Song E Napule West Village
It’s said that the best Italian cuisine is made from the heart. At Song E Napule in the West Village, owner Ciro Iovine takes the heart of Italy and brings it to every dish he makes. Song E Napule is a small shop featuring a brick oven and eclectic decor in the form of a shrine to SSC Napoli and Diego Maradona. This atmosphere paired with Ciro’s vibrant energy, upbeat music, and efficient service offers the promise of a wonderful meal. Upon entering one is immediately treated like family and is treated to a delicious meal that any Italian grandmother would approve of.
We had the privilege of enjoying some of the classic dishes from the menu at Song E Napule, as well as some of the specials. We were served a personal size Margherita pizza that was cooked to perfection with a fluffy outer crust and a thin inner crust with fresh mozzarella di bufala, tomatoes, and basil. The dishes that followed included Parmigiana di Melanzane, an elevated take on eggplant parm, and Polpette al Sugo, meatballs that were tender and spectacularly flavorful. Other notable plates were Paccheri alla Genovese, a traditional dish of homemade Jumbo rigatoni with a slow cooked ragu and Panuozzi made with fresh stracciatella, arugula, and tomatoes. We were also treated to one of the specials, a plate of oversize gnocchi stuffed with Cacio e Pepe. Each bite was filled with flavor, care, and Ciro’s love for his culture and his cooking.
The taste and quality of the cuisine at Song E Napule finds its roots in Ciro’s life story. He began working in a pizzeria in Naples when he was 13 and soon realized that he would make it his mission to export not just pizza but the whole Neapolitan culture around the globe. He traveled and cooked his way across Europe and the Cayman Islands, eventually making his way to New York City for a vacation and falling in love with the city, finding a job the very next day. 2 years later, Song E Napule was opened on 146 W Houston Street with the help of Ciro’s wife Austria and his brother Giovanni.
Family finds itself at the source of Ciro’s cuisine, but also his business. As wait staff moved between tables and chatted with regulars, it was clear that the exceptional service was due in part to the culture of the employees being respected and treated as members of the Song E Napule family. This love was extended to customers, who were always treated with a booming “Ciao, buona sera”, and this geniality was certainly ingrained in each dish we had the pleasure of tasting. When asked if there was anything he could say about his restaurant, Ciro responded that he wants to treat everyone like they are a part of his famiglia, and he hopes that every customer has that experience. Whether it’s from the food, the service, or the convivial atmosphere it is definitely the case that coming to eat at Song E Napule feels like coming home to family - and we will certainly be returning.
