SongE’ Napule Opens Its First New Jersey Location

A New York area restaurant must be doing something right if it not only survived the pandemic but has managed to expand in its wake. And the expansion of SongE’ Napule, a beloved Neapolitan pizzeria and trattoria that has operated on West Houston Street in Greenwich Village since 2015, includes a recently opened location in Rutherford as well as a forthcoming eatery on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

The brick facade at 106 Park Ave has decidedly more space than the cozy confines of the West Village location that is passed in due pochi (a few steps). The motif, though, is the same in sky-blue walls adorned with Neapolitan bric-a-brac and an oversized tribute to Diego Maradona (the Argentinian soccer legend who played seven seasons in Naples). Also present in New Jersey is the vibe of convivium that fills the NYC auspices and originates with the owner, Ciro Iovine, a man who dropped out of school in Naples at the age of 13 to be a pizzaiolo and, eventually, travel the world. On vacation from the Cayman Islands in the late aughts, he visited New York and never left.

“I’m so happy to be in New Jersey, to be able to share our food and our experience,” Iovine says. “And I know that they love Neapolitan food here, as well. I have heard this from many friends and food lovers, and that’s why I come.”

What Mr. Iovine brings, most importantly, to his Rutherford location is the same menu made from the same ingredients procured entirely (except for some vegetables and aromatics) from Italy, most notably the tomatoes and cheeses from his native Campania that top the signature pizzas and pastas, such as the deep fried pizza with piennolo del Vesuvio cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano and basil and the Paccheri alla Genovese (giant rigatoni with a braised veal ragu).

Photos courtesy of restaurant.

SongE’ Napule
106 Park Avenue
Rutherford
201.347.9339
songenapule.us
Open daily, starting at noon