La Villa Pizzeria & Cafe in North Naples serves traditional Italian fare as well as fresh baked goods.

With the motto “You’ve tried the rest, now try the best,” La Villa Pizzeria and Café is determined to prove that their cafe, featuring New York style pizza, will make the North Naples corner café the go-to spot for locals, nearby NCH hospital staff and area visitors.

From morning stops for flakey traditional Italian pastries like Sfogliatella, cannoli or pignoli cookies — and specialty coffees, to quick lunches of pizza, or a fresh mozzarella and tomato panini, to pasta dinners — La Villa owners want to grow a large base of loyal customers.

“My customers have been telling me that our pizza is the best in Naples and that they’ve been waiting for 10, 15, and 20 years for good pizza,” said owner Vincent Palmese. “Our popular dishes are the pizza, chicken marsala, chicken Francese and our pasta dishes with our homemade tomato sauce.”

Commenting on his sauce, and in true New York lingo, Palmese said, “It’s to die for.”

“I ordered the Sicilian pizza and it was terrific,” said diner Mike Riccio. “It was one inch high and cooked just right – golden brown crust and the right amount of good mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce.”

As a side note, the Italian pastry, Sfogliatella gained fame when mentioned in a scene from “The Godfather.” After a mob hit, an accomplice says, “Leave the gun, but take the Sfogliatella.” These pastries are that good. Flaky layers wind around to form a clamshell shaped confection, filled with a creamy cheese filling.

Before re-locating to our area six years ago, Palmese operated several successful northern businesses. Most recently, he ran Fiore D’Italia Pastry Shop & Cafe Fiore in Ozone Park, Queens — ergo the authentic Italian cookies, cakes and pastries. He also operated several pizzerias in the heart of New York City, proving he had what it takes to please the palettes of finicky New Yorkers.

In downtown Naples, Palmese opened Il Posto Ristorante, but looked for a location with ovens to expand his menu showcase his skills as a baker. Four months ago, he opened La Villa in North Naples.

Offering domestic and imported beers (2.50-$3.50) and wines by the glass ($5), makes the café lunch or dinner offerings complete.

Look for Val-pak and Banner coupons for specials, like one-pound butter cookies for about 20 percent off ($9), or one large pizza at regular price and the second one-half price.

Choose an indoor seat, with the scent of pastries wafting in the air and Mediterrean inspired décor, or sit at one of five outdoor tables, under an umbrella.

■ Appetizers ($4.25-$18.95): Baked clams, mozzarella sticks, mussels marinara, caprese salad, cold or hot antipasto, fried calamari, to soup of the day.

■ Insalata ($5.50-$9.95): Garden, Greek, Caesar, La Villa special salad.

■ Pasta del giorno ($8.95-$13.95): Pasta seven ways: with fresh tomato sauce, garlic and oil, pesto sauce, meatballs, Bolognese, vodka or alfredo sauce.

■ Al forno ($10.50-$11.95): Meat lasagna, baked ziti, cheese ravioli, eggplant parmigiana or rollatini.

■ Oggi dal forno ($5 - $7.50): Calzone, rolls (shrimp, chicken, sausage or spinach), Stromboli.

■ Pizza Siciliana ($3 slice or $20 pie): Toppings include pepperoni, mushrooms, ham, meatballs, green peppers, bacon, sausage, red onions, roasted red peppers, spinach, black olives, pineapple, broccoli, anchovies, extra cheese, and eggplant. Additional toppings $2 for pies; $.75 for slices. Whole wheat crust available ($2 extra).

■ La Villa showcase pizzas ($17-$20): Grandma’s pie (thick crust with mozzarella, chunky tomatoes and heavy on the garlic), white pizza, spinach ricotta pie, veggie pie, Napoli pie, lasagna pie, La Villa classic (stuffed with meat or veggies).

■ Flat bread pizza ($18): Toscana (grilled chicken, diced tomatoes, red onions and mozzarella), insalata (arugula, radicchio, walnuts, tomatoes, parmigiana and extra virgin olive oil), Roman (with chicken Caesar salad).

■ Primi piatti ($13-16): Chicken or veal available in five ways (parmigiana, Milanese, bruschetta style, Marsala or Francese).

■ Seafood entrees ($14-$20): Linguini with clam sauce, calamari (marinara or fried), shrimp (fra diavlo or parmigiana), to mussels or zuppa di pesce (a soup of calamari, shrimp, clams and mussels).

■ Cold panini ($7-$9): Mozzarella and tomato, ham and cheese, La Villa special (prosciutto, salami, provolone and roasted red peppers) or prosciutto, mozzarella and tomato.

■ Hot panini ($7-$9): Meatball parmigiana, sausage and peppers, shrimp, eggplant or chicken parmigiana, veal Milanese to grilled chicken.

■ Wraps ($8): Caprese, grilled chicken Caesar salad, grilled chicken cobb salad.

■ Café ($1.75-3.50): Espresso, cappuccino, macchiato, latte, Americano or mocchaccino.

E-mail Jean Amodea at jeanamode@earthlink.net