from a town in southern Italy, Cava de' Tirreni, an hour from Naples.
'Our Italian heritage brings that understanding and that connection to Italy in what we do. We understand what a Neapolitan pizza is. We've trained in it. We've been certified in it, and the staff have been trained [by me] in the exact same training from Naples,' Enrico says. 'We use techniques that have been passed down generation by generation from the pizzerias in Naples, which the AVPN safeguards.'
The AVPN process includes strict guidelines on how to make an authentic Neopolitan pizza, from the flour to the dough-making to the ingredient selection. Turns out vera pizza-making is vera (ha) serious business. If you want some light entertainment, just get Enrico started on the topic of Instagram-famous pizzas or charred crusts.
Napz' signature dishes are their margherita and marinara pizzas. 'They're the most classic pizzas that you'll find in Naples all over the place, no matter where you go.' It's also worth ordering the pizza fritta, fried pieces of pizza dough, a classic street food in Naples. My go-to is the crammed calzone, the stuff of dreams, if dreams are dipped in slow-cooked tomato sugo.
They're not selling alcohol just yet, but you won't miss it when the non-alcoholic Aperol Spritz tastes almost like the real deal. I'll be back for the amarena soda, a refreshing cherry Fizz Pop in a glass. When summer rolls around, I'll be opting for a slushy granita instead, choosing between lemon or orange, to enjoy al fresco on their patio. 'The granita reminds you of summers in Naples, where you've got a lot of lemonata stands serving fresh granita on the hot days on the road,' Enrico says.
Enrico and Viviana brought Naples culture into the relaxed space through various artworks and artefacts they've picked up on their travels. The space is decorated with a clear love for the city, from the depiction of old men playing a classic card game in the streets to various Italian sayings you're likely to hear around Naples, like 'tutto bene' (all good), 'sciò 'sciò' (chasing away bad luck) and 'famm' 'na pizza' (make me a pizza).
That tongue-in-cheek humour is in the name and logo too. 'If you're a Neapolitan, in slang they would say you're a 'Nap'. We put z at the end for, you know, pizza. And then our logo takes inspiration from Pulcinella, a folklore figure in Neapolitan culture that stands for a carefree life, not worried about rules, taking everything in his stride…and a little bit mischievous.'
Visit Napz at the Rosebank Quarter, 9 Walter Street on 158 Jan Smuts Avenue, Monday through Saturday between 12h00 and 20h30.