Napolese Pizzeria

The deliciousness of Napolese in the heart of downtown. Not even two blocks south of Monument Circle (with a great view from the outdoor patio), this Napolese location has a much different feel than the others. High ceilings, bright lights — a contrast from the cozy, intimate feel of the 49/​Penn location.
Dining al fresco on the small patio is great people watching. A low brick wall with bushes separates patrons from the pedestrians, but it’s not an enclosed courtyard. Note the umbrellas cover just a few of the tables.
Napolese cuisine is ideal for sharing — my trio table ordered a starter, salad, and pizza which proved to be the perfect amount of food. Highly recommend the wheatberry risotto as an appetizer. The Love-A-Lot’s pie with a peanut sauce instead of marinara stood out from the pack for me, given as I’m not a fan of ladlefuls of marinara on my ‘za. Oddly enough, this pizza was better than that at the 49/​Penn location, which tends to be very chewy, in my opinion.

Prior to the recent Mumford and Sons concert at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, my wife and I had dinner at the nearby Napolese Pizzeria location. I made a reservation for 6 PM a week before the sold out concert. We arrived to find our table waiting near the windows looking out toward Meridian Street. The tables were packed in like sardines at this place, but we made the most of it and enjoyed some conversation with our neighboring table while waiting for food and drinks.
We started with the whipped goat cheese dip appetizer with caramelized onions and served with focaccia ($ 9). The dip was outstanding and the serving was more than enough for two, but that didn’t stop us from eating every last bit. This is a very hearty spread, and not really a dip, so it is very filling.
From there we split the Hamaker’s corner pizza with pepperoni, Italian sausage, provolone, and mushrooms ($ 15). Again this was more than enough for two, and though I wish I could have taken the rest home for a late night snack, we didn’t have anywhere to keep it during the show. Overall the pizza was really good. I could have used a little more cheese to really cover the pizza from edge to edge. Otherwise the toppings were plentiful and the taste was good. I would not hesitate to go back to Napolese Pizzeria on a return visit to Indianapolis.

Only reason I am deducting a star was that service was really lacking this visit. Our waiter was just not born to wait tables, bless his heart he tried, but it’s just not his thing. Proving once again, that despite popular belief, not everybody can wait tables, at least not well.
But besides that our reservation was honored and we were seated immediately. I do love the assortment of olives that is served up front. Very good variety and nicely seasoned.
Everybody had a salad and I must say that the portions are huge and definitely satisfying. I had a chopped salad of some sorts and it was simply delicious, just the right amount of dressing, where every bite had some flavoring without turning the salad into a soaking mess.
Our pizza was great also. Just a little crusty while still being soft. No idea how they do it. The flavor of the sauce and toppings was amazing and it is nice and cheesy without being drowned in cheese. As near to perfect as a pizza can be. My only wish is that they could cut the mushrooms a little bit, maybe half or quarter them. Those whole mushrooms keep eluding me, first they are hard to keep on your slice or catch with your fork because they keep rolling off and secondly there is little mushroom coverage on the pie. Or maybe I’m just not much of a mushroom hunter. I lost one that rolled onto the floor and another that made it’s way off my plate rolling around the table.

Tried Napolese for lunch one day and I’m pretty impressed. I had a half-​size of the Vegetarian Double Chopped House Salad and the Margherita pizza.
The salad was a little heavy on the beets for my taste, but otherwise it was delicious and it was huge, even as a half-​order. The pizza is what I was really exited about and I wasn’t let down. I’m not sure if there’s any other place in Indy where you can get pizza in a real stone oven like you can here. The smoke gives the crust just a little something extra. And the ingredients are so fresh. It was the best Margherita pizza I’ve ever had.
My husband and his family lived in Italy for a short time when he was younger and they talk often about how good real Italian pizza is. I can’t wait to take him and my mother-​in-​law here.

Well, if you like artisan pizza and beer — this is the place!
In Indianapolis for yet another business meeting, we needed a quiet place to have dinner with two of our Indy consultants. One of them recommended Napolese and so off we went! It was an easy walk from our hotel in the center of the city. We were seated right away as we arrived fairly early (5:45pm). Our waitress was great! At first we were a little frustrated because she spoke so very softly but then she confided in us that she had endured a wisdom tooth extraction earlier in the day and had to come to work anyway! Knowing that, we were amazed at how attentive she was in her quiet, somewhat swollen-​jaw manner.
Two of us had samples of the craft beers on tap and were very happy. I had my usual soda water with no ice and they remembered the ‘no ice’ part! The pizzas were fancy and obviously had fresh ingredients. Very tasty and two were plenty for the four of us.
So, if you like fancy-​pants pizza and craft beer — go to Napolese. You won’t be disappointed.

