New opening in Friedrichshain: Contemporary Neapolitan pizza and deep-fried specialties at Spaccanapoli No. 12
Named after the most famous street in Naples: “Spaccanapoli,” which divides the southern Italian city in half (“spacca”), a new Neapolitan pizzeria is opening in Berlin. The addition “number 12” stands for the house number of the restaurant in Friedrichshain’s Wühlischstraße. In a cozy ambience with colorful graphics on the walls, warm lighting and a “jungle wall”, you can enjoy contemporary Neapolitan pizza and fried specialties from Campania. And although the sea and the bright sun are missing here, one is welcomed with the same hospitality as in southern Italy.
Behind the project are two Neapolitans: Sergio Priore, a trained chef and pizza maker who already runs the Berlin restaurant MedEATearranean Trip, and Gabriele Iaconis, 35 and 34 years old respectively.
The pizza of Spaccanapoli No. 12
The Pizza of Spaccanapoli No. 12 can be described as a contemporary Neapolitan pizza. It is relatively large and has an edge of about 2 centimeters. The dough is made of a flour mixture with a little yeast and must rest for 36 to 48 hours before processing. The balls of dough are cut and closed in boxes to control the rising and make the pizza particularly digestible. The oven is a “Scugnizzo Napoletano”, recognized by the “Associazione Pizza Verace Napoletana” for baking Neapolitan pizza.
Besides the classic pizzas like “Bufala”, “Quattro Formaggi” or “Salsiccia e Friarielli”, many interesting combinations are offered: “Hot Calabria” with tomato sauce, fiordilatte mozzarella, nduja salami, diced eggplant and Parmesan flakes, “Autumn in Rome” with pumpkin cream, guanciale and Parmesan or “Pistacchia” with ricotta cream, mortadella, burrata and chopped pistachios…. Among the vegan creations you can find the “Vegan Friends” (mushroom cream, sun-dried tomatoes, diced eggplant, onions) and the “Vegan Master” (pumpkin cream, stem cabbage, chopped almonds).
Starting in February, Spaccanapoli No. 12 will be one of the few pizzerias that also offers pizza for lunch.
Besides the pizza
Fried specialties also feature prominently on the menu at Spaccanapoli No. 12. As typical Neapolitan specialties, potato croquettes, arancini, zucchini flowers stuffed with provola and ricotta and, of course, the symbol of Neapolitan street food: “cuoppo” with fried vegetables cannot be missed. If you don’t feel like pizza, you can order a delicious lasagna or a salad. For a small or quick meal, there are panuozzi: pizza dough folded and filled with vegetables, mozzarella or salami.
Spaccanapoli No. 12
Wühlischstraße 12, 10245 Berlin
Opening hours: from Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.