Yes, this is the birthplace of pizza, but there's a whole load more delicious dishes to sample too
There’s a reason we named Naples as the best city for food in the world for 2024. And it’s not just the pizza, we swear. Although this is the birthplace of pizza, after all, and many of its original old-school pizzerias are still slinging out pies today.
But even when pizza is king, there’s so much to discover in this foodie city, from impeccably silky vongole to risottos and seafood. Naples has long attracted creatives who dare to do things differently, and you’ll find innovative cuisine of all forms flying out of the kitchens.
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This guide was recently updated by Gabriela R. Prioetti, a writer based in Naples. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
Run by the charming Alfonso Mattozzi, who greets all his customers like old friends at the door, Europeo Mattozzi is a proper institution. The wood-panelled dining room, decorated with historic prints of the city, is a second home for a cross-generational mix of professionals at lunchtime. By evening, it draws a sophisticated crowd of regulars who can count on Alfonso’s simple but high-quality home-style cooking for a low-key night out.
Price: Mid-range
Trattoria da Nennella is Naples’s best-known trattoria, not so much for its food as for its loud and chaotic atmosphere where purposely rude waiters play up to their unruly reputation by dancing on tables, throwing plastic plates of ragù across tables and – as you may have heard – serving fruit at the end of your meal in a big ceramic toilet seat. Afterwards, dip into equally rowdy Bar Cammarota for a spritz to let off some steam.
Price: Bargain
Neapolitans take meal times extremely seriously, meaning there are a plethora of tiny trattorias that cater to workers unable to get home for a warm meal. Cibi Cotti is a historic lunch spot tucked away in the Mergellina covered market. It serves freshly made staples such as gnocchi alla sorrentina, parmigiana and grilled vegetables to builders, shopkeepers and lawyers from nearby offices.
Price: Bargain
Located in Mercato della Pignasecca, one of the city’s most historic and lively open-air markets, at first glance Pescheria Azzurra seems like any ordinary food stall selling seafood. But this market gem, recognisable for its eclectic blue tiles, Madonna statues, and sparkling string lights transforms into an open-air, casual restaurant with folding chairs and high-top tables for a memorable weekend lunch or late-night al fresco dinner. While the service is nonchalant, the menu offers a range of simple and some of the freshest seafood platters, from fried calamari and decadent plates of spaghetti with clams to marinated salmon and anchovies. Accompany the meal with a cold beer or pitcher of house wine for a wholesome Neapolitan experience.
Price: bargain
Price: Bargain
At the top of several steep steps, a single lantern marks the vine-covered entrance to this tiny restaurant. Knock at the door, and you’ll be welcomed with open arms by Marcellino Amato, a former insurance broker who in retirement made it his aim to establish one of the city’s best Italian restaurants. Alongside young chef Marco di Martino, he has succeeded at Taverna dell’Arte.
Price: Mid-range
Price: High-end
Add’u Fratemo is a true favourite among locals, who pass the time smoking out in the street or watching the football on a TV propped up in the corner. Just off the Pignasecca market in Montesanto, this cosy restaurant’s specialities include abundant sea food antipasti and linguine ai frutti di mare.
Price: Bargain
Behind the fruit and veg market in upmarket Vomero is Trattoria Malincolico, marked by a simple faded sign above the door reading ‘Vino e Olio’, nodding to its former life as a grocery store. The family who owns the place serve Neapolitan classics with a refreshingly laid-back approach to service. The clientele comprises visitors and local market sellers refuelling after a long morning’s bartering.
Price: Bargain
Before the cholera outbreak in 1972, Marina di Santa Lucia was home to generations of cockle-farming fishermen. Today the small harbour is filled with an array of elegant sailing boats, around which you’ll find some of the city’s smartest restaurants. While away an afternoon at La Scialuppa overlooking the water and indulging in fresh fish and pasta dishes served on traditional Vietri plates.
Price: Blowout
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