This was better than expected and they have great gluten-​free options. It is a bit pricey for pizza and the alcoholic beverages will set you back a bit. It took a bit longer than most places but we had a party of 16 of us and the pizzas are made fresh. I will definitely go again.

Amazing! My husband and I dined here this evening and we’re just so happy that we did! Their pizza is so yummy! We ordered a GF BLT pizza and a Regular Gluten– extra gluten as my husband likes to say– Ol Grandads Pie. We also had a Bruschetta starter and added GF Foccaccia: Bruschetta, Pear, Prosciutto, Roasted Onions, Gorgonzola, Rosemary, Focaccia. That was also amazing. We loved the ambience and had excellent service. We also loved that they focus on using local meats and food choices. We would definitely come back here next time we’re in Indy!

So this located downtown this is a nice location.
Had an appetizer of the pretzels.
They were okay. Certainly not the best they had.
The stone ground mustard was certainly not as I was expecting.
The pizza was good but certainly not the best.
For being placed in a brick oven the pizza was kinda floppy for my taste.
However. Even though the pizza was floppy my meridian Kessler pizza was awesome. The sausage was well flavored with a touch of heat.
Mushrooms were whole mushrooms which I don’t prefer because they have a tendency to roll off the pizza.
The artesian pizza are not always my thing but this place is okay.
The «vero» water (which is just reverse osmosis) had a funky flavor. I really think those bottles need it be washed out more often. I couldn’t even drink mine

Napolese is one of my favorite restaurants downtown and one of my first recommendations to newcomers for lunch or a light dinner. They ALWAYS have a unique and fresh special pie of the day, as well as an appetizer and salad special. Unique is the word that describes everything here. From craft cocktails to delicious focaccia appetizers, I couldn’t ask for a better pizza joint.
That being said, Napolese teeters on a fine line between a pizza joint and fine dining, casual and elegant. The atmosphere is sophisticated, but it’s still comfortable. A sister restaurant to Café Patachou, the ingredients are some of the freshest that you will find anywhere in Indianapolis. In the summer, you can actually watch Indiana farmers pull up in their trucks out front, unload their harvest, and carry it into the store. It’s quite a sight.
If you’re expecting thick and cheesy, think again. Napolese specializes in artisanal flatbread pizzas. They serve them white (olive oil) and red (tomato sauce). Think goat cheese, steak, eggplant, brussel sprouts. It’s amazing the things these guys do with pizza. Personally, I’m not a fan of the white pizzas. But, if the pie of the day sounds good and it’s white, I order is with a side of red sauce.
As for drinks, they offer a variety of espresso drinks that you would find at your favorite café, craft beers, an extensive wine list, and hand-​crafted cocktails from a list of fine liquors.
This place has it all. From great service (ask for Jess as your server!) to unique and delicious food and drinks. I feel like I can’t say enough about how much I love it.

Decided to check this place out after my Washington Wizards opened up a can of whoop ass on the hapless Pacers. Ordered it extra charred and they did not disappoint. Sausage, pepperoni, charred leak and onion. Freakin tasty. If ever in Indy check it out.

Great pizza.
Beet salad is good but has a huge amount of beets so be sure you’re in the mood for them.
Kinda pricey overall but food was great and wait staff friendly.

When you can roll in for a romantic evening filled with local and healthy ingredients, a beautiful atmosphere within two blocks of Monument Circle for $ 24 that’s pretty impressive in my book. I continue to love Napolese for the great service, tasty olives and unique pizza ingredients. Once family style dining catches on Indy, more people will understand how to conquer the Napolese menu in a budget-​savvy and tummies-​filled manner.

Dear Napolese, thank you for being in my office building. This review is long overdue.
The salads here are the
. (Yes, ‘90s slang enhances a compliment.) I know it might be weird to sing the praises of salad at a pizzeria, but these are way above your average salad. Roasted Brussels sprouts, chickpeas, Marcona almonds, balsamic drizzle… good luck choosing from all of the creative (and beautifully presented!) combinations. Might as well plan multiple visits so you can sample them all. And take home leftovers, because the portions are more than generous.
Also, as much as I love the salads, I’m pretty sure the to-​die-​for aroma comes from the pizza. Seriously, please take whatever I am smelling and put it in my mouth.
All of this, and a free sampling of olives… I need to plan a lunch date soon!

