Napoli's Italian Restaurant

2905 S. Main

Maryville, Mo.

Hours: Tuesday -Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 :30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Sunday 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Banquet room available for all occasions

Phone (660) 582-3451

It's not often you hear authentic Italian accents in northwest Missouri. But that's what you'll hear at Napoli's Italian Restaurant in Maryville, Mo.

Bujar (B. J.) Rexha, a native of Venice, opened the restaurant with his cousin in early 2008 and runs it with the help of his extended family. The family has been in the restaurant business for 20 years, Rexha says. Napoli's is one of a chain of restaurants the family owns.

Yes, the cushy, green booths inside the restaurant may remind you of the Country Kitchen it once was, but the menu is all Italian, with specialities such as chicken alfredo, shrimp Florentine and linguini tuttomare (sauteed with garlic, basil shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams or linguini in white wine sauce). B.J. says 90 percent of the pasta sauces are homemade. A News-Press reader recommends their shrimp scampi as an appetizer or entree. Napoli's also has pizza, sandwiches, a children's menu and lunch specials (which include a tossed salad) for $5.95. Dinner entrees range in price from $6.95 (most of the homemade pastas, such as spaghetti, lasagna, ravioli and manicotti) to $14.95 (for the shrimp and salmon piccata, sauteed with lemon, white wine, capers and served over spaghetti).

In addition, they have a large wine selection with an adjacent bar and outdoor deck. On Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, they have piano music in the bar from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Napoli's is located right off the main drag (Main Street) going into town. And since this is a college town, the atmosphere is family and blue jeans friendly.