New Italian restaurant opens on Wichita’s east side with ‘rustic’ but modern menu
Monday, was opening day for Napoli Italian Eatery, the first solo restaurant for well-known Wichita chef Jeremy Wade.
The restaurant, which Wade is opening with his fiance Courtney Mathews, has taken over the former Fetch Bistro space at 7718 E. 37th St. North and is serving a menu of Italian specialties Wade describes as rustic yet modern.
It features a cozy dining room and a large patio on the building’s east side, where Fetch had its mini dog park.
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Over the weekend, I visited for the restaurant’s test run and tried several dishes on the menu, including a build-your-own bruschetta appetizer with whipped ricotta, pesto and tomato preserves for spreading onto toasty bread.
My favorite dish was the Chicken Marsala, which featured two tender cuts of chicken served atop a bed of homemade pasta that had a perfect, chewy bite. We also tried the Spaghetti Carbonara and Veal Piccata, and on my next visit, I’m moving on to the pizza menu. (Although I also can’t wait to try the Spaghetti Nero, made with crab, bread crumbs, pickled fresno, lemon and garlic. And the mushroom risotto. And the Lasagna Bianca made with pistachios and rosemary bechamel.
Napoli has a full bar, is carryout friendly and will encourage online to-go orders for people who don’t feel comfortable dining in.
It’ll serve just dinner for the first couple of months, though Wade said he hopes to add lunch in December and an a la carte Sunday brunch in January.
Wade is one of Wichita’s most tenured local chefs and has worked at places like Siena Tuscan Steakhouse and Uptown Bistro. He was on his second go-round as YaYa’s executive chef when he decided to open his own place.
His executive chef is Jordan Rickard, who previously worked as the executive chef at Greystone.
This story was originally published October 26, 2020 at 1:31 PM.
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