A Taste of Italy

Mother's Helper Magazine

November - December 2002

Café Napoli - A Taste of Italy in the Heart of Brooklyn

Open only a few months, you have probably heard of Café Napoli, if not already savored the delicious, mouth-watering food itself! Located in the veritable heart of Flatbush, on the corner of Avenue M and Coney Island Avenue, Café Napoli is an Italian food lover’s dream come true, right here in Brooklyn. When you make your next visit, if you’re lucky you may spot friendly Danny Ben Baruch, owner of the Café. This yeshiva bochur and Israeli army officer turned entrepreneur has a vision, and not just for his restaurants (he was also a proprietor of the popular milchig lunch and dinner spot, Bella Luna).

Café Napoli is a cozy, comfortable family restaurant, designed in the tradition of the cafes of Italy. This was exactly what Danny and Chef Luigi Postoglione, Famous Gino of Bella Luna, had in mind when they had to completely renovate and expand the existing space in order to bring their vision to life. Café Napoli is positively heimishe: from the friendly and international staff to the brightly colored and kid-friendly cups and dishes. Everyone is welcome at Café Napoli: big families, small families, moms and babies, groups of kids or adults, folks on their lunch hour without a minute to spare. At Café Napoli, you really feel at home.

What about the food you ask? Well, Chef Gino graduated from the culinary school in Italy, and together with Danny, who took care of the kosher side have created kosher versions of authentic Italian dishes. There is so much good food going on at Café Napoli that it is hard to choose what to eat. Everything is fresh, home made, and made to order. Their huge brick oven makes incredible sumptuous pizza from heaven; the sauce is thick and perfectly herbed and spiced. But if pizza’s not your thing, there is fresh grilled fish, as well as tasty pasta entrees, like ravioli and gnocchi. Also omelets, foccacia, salads and soups. And to top it all off, Café Napoli makes yummy hot and cold coffee drinks (I recommend the Iced Cappuccino!) and milk shakes. It is self-serve at lunch and full-service at dinner.

And for those of you who notice such things, the atmosphere is indeed charming: mahogany doors, red bricks, punched-tin ceiling. An authentic café atmosphere. Are we really still in Brooklyn or Napoli?

So far a Taste of Italy, make Café Napoli your favorite of favorites. Savor a fresh and tangy caeser or avocado salad; creamy Alfredo, rich Ravioli, or classic Marinara; grilled tuna, salmon and snapper; piping hot bruschetta and deluxe brick oven pizza! And much much more. For lunch, dinner, take-out or delivery, this authentic Italian eatery will have you full as can be and singing their praises maybe even in Italian!

Visit Café Napoli at 1636 Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn. Phone: 718-627-6077. Fax: 718-627-3411. Pas Yisroel, Kemach Yoshon and Chalav Yisroel, Café Napoli is under the supervision of Rabbi Yisroel P. Gornish

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