Tag Archives: Jonathan Goldsmith

  Chicago’s own Spacca Napoli was recently acknowledged by the Consorzio di Tutela Della Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP as the best Neapolitan Pizzeria outside of Italy at this year presentation of the Guida Top 50 in Naples. Earlier this year, the Chicago pizzeria was ranked among the top Italian restaurants in Chicago by Gambero Rosso. “(Owner) Jonathan Goldsmith trained under Enzo Coccia and other great pizza masters,” the Italian food and wine magazine notes. “In this way he managed to raise the palate of the Windy City to a higher level.” Non ce male, eh?

Jonathan Goldsmith of Spacca Napoli Pizzeria in Chicago may be one of the best Neapolitan-style pizzaiulo around, but he’s never one to hog the spotlight. In early August, he yielded his brick oven to third-generation pizza maestro Attilio Bachetti. “Pizzeria Trattoria da Attilio was founded in 1938 and is located in the Pignasecca neighborhood of Napoli,” Jonathan explains. “Attilio’s artistry embraces the time-honored traditions of ‘la vera pizza.’ We were so proud to showcase him.” http://spaccanapolipizzeria.com

You could say that fate led Jonathan Goldsmith to open Spacca Napoli Pizzeria, and transform himself into one of America’s most passionate proponents of Neapolitan-style pizza. Or you could say that chance favors the prepared mind. A clinical social worker with a degree from the University of Chicago, Goldsmith was living and working in Florence in the 1980s while his wife, Ginny, was going to art school, and he was absolutely loving it. When the couple returned to the Windy City with their young daughter, Sarah, he felt he had left a part of his soul behind. The couple bought …