Via Napoli crosses harbour to Surry Hills

Chalk one up for the suburbs. Lane Cove's Via Napoli Pizzeria scored a gong a couple of years back as Sydney's best pizzeria, now it is galloping into the competitive pizza turf of Sydney's inner city.

It'll open September in the Crown Street site occupied by Franco Franco.

"We've done a deal, Franco Franco closed on the weekend. We'll open there September 1," says Via Napoli owner Luigi Esposito.

The refurbishment will replace the current interior with a similar fitout to its northside pizzeria.

Via Napoli is moving to competitive turf, with Lucio Pizzeria nearby in Darlinghurst and Zetland, although the recent closure of Pizza Mario in Surry Hills will help the cause.

"I've been looking for a site on Crown Street for years," Esposito says.