Photograph by Katherine Bish
Imagine you are the owner of one of the city’s most successful Italian restaurants and are offered the proverbial deal you can’t refuse for your long-anticipated second location. What do you do: Duplicate the juggernaut that has kept you top of mind for the last 20 years, or reinvent the wheel and do something avanguardia? In the case of Café Napoli’s Tony Pietoso, let’s just say he has “reinvented the juggernaut.” Napoli 2 has that same gregarious-but-cozy vibe, but this time, with son Ande at the helm, generational differences are evident. Thank Ande that the raw-food display platter stayed behind in Clayton. And that the entire restaurant and bar are smoke-free—here, crescent-shaped bar couches beckon West Countians to dine-and-be-seen, ordering from a menu that’s only similar to Napoli uno. But rest assured, paisans … if your favorite Napoli item missed the cut, Ande is truly Tony’s son—he is on the floor, and he will make it happen.
Address: 1054 Town and Country Crossing
Phone: 636-527-9998
Website: cafenapoli.com
Hours: Mon–Sat 5–11 p.m., Sun 5–9 p.m.
