To Pizza and Beyond: A Foodie’s Guide to Where to Eat in Naples

You’ve gotta respect anyone who chooses to live next to a volcano.

And not just any volcano: an active volcano.

And not just any active volcano: an active volcano that literally destroyed the city next door.

Seriously, people in Naples must teeter between paranoia and blissfully ignoring the shadowy outline of Vesuvius that hovers above them. That kind of mental pressure would definitely help explain their erratic driving, and it might also explain why they produce some of the most bombastic food in Europe.

If you might die in a volcano at any moment, why wouldn’t you deep-fry your pizza?

Let’s dive into what you need to eat on your trip to Naples!

What to eat in Naples

Ask a local who makes the best food in town and they’ll have only one answer: Nonna.

But I don’t have an Italian granny. I don’t even have an Italian second-cousin-twice-removed.

So I had to figure it out for myself, and find out where locals go to eat in Naples. So, now that I’ve done my frontline research, what are the special dishes of Naples, and what can’t you leave without eating?

Where to Eat Pizza in Naples

This one’s obvious. In case you haven’t heard, pizza comes from Naples. But I’m not sure how you wouldn’t have heard, since it’s literally shouted into you by anyone from Naples. A typical conversation might go:

—”Where are you from?”

—”I’m from Naples WHERE PIZZA COMES FROM”.

Not that you can knock them for being so proud, since pizza is arguably the world’s greatest food product. A base of charred, chewy, crispy dough topped with sweet and savoury tomato sauce, creamy buffalo mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves—that’s heaven right there.

And that’s just the pizza margherita. While that’s for sure the most popular version, and the version that connoisseurs will judge any new pizzeria on, you’ll find a variety of freshly baked pizzas served throughout the city.

Just remember: eat it with a knife and fork.

The true Naples style of pizza has a thin base, which means that when those gooey mozzarella juices start to flow, things get soggy quick. So, unless you want to end up splattered with pizza toppings, use some cutlery and enjoy that soggy centre (it’s the best part!).

Many of the most famous pizzerias in town have lines of tourists stretching around the block. But, I figured that if the locals don’t go there I shouldn’t either.

I followed local advice and foot traffic, and found some of the best pizza of my life at:

• Pizzeria Nennella (Via Santa Caterina da Siena, 4)
• Pizzeria Brandi (Salita S. Anna di Palazzo, 1)
• L’ Antica Pizzeria Da Michele (Via Cesare Sersale, 1).

Fried pizza: it’s what it sounds like

You didn’t think we’d be done with pizza yet, did you? C’mon, this is what they do.

Sitting down at a pizzeria makes for a great meal, but sometimes you want something for on the go. And for those times, God invented fried pizza.

Yep: fried pizza.

It’s exactly what it sounds like—a slice of pizza covered with a bit more dough and then fried to crispy and golden deliciousness. The secret ingredient? Type 2 diabetes.

It makes for a filling snack and a great bit of late night food. But to me, it’s not better than regular ol’ pizza. Luckily, all of the places that locals flock to for their heart-stopping fried pizza (pizza fritta) also sell regular pizza by the slice (pizza al taglio).

Find your own at:

• Di Matteo (Via dei Tribunali, 94), a family-own bar crammed with locals at any time of day. Pro tip: grab a takeaway!
• Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba (Via Port’Alba, 18), one of the city’s oldest restaurants, founded in 1738.
• Antica Pizza Fritta da Zia Esterina Sorbillo (Piazza Trieste E Trento, 53), a fried pizza legend owned by the most famous pizza group in the city, and by association, the world.

Frittatine in Naples: Keep the fried food going

You have to realise that anyone who fries pizza is going to fry pretty much anything.

And that’s Naples in a nutshell. These people will happily drag anything through the fryer, with delicious results.

Don’t leave without trying frittatine: deep-fried balls of macaroni stuffed with minced pork, peas, and bechamel. A perfect high-calorie snack for when you’re on the run from the mafia.

I had great (and unbelievably cheap) frittatine at:

• Di Matteo (Via dei Tribunali, 94).

And just like southern Spain, southern Italy loves its fried fish. So do yourself a flavour (geddit) and head to a friggitoria (fried food shop) and grab a cuoppo: a cup of fried anchovies, squid, fish, and occasionally, zucchini blossoms!

Try it for yourself:

• Friggitoria Fiorenzano (Via Pignasecca, 48), beside the local food market
• Il Cuoppo (Via San Biagio Dei Librai, 23).

Where to Eat Pasta in Naples

At this point, you might be thinking;

—”Sure David, I’ve got pizza and fried food, but I’m worried it won’t be enough for death-by-carbohydrate. What can I do?”

Well, you’re in luck. Because there’s a big area of carbs that we haven’t even touched yet, and that’s pasta. Naples does pasta just as well (if not better) than the rest of the country, and there are a few local versions worth trying during your stay.

Spaghetti alle Vongole

The most simple things are often the most delicious, and Spaghetti alle Vongole is no exception. Just combine fresh clams, white wine, garlic, parsley and spaghetti and you have perfection itself.

