STC Eats - Napoli III

original-written date - 12/30/24

Over the past couple months we’ve taken several trips over to Napoli III, located at Streets of St. Charles, and it has confirmed that it’s one of the finest restaurants in St. Charles County.  An Italian restaurant with 3 pages of drinks on the menu, this is the perfect spot for a fancy date night, a celebratory dinner, or drink spot for a good cocktail.

Napoli III

Located: Streets of St. Charles

1450 Beale St #105, St Charles, MO 63303

Hours: 11 am - 10 pm Monday-Thursday, 11-11 Friday, Noon-11 pm Saturday, Noon-9 pm Sunday

We’ve made several trips over to Napoli lately, but on all of our trips we’ve sat at the bar.  Bar seating is first come first serve, and since it’s usually just 2 or 3 of us, we’ve lucked out on our recent trips.  The bar seating is great because the seats are super comfortable and the bartenders are extremely friendly, funny, and attentive.  We were talking to ourselves about how good the espresso martinis looked, and before I could even order the bartender was preparing one for me.  The service is top-of-the-line - when we’ve been seated they are always quick, friendly, and knowledgeable about the specials.

The Drinks

The drink menu is so extensive that it would take 30 trips to try everything, but what we have had has been superb.  The Espresso Martini is my personal favorite, and it seems to be a popular one based on how many I see them make while we sit at the bar. They have a whole machine dedicated to the blend, and they finish it off with a blow torch to the cream and sugar on top.  It’s the best I’ve ever had, and I’ve tried many.  The Mediterranean Mule is great for Mule fans, they have lots of good draft beers, and for the adventurous drinkers, the S’mores martini looks as awesome as anything. They also have a big selection of Old Fashioneds, including one that is smoked using a sweet little contraption at the bar.  

The Food 

The menu at Napoli isn’t huge, but what they do, they do incredibly well.  We’ve been lucky enough to try a number of great dishes from appetizers to salad to seafood to entrees.  Our favorite appetizer has to be The Calamari. We haven’t been bold enough to try the “Livornese” version, aka the non-fried, but the “Fritti” version is great. They serve it with their red sauce and an aioli that has a little kick (our favorite is the aioli on it, but their red sauce is fantastic).  They’re also known for their arancini and meatballs, though we have yet to try them.

On the lighter (and cheaper) side of things, they have five salads to choose from. Our favorites are the Wedge - which has a great gorgonzola sauce and balsamic, and the St. Louis - which has pepperoni, provel, and a great Italian dressing.  They also have a cold seafood section, including a shrimp cocktail that you buy by the shrimp. Which is for good reason, these shrimp are HUGE and delicious, so don’t order too many or you’ll be full for dinner.  They also have a new dish (I think it’s new because it isn’t on the online menu, but I ordered it last night) which is Crispy rice topped with a spicy tuna mix, a jalapeno, and avocado. Might be my new favorite small bite on the menu.

Now for the Pasta, arguably their specialty.  I’ve seen just about every pasta dish come out of the kitchen and they all look mouth-wateringly good.  Our favorite is the Ricotta Gnochi, which is served in their incredible red sauce with arugula and fresh mozz.  The farfalle with shrimp and scallops in a spicy tomato cream sauce is delicious.  I’ve been wanting to try the Rigatoni Carbonara for a while despite not being a fan of olives because we’ve heard great things. Truly cannot go wrong in the pasta department.

As far as entrees go I must say, we are not big steak people. They always have some sort of extravagant steak on special, and they have steaks on the menu always, but we haven’t tried any of them. Last night they had a few wagyu steak specials that many people ordered around us, and we certainly didn’t hear any complaints.  But we have stuck to the chicken, seafood, and pork dishes predominantly. 

Our favorite entree is the Seabass, which is herb-crusted with an asparagus risotto and balsamic glaze. We’ve gotten it twice and it’s always perfectly cooked - like a hot knife with butter cutting through it. The risotto is creamy and super light, and the balsamic adds great flavor. They have Parmesan, Piccata, and Marsala options for Chicken or Veal dishes. I tried the Veal Parmesan and ate every last bite.  People swear by the Chicken Parmesan saying it’s the best they’ve ever had (my aunt Deb is “people”).  We also tried an off-menu Blackened Chicken Breast, which is served with mashed potatoes (incredible) but we swapped in broccoli and asparagus instead, which were both delicious.  The Veal Chop Vino Rosso is another protein standout, and the presentation alone is something to behold.

The food, the drinks, the ambiance, and the service are truly in a class of their own as far as St. Charles restaurants we’ve ventured to.  The prices definitely are a little steep, but there are plenty of great affordable options for those looking to keep it cheaper.  But if you’re in need of a location for a fancy dinner for an anniversary, birthday, promotion, etc, this is your place.  The menu is concise as to not overwhelm you, they have consistently good specials, the sides are all terrific, their seafood options are delicious and there’s a variety - there’s just nothing to complain about when it comes to food (except price, but don’t come here with a big appetite if you’re worried about price).  The staff is amazing, the drinks are incredible and there’s a million options, and the food is fantastic. Not sure what else people look for in a restaurant, but that checks all my boxes.

Restaurant Rating:

9.5/10