Growing up in rural Northeastern Pennsylvania, going out to eat wasn’t just a luxury — it was a community-centric event.
When I walked into Napoli’s and sat down in a booth, nostalgia overcame me. The decor and setting was far from dated, and the restaurant looked and felt completely unique, but somehow I was picturing myself at 9 or ten years old, sitting in a booth at Pizza House with my Mom and her partner.
Pizza House was not remarkable or exceptional from a culinary perspective, but it was exactly what you want and need from a hometown eatery: a good menu where everything is delicious and craveable, attentive friendly service that blurs the boundaries between friendship and work, and the comfort of a welcoming environment.
Napoli’s brings that same feeling. Is it the fanciest, most decadent Italian food in Champaign-Urbana? No, but it’s not trying to be. It’s good cooking. Hearty flavors and an emphasis on comfort.
(Photo by Jake Williams)
My partner and I arrived on a Wednesday night and were greeted right away and brought right to our table. We ordered red wine — there was no wine list or drink menu that I could find — and the server brought an excellent house red. Delight.
For an appetizer, we ordered sliced Italian sausage, which came out fast, hot and doused in a marinara sauce that tasted like it had been simmering for years in the best way.
(Photo by Jake Williams)
The depth of flavor in the flecks of Italian spices and the acidity of the tomato intertwined together to deliver such a comforting bite.
For entrees, we each ordered pasta (my partner’s was gluten-free!). I ordered the Bellissimo Special. The Bellissimo is a perfect dish for someone who is either very indecisive or wants a little bit of everything.
(Photo by Jake Williams)
Stacked with chicken, sausage, peppers, ham, olives and artichoke hearts with a sauce that mixes a white wine cream sauce with the marinara that I loved so much in the sausage appetizer. That massive stack of protein, vegetables and sauce comes on top of al dente house spaghetti. Yum.
My partner was a bit more decisive than I was in what they were craving that day. They ordered the Siciliano Chicken, a hearty dish served over gluten free penne, that brought together juicy chicken with artichoke hearts and capers, along with mushrooms and lemon. Both of us love the hit of acid that things like lemon and capers can bring to a dish, and this was no exception.
(Photo by Jake Williams)
Eating those entrees, we really settled into that feeling I remembered so much from The Pizza House. Despite it being our first time there, we felt like regulars. We felt like we belonged.
The warm, delicious and hearty pasta certainly helped.
We started Chambana Eats here at Illini Media Company because every food story — no matter how complex, gourmet, simple or finicky — is worth telling. That’s exactly why Napoli’s was such a treat. The food wasn’t fussy, it wasn’t anything ornate or glamorous. It was good pasta, good sauces and good flavors. What else can you ask for?
Sometimes when you’re dining out, you just need that. While I love gourmet food, tasting menus and the like, sometimes you need to turn off the brain and just enjoy what’s in front of you. Napoli’s is perfect for that.
The Pizza House in my hometown is no more. The chef and staff that made it so comforting and warming have moved onto other things. Those worn booths are probably in a landfill somewhere, and the menu is only a memory for those who went there.
Napoli’s is going strong. I’m excited for people in our community to feel that feeling for themselves.
When we're out to eat, we normally end up skipping dessert because we’re just too full. This one was no exception. Our server came over to ask if we wanted any, and we politely declined. Then she told us that she makes the tiramisu herself.
Of course we had to order some (to go).
(Photo by Jake Williams)
Hours later, standing in front of my refrigerator, I dove deep into a tiramisu so cohesive in flavor that any dreams of sharing with another person were dashed. It was luscious (I don't think I've ever used that word?), with coffee flavor all the way through, and the most delicate balance to avoid overdoing the sweetness.
Moral of the story? Don’t skip dessert. You can always get it to go. And if you’re lucky, you can thank the person who made it for you in advance.
Jake Williams is a journalist, editor and publisher, as well as the CEO of the Illini Media Company.