Song'E Napule sits in the geographic center of Rutherford's main commercial thoroughfare. This half-mile pedestrian-friendly stretch between the NJ Transit station and Lincoln Park has a small-town America feel and no shortage of Italian restaurants. Yet this pizzeria, which also has a sizable selection of pasta dishes and small plates, is not just an Italian restaurant. It's Neapolitan. Song' E Napule translates to "I am from Naples" in the local dialect.
The term Neapolitan is not new to the Garden State food scene, and has arguably been watered down with any pizzeria serving thin crust pies being able to claim that title without most locals batting an eye. So what makes Song'E Napule different from pizzerias on every Main Street in New Jersey? First of all, owner Ciro Iovine grew up in the Fuorigrotta suburb of Italy's third-largest city. He started making pizza at 13 and sits on the board of trustees of the Naples-based Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. That's the non-profit organization that sets worldwide standards for what is true Neapolitan pizza. Song'E Napule is the only member in New Jersey. You can see the AVPN poster in the window from Park Avenue, while the formal certificate acknowledging member 1127 sits on display near the gas oven where the real magic happens.
Inside the casual 47-seating capacity dining room, you'll find an open kitchen with the majority of tables afforded a view of the pizza oven. Most of the ingredients that go into that oven are, like the oven itself, imported from Naples. The saying that's even more common east of the Hudson River, where Iovine and his wife, Austria, opened their first location in 2015, is "Everything from Naples except the water." Add fresh basil to that and you get the idea. The head pizzaiolo, the music you'll hear, and even some of the front-of-the-house staff come from Southern Italy.
Those who have been to Naples will recognize everything from the Pulcinella half-masks to the Diego Maradona memorabilia omnipresent enough to start a small museum dedicated to the Argentine-born soccer legend who led Naples to its first two Serie A titles. The menus and the Song'E Napule logo itself are the blue and white of Maradona's jerseys. Six of which you'll see framed and hung evenly spaced above the kitchen.
The presence of Roman dishes like Cacio e Pepe and the Ricotta e pera dessert with origins along the Amalfi coast means that the menu is not exclusively Neapolitan. Yet, this is as close to Naples as you'll get in the state of New Jersey. This is the type of place you bring your Italian friends or relatives who are not impressed with The Olive Garden and want a taste of home. There are no Italian American comfort foods like veal parmesan or chicken alfredo on the menu here. And absolutely no slices to go. Instead, the only compromise is that the pies come cut into slices, which does not happen in Naples or other parts of Italy.
Unsurprisingly, the margherita pizza is the top seller and the one you'll see on most of the other tables. Made according to true Neapolitan tradition, these thin-crust pies with a puffy outer crust take about 90 seconds to cook thanks to the oven's average temperature of around 850 degrees. As the middle part is too soft to fold up, it's best to do like the Neapolitans and eat the pizza with a fork and knife, getting a mix of the crispier outer crust and soft chewy inside in the same bite. The key here is balance. The sauce is sweet but not intensely so. This pairs well with the Fior di Latte mozzarella cheese, which has a very mild saltiness to it. If you do prefer a crunchier texture from the crust, try the montanara, or fried pizza.
There are five pasta dishes, with the two most notable having their origins in Campania. Firstly, there's Spaghetti Nerano, named after a small town near Naples. This heavier pasta dish comes topped with enough shredded cheese and sautéed zucchini to nearly hide the pyramid of spaghetti below. If you prefer meat with your pasta and would rather leave your spoon on the table, try the Paccheri Genovese. Despite the name, this is a traditional Neapolitan pasta dish topped with a thick veal and onion ragu as well as rich grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
While the pizza and pasta are the clear stars of the menu, there are also notable drinks and desserts. Espresso shots are served short, taking up less than half of the cup, but packing as much intensity and flavor as a standard espresso shot. These are (as they say in Italy) "taken" in two sips max. The majority of beer and many of the wine options come from Naples, while the signature dessert is Coccole, or deep-fried dough balls, topped with Nutella. The white dome-shaped Delizia Al Limone, or lemon delight, is another popular (and lighter) option with roots in Sorrento. Also part of Campagnia, this is where Italy's best lemons come from. And it's the lemon cream hidden in between the sponge cake and creamy top layer that packs the most flavor.
When asked why Rutherford (as opposed to Brooklyn or another NYC borough, given his presence in two different Manhattan neighborhoods), Iovine says, "Rutherford caught my eye right away. It's a quiet place, with families, a real sense of community, and people who appreciate quality. Brooklyn is great, but it's already full of great pizzerias. New Jersey had more room to bring a piece of Napoli where it didn't exist yet." Given the fact that most of the Italian restaurants in any given city are run by second, third, and even fourth-generation Italian Americans who may have never been to Italy, Song' E Napule gives diners an insight into Neapolitan food and culture without having to leave Bergen County.
Location: 106 Park Ave - Rutherford, NJ 07070
Website: https://songenapule.us/song-e-napule-rutherford-nj
Reservations: recommended by phone (201) 347-9339 or via OpenTable
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/songenapulenyc
Author Bio:
Brian is a travel writer and founder of imayroam.com, where he shares stories about exploring cities by public transit, food tours, and cultural landmarks. He has visited 58 countries and all 50 U.S. states, contributing to Fodor’s, Travel + Leisure, USA Today, and more. On weekends, he leads film and music-themed walking tours in NYC, including his popular Goodfellas Tour. He’s also spoken at TBEX and the New York Times Travel Show.