Napoli Ristorante & Pizzeria in Niagara Falls

When visiting Niagara Falls, Canada, I like to avoid many of the touristy restaurants in the honeymoon capital since they often underwhelm with over-priced, low quality meals. When I read about Napoli Ristorante & Pizzeria, a Niagara Falls institution that has been around for over 30 years, I knew I wanted to taste their authentic Italian menu options.

You might pass by Napoli Ristorante & Pizzeria despite being located on the high-traffic corner of Stanley Avenue and Ferry Street, since the building facade is easily overlooked. Once inside, you’ll discover a lively ambiance with helpful staff moving briskly from room to room, ensuring that guests are properly served.

We arrived early for dinner having made no reservation during mid-week in September and were quickly seated. We noticed, however, that the restaurant filled up quickly within the next 45 minutes so if you plan to visit Napoli Ristorante after 6:30 p.m., you will probably need a reservation.

Our charming server quickly brought us water and took our drinks order. My dining partner opted for a glass of Semi-Dry Riesling from Vineland, $8.95. She really enjoyed the vintage and found it sufficiently sweet. We were then provided with fresh, homemade bread and a spicy, basil-infused olive oil, which had lots of kick.

For an appetizer, we decided to split the Caesar Salad, $10. The salad features freshly grated parmesan slices, crisp romaine leaves and a garlic cream dressing. Delicious! The portion size was quite generous too.

My dining partner opted for the Pollo Ripieno, $26, which is chicken with a roasted butternut squash stuffing in a shallot white wine demi. The chicken was very tender and its flavour was enhanced by the wine sauce. Green beans cooked to a perfect al dente and herb-encrusted red-skinned potatoes accompanied the dish.

I chose the Rustica Pizza with roasted red peppers, zucchini, roasted garlic, artichokes, potatoes and mozzarella, $16. The pizza has a thin crust with a delicious, chewy crust edge. I love that the vegetables were all thinly sliced. As tasty as it was, I couldn’t finish it and ended up taking several pieces home.

Although Napoli Ristorante is what I refer to as “casually elegant,” the noise level can get quite high due to the number of families with small children that were at the restaurant. This underscores the fact that this longtime Niagara Falls restaurant is truly family-oriented.

I’m so glad we decided to try Napoli Ristorante & Pizzeria on Ferry Street. The experience was a testament to why this Niagara Falls restaurant has stood the test of time. The food and service were superior and the environment was relaxed yet elegant. I highly recommend visiting Napoli Ristorante & Pizzeria if you are looking for an authentic restaurant among the food chains in Niagara Falls.

Napoli Ristorante & Pizzeria, 5485 Ferry Street, 905-356-3345