Spakka-Napoli

Spaccanapoli is a long, narrow road in Naples' historic centre that splits the city in half. Walk the two-kilometre stretch and you'll experience everything that makes this city so beguiling: history, culture, crime, art, religion, commerce, pastries, coffee and wonderful food, especially pizza.

Pizza is just one of Naples' culinary gifts to the world, but what a gift. And while the Romans might not agree, most Italians would argue that the soft, thick and springy-based Neapolitan pizzas, topped simply with mozzarella and tomato, are the country's best.

So when a new pizzeria opens in Sydney, calling itself Spakka-Napoli, it doesn't take long to get me there. The owners are originally from Naples, a few blocks from the famous street itself, and the spelling, they tell me, adds an Aussie twist.

I can't say I'm especially taken by the position, tucked behind busy Military Road overlooking the Woolworths car park, but once inside the cosy, tiled space, where the wood-fired oven takes centre stage, the setting is forgotten.

We order starters, called ''tapas'', to share. While the mixed cultural metaphors annoy me slightly, all is redeemed with one taste of the melanzane parmigiana, the melt-in-the-mouth eggplant doused in a rich tomato passata and dotted with mozzarella, served in a small terracotta dish. Their Friday-night appetites firing, the kids wolf down the meatballs so fast that I have to steal one off Archie's plate. They also make quick work of the calamari, deep fried and seasoned with lemon pepper and salt and served in a cute mini deep-fryer basket.

Call me a pizza snob but it's always a minor point of embarrassment when my kids order ham and pineapple pizza. I know it's one of Australia's favourite pizza toppings but if you're a purist, it's just wrong. No ham and pineapple pizza here, I'm delighted to report, although the toppings on offer are an interpretation of authentic: diavola (with salami, mushroom and chilli), gamberi (prawns with zucchini and chilli) and tartufo (truffle paste with prosciutto, parmesan and ricotta) among others.

Lulu orders the Mickey Mouse pizza, from the short kids' menu, which is basically a normal margherita with olives for eyes and prosciutto for a mouth and cute little rounded ears which she rips off with gusto.

Archie and I share a mini Spakka-Napoli which, like the famous street, is split down the middle and you choose the toppings you want.

On one side it's napoletana (tomato, cheese, basil, olives and anchovies) and on the other stuffed garlic, which is like a cross between a calzone and a regular pizza, with potatoes, rosemary, provola cheese, herbs and heaps of garlic. The base is soft and charcoal burnished and while it won't compete with my best pizza ever, from the famous Da Michele in Naples, Spakka-Napoli, Sydneyside, is doing a nice job.

THE LOW-DOWN
Do … take advantage of the Monday to Wednesday pizza and beer offer for $20.
Don't … leave without trying the classic tiramisu for dessert.
Dish … Spakka-Napoli pizza to share.
Vibe … casual, family-friendly local.