Little Napoli, the Wan Chai pizzeria founded by Naples-born Chef and Owner Gavino Pilo, unveils a much-expanded new menu starting from late October, marking the restaurant’s most significant culinary step since opening in Hong Kong in 2021.
Known for its uncompromising approach to Neapolitan pizza and Southern Italian culinary traditions, Little Napoli has grown from a neighbourhood takeaway in Happy Valley into one of Hong Kong’s most recognised pizzeria restaurant. Now settled into its larger Wan Chai home, Chef Gavino is expanding the experience with four new antipasti, seven new hot plates and fresh pastas, five new desserts, and a collection of Special Creation and old-school 40cm Neapolitan “Cart Wheel” pizzas — bringing the total selection to 27 pizzas.
The launch follows another year of international recognition. Little Napoli holds a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2026, ranks No. 30 in 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific 2026, received the Best Customer Satisfaction 2026 – Grassl Glass Award and earned Gambero Rosso’s Top Italian Restaurants Award earning a “Two Slices” (Due Fette) rating.
This is not a move away from the restaurant’s roots. For Gavino, pizza has always belonged to larger food culture. The new menu offers a broader taste of the dishes and ingredients he grew up with in Naples, while keeping the cooking approach that has defined Little Napoli from the beginning: carefully selected ingredients from Italy, dough made fresh each day and pizza baked to order in a traditional stone oven.
BEYOND THE PIZZERIA: A BROADER TASTE OF NAPLES
Guests can now begin with one or two cold or hot plates before embarking on their “Pizza Journey”, bringing the experience closer to the rhythm of a meal in Southern Italy.
Among the new starters, Carpaccio di Polpo (HK$188) pairs Mediterranean octopus with arugula, garlic sauce, Gaeta olives and Amalfi lemon zest, while Carpaccio di Manzo (HK$198) combines thinly sliced beef with buffalo ricotta, arugula and Amalfi lemon zest.
The new Hot Plates & Pastas section draws on the comforting cooking of Naples and its surrounding regions. Crochetta di Patate Ripiena (HK$118) is a crispy potato croquette filled with mixed ham and cheese, while Polpette di Manzo al Ragù (HK$158) serves beef meatballs in a braised tomato sauce with Pecorino Romano sauce and focaccia. Costina di Maialino Casertano Impanato (HK$208) features breaded Caserta pork chop with arugula, cherry tomatoes and lemon sauce.
Pasta has a much larger place on the new menu. Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (HK$168) combines homemade potato gnocchi with cherry tomato sauce, Agerola mozzarella, Pecorino Romano and basil. Ziti alla Genovese (HK$198) is slow-braised beef and a savoury Tropea onion sauce, finished with Parmesan cream and basil. Cavatelli al Ragù Napoletano (HK$188) pairs homemade cavatelli with a pork and beef ragù and Pecorino Romano cream.
t the lighter end of the spectrum, Fettucine alla Crudaïola e Gamberi (HK$238) brings homemade fettucine and Sicilian shrimp tartare with heirloom cherry tomato sauce, Amalfi lemon zest and basil.
GAVINO PILO’S NEW SPECIAL CREATION PIZZAS
Pizza remains at the centre of Little Napoli. Gavino’s new Special Creation Pizza collection introduces 8 combinations that keeps the foundations of Neapolitan pizza while giving him more freedom to work with ingredients from across Southern Italy. Luciana (HK$248) draws on a classic Neapolitan pairing of octopus and tomato: Mediterranean octopus, San Marzano tomato DOP, roasted cherry tomatoes, Gaeta black olives, garlic, chilli and basil.
Parigina (HK$248) takes a more indulgent direction – a buffalo ricotta-stuffed crust with San Marzano tomato DOP, cherry wood-smoked ham and smoked Agerola mozzarella. Sicula (HK$228) brings together San Marzano tomato DOP?, roasted cherry tomato, smoked Agerola mozzarella, Sicilian ricotta, eggplant and basil.
Sweet and savoury meet in Cilentana (HK$258): Capocollo pork ham, Agerola mozzarella, buffalo blue cheese and Cilento fig sauce. Piccante (HK$248) turns up the heat with spicy Napoli salami, buffalo mozzarella DOP, Provolone del Professore, eggplant and roasted cherry tomato.
Two of Gavino’s most unconventional combinations are Cetarese (HK$258), pairing Cetara bresaola beef and smoked Agerola mozzarella with Vesuvio apricot sauce and spinach sprouts, and Divina (HK$258), combining oak-smoked picanha beef with Agerola mozzarella, Annurca apple sauce and arugula. Completing the collection, Calzone Don Diego (HK$258) folds Napoli salami, escarole, buffalo ricotta DOP and smoked Agerola mozzarella with pine nuts, raisins and Gaeta olives.
THE RETURN OF OLD-SCHOOL NEAPOLITAN PIZZA (PIZZA A RUOTA DI CARRO)
Among the most distinctive additions is Little Napoli’s new Cart Wheel Style Pizza (pizza a ruota di carro) – a generous 40cm old-school Neapolitan pizza for the table, with an extra-large diameter and an extremely thin, flat crust that hangs over the edges of the plate. It is available on favourites including Marinara (HK$198), Cosacca (HK$228), Margherita (HK$218), Reginella (HK$228), Diavola (HK$238), Affumicata (HK$228) and Vesuviana (HK$268), the format offers a different expression of the same dough and classic combinations at the core of Little Napoli.
Gavino also keeps the deeply Neapolitan tradition of Pizza Fritta, or fried stuffed pizza. Classica (HK$188) is filled with San Marzano tomato DOP, smoked Agerola mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, basil and black pepper, while Completa (HK$208) adds cicoli ham and Fuscella ricotta.
SAVE ROOM FOR RICOTTAMISÙ
Dessert expands too. Ricottamisù (HK$98) is Little Napoli’s playful interpretation of tiramisù, layering coffee-soaked ladyfingers with coffee-infused buffalo ricotta and cocoa. It joins Neapolitan favourites Rum Babbà (HK$88) with whipped cream, strawberry and Amalfi lemon zest, and Mini Sfogliatella Riccia (HK$68), crispy pastry pockets filled with ricotta. Guests can also choose from gelato, Amalfi lemon granita and Gelato Frappè.
The new menu marks the next chapter for Little Napoli: still a pizzeria at heart, now with a wider expression of Naples – its dishes, ingredients and the way people eat there.
ABOUT CHEF AND OWNER, GAVINO PILO
Naples-born Chef and Owner Gavino Pilo founded Little Napoli in Hong Kong in 2021 to bring the traditions and flavours of his hometown to the city. Premium ingredients are carefully selected and sourced from Italy. Dough is made fresh each day. Pizzas are made by hand and baked in a traditional stone oven for 90 seconds. Gavino has remained steadfast in his approach to authentic Neapolitan cooking and has served as a judge at the Pizza Hub world competition at the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition (ADIFE).