Pasta alla Genovese

Don’t let the name fool you: pasta alla genovese is Naples all over. Take a thicker stick of pasta and cover it with a rich meaty sauce, then eat the whole thing in 5 seconds flat. The sauce is unbeatable, the product of veal and onions simmered into caramelised goodness over a period of hours.

I had both of these dishes prepared in a tiny, 8-table trattoria on an off-the-beaten-path back alley. Visit it:

• Trattoria Da Ettore (Via Gennaro Serra, 39), booking essential.

More loud and rustic, but just as good, is:

• Trattoria Da Nennella (Vico Lungo Teatro Nuovo, 103).

Not yo’ granny’s cheesecake (unless she’s Italian)

I had no idea how versatile ricotta is. Sure, it’s a delicious fresh cheese yadda yadda yadda. But did you know it can also be turned into pastry? I didn’t, and now that I know the truth, my cholesterol will never be the same.

The Best Sfogliatella in Naples

Do yourself a favour: eat sfogliatelle every day.

These beautiful parcels of crispy deliciousness are made from flaky, ridged pastry, stuffed with ricotta sweetened with almonds and candied orange.

The best in town, and I tried a lot, are:

• Sfogliatelle Attanasio (Vico Ferrovia, 1). The best in town. Period.
• Pintauro (Via Toledo, 275). The original sfogliatella, baked fresh every morning.
• Sfogliatella Mary (Galleria Umberto I, 66). A ballsy stall located right across the road from Pintauro.

Pera e ricotta

This beautiful tart of pear and ricotta is the speciality of one of Naples’ most well-known pastry shops. While not a breakfast snack like the sfogliatelle, it’s surprisingly light and creamy, with not too much sweetness.

Buy it in bulk at:

• Scaturchio (multiple locations).

Where to Eat Gelato in Naples

It gets hot in southern Italy. And like anywhere with a hot climate, people here LOVE ice cream.

Who wouldn’t? With temperatures this high and gelato this good, you’d have to be a sociopath to not enjoy it. The best gelato here is made with farm fresh ingredients, locally-sourced according to season.

My particular favourite was simple lemon sorbet, but made with the most lemony lemons ever! They’re from neighbouring Sorrento, the citrus capital of Italy. You can get your own frozen dairy fix with the help of:

• Fantasia Gelati (Via Toledo, 381)
• Il Gelato Mennella (Piazza Trieste E Trento, 57).

What to drink in Naples

But what are you going to wash all of those delicious carbs down with?

If I lived underneath an active volcano, I’d be pretty nervous. How do Naples residents cope with those nerves? Easy—it’s alcohol.

Where to get craft beer in Naples

You can’t spell pizza without I.P.A.

Beer is the classic partner to pizza. They’re both delicious and full of wheat and yeast; it just makes sense. Local staples aside, Naples is fast becoming home to a fantastic craft beer scene, with a few trendy bars dotted around the centre of town.

Find them at:

• OAK Napoli Wine And Craft Beer (Vico Quercia, 10)
• Mosto – Birra Artigianale & Distillati (Vico II Alabardieri, 28)
• Alabardieri 25 Beer & Food (Via Alabardieri, 25).

The best wine bars in Naples

I feel like I’ve read a lot of articles about how Campania is the next big wine region to watch. While I’m not sure if southern Italian wine has reached the heights of stardom quite yet, there is certainly a lot to love.

There are a whole swathe of local grapes used to make wines here. Grapes with hard to pronounce names (even harder after two glasses) like Aglianico, Falanghina, Greco di Tufo, Piedirosso, and Coda di Volpe.

Pronunciation aside, these wines are beautiful, and a perfect match for the food of Naples. A glass of Greco with a bowl of Spaghetti alle Vongole is just about one of the greatest pairings you may ever taste.

If you’re looking to taste as many as these local, hard-to-come-by-internationally wines as possible while you’re in Naples, here are a few places to check out:

• Enoteca Iorio Chiaja (Via Bisignano, 6)
• Enoteca Belledonne (Vico Belledonne a Chiaia, 18)
• Il Mantegno Vineria (Piazzetta Nilo, 18)
• L’angolo DiVino (Via San Biagio Dei Librai, 27).

If you can, it’s also worth getting your hands/tongue on some Lacryma Christi. This is the name of the D.O.C. wine region found on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, producing some weird wines thanks to the volcanic soils beneath the vines. If you’re looking for a real taste of the area, you can’t get much more specific than this terroir.

I had a great time visiting Sorrentino, a family-run, organic winery on the slopes of the volcano. As well as their interesting selection of quality wines, they also bang out a great lunch! Find them at:

• Sorrentino (via Fruscio 2, Boscotrecase, Napoli).

Read more

Travelling to more places in Italy? Check out my picks for where to eat in Verona! And while you’re at it, head over to all of my foodie guides to my favourite cities.

Learn more about what makes Naples pizza so unique.

Learn more about the different wines of Campania, and what to try in Naples.

Have your own picks for where to eat in Naples? If I’ve missed your favourite, leave a comment!