Great food, art scattered around the city – from fantastic museums and ornate subway stations to public squares and alleys – and its inhabitants’ warm and joyful temperament all make Naples one of the most loved destinations in Italy. The city is busier than ever, but its also starting to feel the strain of its popularity, crowded with tourists looking for the best selfie spot and the most delicious sfogliatella or pizza a portafoglio. Our recommendation: slow down the pace, skip the interminable queues and overhyped spots, and search for quieter ones to savor a few blissful bites.
Red Cabbage Pasta at Nonna Anna’s
Locals – a very mixed range of them – still outnumber tourists at Cibi Cotti Nonna Anna, a basic yet lovely family-run eatery inside the Torretta market in Mergellina. Only open for lunch or takeaway, the daily menu follows the market’s provisions and the cooks’ whims, constantly changing according to season. In one of our several visits, in winter, we tasted a sensational dish of pasta (the typical long and curly mafaldine) with a creamy, delicate-yet-tasty red cabbage sauce obtained by simply blending the braised vegetable. A generous sprinkle of Pecorino cheese did the rest: as simple as it sounds, it was delicious, and we are longing to taste it again. – Luciana Squadrilli
Marianna Vitale’s “Closed Toast” at Mar Limone, in Pozzuoli
When we visit Pozzuoli, the sunny harbor village just north of Naples, we can’t help but stop by Mar Limone, the colorful and informal café-bistro run by chef Marianna Vitale (who earned a Michelin star at the nearby restaurant Sud in Quarto) attached to the elegant Villa Avellino hotel. The stop is always worth it, be it for a very good coffee, a refreshing kombucha or sour beer – the focus here is on acidity and Mediterranean flavors – or a quick, satisfying lunch. We can’t get over the fantastic “Closed Toast” (as it figures on the menu, to distinguish it from the “Open” version with cured salmon, guacamole, and roasted tomatoes), generously filled with smoked roasted ham, fresh salad, Fontina cheese, and mustard seeds, all sandwiched between two slices of soft bread. Heavenly. – Luciana Squadrilli
Donna Teresa’s meatballs
Open in 1913, this unpretentious, family-run trattoria still operates (every day for lunch and dinner except on Sundays, no reservations accepted: the small queue outside will make it easier to locate it) following the family recipes, much appreciated by the affectionate local clientele as well as a few tourists in the know. The entirety of the unchanging menu – except for the vast array of cold vegetables and side dishes displayed on a dedicated shelf – is quite tempting. But be sure not to miss the legendary Donna Teresa’s polpette (meatballs). The minced meat is seasoned and mixed with garlic, grated cheese, and parsley, then formed into balls and fried. They are then cooked in an intense tomato sauce to add flavor and richness, which you can’t help mop up with bread. – Luciana Squadrilli
Breakfast (or pizza) at Capodimonte Park
Visiting the charming Real Bosco di Capodimonte, the main park in the upper part of the city, on weekdays allows you to enjoy the beautiful and relaxing green areas – as well as the stunning museum hosted in the former royal mansion, displaying the royal apartments, art collections, and temporary exhibits – at their best. Thanks to the Delizie Reali company, the lovely Stufa dei Fiori bistrot is open for a sweet or savory breakfast or a cup of tea facing the mansion. For a heavier meal, walk a few miles along the inner tree-lined avenues to lunch on a tasty wood oven pizza at Giardino Torre, set in the rustic building once hosting a farm and an experimental garden. – Luciana Squadrilli
Top-notch pizzas at Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria and Pizzaria La Notizia 53
Diego Vitagliano was one of the most dynamic pizza chefs of the year, earning the first place spot on the 50 Top Pizza Italia 2024 and the 50 Top Pizza World 2023 lists. Diego, born in 1985, is the symbol of the new generation of pizza chefs who are innovating the world of pizza. They are called the “dinghy generation,” a reference to the pizza style with a very high crust, said to resemble a dinghy lifeboat. Diego’s restaurant on Via Agnano is as beautiful as the pizzas themselves – the dough is very light and the pizza is very digestible, with great attention to seasonal pizzas made with fresh ingredients and a particular care for gluten-free pizza. The Agnano location even boasts a completely sealed gluten-free laboratory – in short, a great novelty in the world of Neapolitan pizza.