Alright alright alright. So I’ve been crazy obsessed with Pizzology recently, so of course my friends had to drag me to Napolese to shut me up and try something new.
I wanted to give it 5 stars. Truly. I’m not a big fan of olives, but that’s their «thing». They have a plate of olives at your table. My friend could’ve devoured them, but as a non-​olive person, I was fine with my Italian Vanilla Cream Soda – spritzy, creamy and tasty!
For pizza, my friend and I shared the Hamaker’s something or other… It was delicious but the fact of the matter is… The entire center of the pizza was SOGGY. I understand, the weight of the pizza, especially near the center would be weighed down by toppings, cheese and sauce. I get it. Some pizzas you can’t even pick up because it’s so weighed down. But this wasn’t a weight issue. This was an «Oh my goodness, outside of the crust, my pizza is laying in juice, water and it’s dripping and okay, I’m done.» Idk, I couldn’t handle it! The crust though. That crust, which I tried to enjoy throughout the soggy pizza, is the saving grace. Sweet enough and not burnt from their giant oven (which Pizzology has been guilty of a few times) was so lovely, I wanted to just eat the outside rim of the entire pizza!
We also shared a salad that had peaches in it… Not the most memorable but I didn’t mind it. My friend also got some sort of a Caesar salad, and it was WAY over-​dressed and looked entirely wilted. The same friend who frequents Napolese, swore by it and even admitted that it was an «off day». So my friends. I really want to try it again. But how do I order a pizza… Hold the soggy? Let me know.

I ate here a little while ago, and had a great experience. It was surprisingly not crowded for a Friday night, and the ambiance is comfortable.
My vegan friend had a beet salad, which she said was delicious… it looked disgusting to me (but I think cooked beets taste like hot dirt, so probably my opinion on that doesn’t count).
I had the pizza with brisket and cabbage on it… don’t remember the name, but it was scrumptious. I will definitely be back.

It’s not delivery, it’s Napolese! Never have I though to get Nepolese for carry out but what a wonderful way to dine at the Unilocal White Party with Indy’s best pizza! I’ll definitely keep this in mind in the future and would love to grab a pie to-​go and head to the Circle for some people watching and al fresco dining.
The staff was super wonderful and handled the dozens of carry out orders for the Unilocal White Party like pros. Our pizzas and starters were ready to go when we arrived with all the fixing (napkins, flat ware and even the parm and red pepper). I was really hoping they’d throw in some of their amazing olives that come complementary when you dine with them, but alas that seems to be a highlight reserved for dine in patrons.
None the less, our pizzas were delicious and did not disappoint. When I think carryout I’ll think Napolese in the future.

Before last week, I had never considered Napolese for a lunch spot during the work week. Now, I will be craving their salads consistently.
Although I love Napolese’s pizza, I usually don’t frequent this location for dinner (lookin’ at you 49^th and Penn), so this review is solely based on lunch. I’m of the personal opinion, that although delicious, the pizza would put me into a food coma during the afternoon. Salads only for this one!
First of all, can’t say enough how much I LOVE the olives they bring to your table before the meal. I could eat two bowls of them myself — but I don’t.
I’ve now been back twice for salads at lunch time — I’ve loved both the pesto chick peas salad (with corn, mozzarella, pistachios, tomatoes, and some other random ingredients) and a special salad with peaches and goat cheese.
Price point is a little high to eat there too often, but for a healthy and filling lunch option I don’t mind breaking open the piggy bank every now and again.
PS — I should note that I highly recommend any Napolese location for dinner and PIZZA, though like I said before, I’m partial to the 49^th and Penn location.

Pretty much everything at this restaurant is great. Well, except the parking, it’s not their fault, and if they validate it that’ll be great (I assume they don’t validate parking, but I didn’t ask).
The food is more than great, the crust is crispy and chewy, the toppings are really fresh and good. I had the broken yolk pizza, which is kind of new to me, I added tomato to it, and it tasted soooooooo good. Everyone should try it, but make sure to order the egg well done if you like it hard, otherwise it’s medium, and I like it that way!
The soft drinks are surprisingly not from a fountain machine, they’re actually Coke cans, so it tastes good for sure. They also serve a small plate of olives and a bottle of water when you first sit.
I love the idea that they use small cups with a small spoon for the Parmesan and the pepper flakes, and they really solved a huge problem for me, because I hate to struggle with the saltshaker.
Overall it was a pleasant experience, I’ll definitely go back and try more pizzas.
Keep up the good work Napolese!

Great fancy pizza but DON’T build your own. Pick from the prebuilt pizza menu. Building your own will nearly double the price of a pizza for 3 – 4 ingredients vs a regular menu item pizza w same number of toppings.
No draft beer, but some good bottles. Expansive drinks selection beyond that.

Maybe it is just my taste, but I am just not a huge fan. I wouldn’t say that their pizzas are bad. They are just a little too different for me. On Friday night, we tried The Great Went. The toppings caught my eye: apple butta bbq sauce, smoked pork loin, kale, sweet potatoes, and jack cheese. The taste of the pizza was just different, for the lack of a better word. You get the taste of apple butter, for sure, but I’m just not sure how I feel about it on a pizza.
I do want to say that our server Bennett was really great though. We had a pretty big party and had multiple people sharing and splitting checks and he managed it really well.