Located 10 minutes away from Shibuya station, Napolimania offers some of Tokyo's best Italian at a great price. (Eric Guzman/Stars and Stripes)
Located 10 minutes away from Shibuya station, Napolimania offers some of Tokyo's best Italian at a great price. (Eric Guzman/Stars and Stripes)
Gorgonzola e nochi, packed full of hearty cheese flavor, melts in your mouth at Napolimania in Tokyo. (Eric Guzman/Stars and Stripes)
Napolimania's staff are very personable, interacting with customers in English, Japanese and Italian throughout the day. (Eric Guzman/Stars and Stripes)
Napolimania offers appetizers containing some of the freshest produce Tokyo has to offer. Shown here are mozzarella and tomatoes. (Eric Guzman/Stars and Stripes)
Napolimania offers some of Tokyo’s best Italian food at a great price. The pizza is perfect for two guests who want to split a pie. (Eric Guzman/Stars and Stripes)
Finding a good Italian restaurant in Tokyo is no small task. Chain restaurants like Saizeriya pepper the city, and local interpretations of Italian cuisine leave much to be desired, as they’re usually little more than dine-and-dash spaghetti parlors.
Then you have Napolimania. Located 10 minutes of walking distance from Shibuya between Shibuya and Omotesando stations, Napolimania is as authentic an Italian restaurant as you’ll find in Tokyo, run by a pair of Italians who are very, very passionate about making the dining experience one to remember.
The food menu offers something for everyone, with chicken, seafood, pork and vegetarian options available all day, along with the pizzas the eatery is known for.
The restaurant seats close to 20, but there is a second location within walking distance to accommodate larger parties and overflow.
Appetizers at Napolimania are a treat. The pumpkin and pepper spread and the mozzarella and tomato dish options contain some of the freshest produce the city has to offer.
The potato-based gnocchi gorgonzola e nochi primi is surprisingly flavorful; the gnocchi, both fluffy and light on the tongue, seems to melt in your mouth and blend in with the hearty cheeses before you get the chance to chew, while the crumbled walnuts sprinkled throughout add a much-appreciated crunch to the dish.
The wine menu is a mile long, and the ever-friendly waitstaff, who are fluent in English, Japanese and Italian, are ready and eager to help you pair your meals with the perfect palliative upon request.
Menu items run anywhere from 1,000 yen to 2,600 yen, making this location a perfect spot for a great dinner that won’t break the bank when the tab comes.
Napolimania is open from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., then it closes for three hours to change menus and prepare dinner options. It reopens at 5:30 p.m., and closes for the night at 10:30.
guzman.eric@stripes.com
NapolimaniaAddress: 2-7-13
Telephone: 03 3499 4466
Hours: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. daily.
Access: A 10-minute walk from exit B1 Tokyo Metro; also a 10-minute walk from Shibuya Ekimiya Masuzaka exit.
Web: www.napolimania.co.jp.