Enzo Coccia’s name is synonymous with Neapolitan pizza. He was one of the protagonists of the rebirth of Neapolitan pizza in the new millennium, whose research on quality of ingredients and on the long leavening process has been a true beacon for generations of pizza makers. His small restaurant on Via Caravaggio 53, which was once just a single small room with an oven, has grown with the addition of a new space on Via Caravaggio 94. The margherita pizza is offered in seven different versions and the marinara is also truly exceptional. Enzo’s family comes from the Duchesca neighborhood in the city’s historic center, a stone’s throw from Porta Capuana, where they still operate a pizzeria called Fortuna. Enzo has undertaken a long and tiring journey that has made him one of the fathers of modern Neapolitan pizza. The adventure continues as La Notizia 94 was the first pizzeria to be listed in the Michelin Guide, and in 2024 he opened new restaurants in Rome and Capri. – Amedeo Colella
Neapolitan classics at Osteria Della Mattonella and Osteria La Chitarra
Ancient tiles, bottles of wine, and homemade Neapolitan dishes. These are the three simple ingredients that form the base of Osteria Della Mattonella, which the Marangio family has managed since 1978. The dining room is covered from floor to ceiling with old painted tiles and bottles of wine. The wine list is enormous – even the house wine served in a carafe is truly exceptional. The menu is a tribute to the city’s traditional cuisine, and classic Neapolitan dishes take center stage: think genovese; pasta and potatoes with provola; or pasta and chickpeas. We order the baccalà alla carrettiera, cod which is stuffed with olives and capers, lightly fried and then baked again.
Not far off, Osteria La Chitarra (“The Guitar”) sits in a side street off via Mezzocannone, next to the University of Naples Federico II, the oldest secular university in Europe. It’s a simple, no-frills trattoria with an ancient air; ten tables are spread across the terracotta floor. The tavern was founded in 1991 as a “musical gastronomic club,” inaugurated by a well-known Neapolitan artist, Egisto Sarnelli. In his memory, a guitar hangs on the wall, giving the tavern its name. A blackboard announces the specials of the day; a short menu with a few traditional dishes prepared by Giuseppe Maiorano and his wife Anna Maria. Among the first course dishes is the delicious spaghetti alla cetarese. It is not common to find this dish in central Naples, a specialty typical of the nearby Amalfi Coast, made with an anchovy sauce. Another favorite is the maruzzara, a traditional soup of beans with celery, cherry tomatoes, and oregano. If the meal moves you to song, you can take the guitar down and strum a tune or two. – Amedeo Colella
Babbà at Tizzano alla Ferrovia
The babbà (pronounced with two b’s in Neapolitan) is the most iconic of Neapolitan pastries. As with pizza, every Neapolitan has his or her favorite babbà, and many would say one of the best babbà is from Tizzano alla Ferrovia. The pasticceria was founded in 1953 by Antonio Tizzano, in a small shop located on Corso Meridionale, right next to Naples Central Station. Antonio’s daughters Imma and Loredana have inherited their father’s expertise, and still today trays of babbà can be seen in the hands of travelers at the station. Obviously, if someone makes babbà well, it is very likely that the same quality will be extended to other desserts of the Neapolitan confectionery tradition. Here at Tizzano on Sundays (the day when gluttony is allowed) I often indulge in the pastiera, or the caprese, or the sfogliatelle as well. The diet starts tomorrow! – Amedeo Colella
Appetizers at Ristorante Al 53
It was at Piazza Dante number 53 where on May 4, 1890, a winery was born, or rather a wine shop with a kitchen, founded by Angelo Martino’s ancestors. Today, the smiling restaurateur is the soul of this famous Neapolitan slow food tavern. Angelo’s father, Antonio, has been working there since the 1970s and Angelo has been running it since 2018. In 2020 the restaurant joined the Slow Food movement, embracing the basic values
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