When Sydneysiders talk about authentic Neapolitan pizza, one name comes up time and again: Luigi Esposito. Naples-born and raised in a family steeped in food tradition, Luigi is the founder and driving force behind Via Napoli Pizzeria — a restaurant group that helped introduce true Neapolitan pizza culture to Australia.
But Luigi’s story isn’t just about pizza. It’s about heritage, craftsmanship, and building community around the table.
👉 Discover authentic Neapolitan pizza in Sydney → Via Napoli Pizzeria
From the Streets of Naples to Sydney
Luigi grew up in Naples, Italy — the birthplace of pizza — where food is woven into everyday life. As a child, he helped his grandmother sell pizza fritta on the streets, learning early that great pizza is equal parts technique, patience and heart.
By his teens, Luigi was already immersed in professional kitchens, refining his skills in dough fermentation, high-temperature baking and classic Italian flavour combinations. That grounding in tradition would later become the foundation of his work in Australia.
When he moved to Sydney, Luigi arrived with a clear mission: bring genuine Neapolitan pizza to a city ready to embrace it.
👉 Learn what makes Neapolitan pizza different → What Makes Neapolitan Pizza Different
Building Via Napoli: More Than Just a Pizzeria
Luigi opened his first Via Napoli restaurant in Lane Cove in 2011, introducing Sydney diners to pizzas cooked in wood-fired ovens at blistering temperatures — producing soft, airy crusts with signature leopard spotting and deep flavour.
👉 Visit Via Napoli Lane Cove → Via Napoli Lane Cove
From the outset, Via Napoli stood apart for its commitment to:
- Traditional Neapolitan methods
- Long-fermented dough for digestibility
- Premium Italian and local ingredients
- Warm, family-style hospitality
What began as a single neighbourhood restaurant quickly grew into a much-loved Sydney brand, with Via Napoli becoming a go-to destination for birthdays, family dinners, date nights and group celebrations alike.
👉 Explore the Via Napoli menu → Dine-In Menu
Yet despite the growth, Luigi has remained hands-on — mentoring staff, shaping menus, and ensuring every venue reflects the standards he learned growing up in Naples.
Expanding the Vision: Roman Pizza and Pizza Fritta
Luigi’s passion for Italian food culture doesn’t stop with Neapolitan pizza.
In Surry Hills, he introduced Roman-style pizza through 170 Grammi, showcasing thin, crispy bases and bold toppings inspired by Rome’s pizza al taglio tradition.
👉 Discover Roman-style pizza in Surry Hills → 170 Grammi
He also launched Pizza Fritta 180, celebrating Naples’ beloved fried pizza — golden, light dough filled with classic Italian ingredients — offering Sydneysiders a taste of authentic street food rarely seen outside Italy.
👉 Explore Neapolitan pizza fritta → Pizza Fritta 180
Together, these concepts reflect Luigi’s broader goal: sharing the diverse regional styles of Italian pizza, not just one interpretation.
A Philosophy Rooted in Family and Craft
At the core of Luigi Esposito’s work is a simple belief: food should bring people together.
Whether it’s a quick lunch, a long family dinner, or a lively celebration with friends, Luigi designs his restaurants to feel welcoming, energetic and genuinely Italian. His approach blends time-honoured techniques with modern hospitality — always grounded in respect for ingredients and tradition.
👉 Experience Italian dining on Crown Street → Via Napoli Surry Hills
Today, Luigi is widely regarded as one of Sydney’s pioneers of authentic Italian pizza culture, but he remains refreshingly focused on the basics: great dough, honest flavours, and making guests feel at home.
A Lasting Taste of Naples in Sydney
From Naples’ street stalls to Sydney’s buzzing dining scene, Luigi Esposito’s journey is a story of tradition carried across continents. Through Via Napoli and his newer concepts, he’s helped shape how Australians experience Italian pizza — not as fast food, but as a craft, a culture, and a shared experience.
And for anyone who’s ever torn into a soft, wood-fired crust at Via Napoli, that passion is unmistakable — one slice at a time 🍕
👉 Book a table and experience it for yourself → Reservations
Frequently Asked Questions
Luigi Esposito is a Naples-born pizzaiolo and the founder of Via Napoli Pizzeria. He is known for bringing authentic Neapolitan pizza traditions to Sydney through wood-fired cooking, traditional dough fermentation and Italian hospitality.
Luigi learned to make pizza in Naples, Italy, growing up in a family deeply connected to food. From a young age, he worked alongside his grandmother selling pizza fritta and later trained in professional kitchens, refining traditional Neapolitan techniques.
In Sydney, Luigi Esposito is recognised as a pioneer of authentic Neapolitan pizza, best known for founding Via Napoli and introducing traditional wood-fired pizza methods to Australian diners.
Luigi Esposito opened the first Via Napoli restaurant in 2011, starting in Lane Cove. The restaurant quickly became known for its authentic Neapolitan pizza and Italian dining experience.
Luigi specialises in Neapolitan pizza, characterised by naturally fermented dough, simple Italian ingredients and fast cooking in a wood-fired oven at very high temperatures.
Yes. In addition to Via Napoli, Luigi Esposito has introduced other Italian pizza styles to Sydney, including Roman-style pizza through 170 Grammi and Neapolitan pizza fritta through Pizza Fritta 180.
Luigi Esposito has played a key role in educating Australian diners about authentic Italian pizza, helping shift perceptions of pizza from fast food to a traditional craft rooted in regional Italian culture.
Yes. Luigi remains hands-on across his restaurants, mentoring staff, shaping menus and ensuring each venue reflects the traditions and standards he learned growing up in Naples.