• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Tiny Urban Kitchen
  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Me
    • Travel
    • Recipes
    • Michelin
    • Subscribe
    • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » US Travel » Orlando

    Via Napoli Disney World

    Published: May 5, 2015 by Jennifer Che

    wpid18077-DSC1403.jpg
    This is the third post in the Weekend Getaway to Orlando series. Other posts include Eating Around the World at Epcot World Showcase and L'Artisan des Glaces (Epcot Center). It is also the part of the #21PostsInMay Challenge.

    One of the best (if not, the best) meals we had inside any Disney park would have to be our dinner at Via Napoli in the Italian Pavilion. Via Napoli was built in 2010, after organizers canceled an initial plan to build a gondola ride and Roman ruins. Architects from Florence designed the dramatic looking restaurant, incorporating Florentine architecture, hand-painted Italian tiles on the tables, and imported ceramics.
    wpid18187-DSC1407.jpg
    wpid18087-DSC1398.jpg
    The CEO of the restaurant group who opened Via Napoli, Nick Valenti, based the restaurant on his travels through Southern Italy. Valenti is obsessed about pizza, having spent time in Naples studying the art of dough, sauce, and crust at some of the city's most famous pizzerias. He applies that same level of obsession to the pizza at Via Napoli in Disney World.
    wpid18075-DSC1404.jpg
    For instance, the pizza dough at Via Napoli is made with caputo flour from Southern Italy and spring water from Pennsylvania. Additional minerals are added to the Pennsylvania spring water in order to match the composition of Naples spring water as closely as possible.
    wpid18081-DSC1401.jpg
    Pizzas are briefly fired in one of the three wood-burning ovens. The ovens pay tribute to Italy's three active volcanoes: Mt. Etna, Mt. Vesuvio, and Mt. Stromboli. Each face represents the Roman god after which the volcano is named.
    wpid18079-DSC1402.jpg
    Toppings are very authentic, like a Prosciutto and Melon Pizza, a simple Margherita Pizza, or the Capricciosa Pizza, which consists of tomato sauce, eggplant, artichokes, ham, mushrooms, mozzarella. The Capricciosa Pizza holds a special place in my heart because Bryan and I first discovered it when we dined at a restaurant in Rome (called "La Cappricciosa")that claimed to be the inventor of the pizza.
    wpid18073-DSC1405.jpg
    Pizzas come in three sizes: individual pizzas (12 inches diameter) cost $19; large pizzas ( which are said to serve 2-3 people) cost $31. You can get even larger pan pizzas that serve 4-5 people, for $41 (like the large family is having above).
    wpid18095-DSC1395.jpg
    We decided to get a large pizza with two different toppings: a simple Margherita (San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil) and our beloved Capricciosa (tomato sauce, eggplant, artichokes, ham, mushrooms, and mozzarella).

    The pizza was perfectly cooked, with a gorgeous thin and bubbly crust and perfect spotting on the bottom.
    wpid18089-DSC1397.jpg
    I loved the crust. That special flour and water really do make a difference! It was super thin, had excellent flavor, and perfect texture. We totally did not expect to eat the whole pizza (uhhh, meant to serve 2-3 people), but we did!

    We just couldn't stop eating it.
    wpid18189-DSC1394.jpg
    We had even ordered some Arancini ($11) to start, fried risotto balls filled with mozzarella & meat ragù. Frankly speaking, the arancini was fine, but underwhelming compared to the pizzas (and not as good as the ones at Basta Pasta, still among my favorites!).

    I would just save your stomach space for the pizzas, which are really, really special.
    wpid18083-DSC1400.jpg
    If you're in Disney World at Epcot Center, I would highly, highly recommend coming here. I think it is one of the best restaurants inside all four park. I was really impressed by the quality of the pizzas. They are among the best and most authentic Neapolitan pizzas I've had in the U.S.

    Via Napoli Disney World
    Italian Pavilion, Epcot Center

    More Orlando

    • My Favorite Dishes from Orlando + the Orlando Zagat Guide!
    • Be Our Guest Disneyworld
    • Blue Zoo Orlando by Todd English - Disney Dolphin Resort
    • Jiko the Cooking Place (Animal Kingdom Lodge)

    Recent Posts

    • Les Enfants du Marche Paris March 18, 2023
    • Wong Kee Restaurant 旺記打冷小菜館 March 14, 2023
    • Frenchie Wine Bar (Frenchie Bar à Vins) March 13, 2023
    • Dublin Ireland Trip Report March 12, 2023
    • Palazzo Parigi Milan, Italy March 9, 2023
    • Ricard Camarena Valencia Spain February 28, 2023
    • chez Alain Miam Miam - Best sandwich in Paris France February 15, 2023
    • La Salita Valencia Spain January 16, 2023

    Reader Interactions

    Trackbacks

    1. Happy New Year! A Look Back at 2015 - Part I - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      January 5, 2016 at 10:40 am

      […] from L’Artisan des Glaces (French Pavillion) and the phenomenal Neapolitan pizza at Via Napoli (Italian Pavillion).  I was also impressed with the South African dishes at Jiko, the Cooking […]

      Log in to Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen
    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

    More about me →

    Explore

    • Recipe
    • Restaurant
    • US Travel
    • World Travel

    Popular Posts

    • Les Enfants du Marche Paris
    • Wong Kee Restaurant 旺記打冷小菜館
    • Frenchie Wine Bar (Frenchie Bar à Vins)
    • Ireland
      Dublin Ireland Trip Report

    Recipes

    • Appetizer
    • Snacks
    • Meat
    • Vegetables
    • Soup
    • Salad
    • Seafood
    • Noodles

    Recently Traveled

    • Hong Kong
    • France
    • Belgium
    • Boston
    • California
    • United Kingdom
    • Germany
    • Spain

    Support Us

    Recognition


    Featured on the front page
    of the FOOD Section: 2015

    Best Food Blog Awards:
    Restaurant & Dining 2012

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • My Equipment
    • In the Press
    • Project Food Blog
    • Privacy Policy

    Eating Guides!

    Eating & Travel Guides
    Trip Reports
    "Kawaii" (Cute Foods)
    Around the World

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Mail
    • RSS Feed

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Shop at Amazon

    Copyright © 2022 Tiny Urban Kitchen