Food · Naples · Italy
What to eat in Naples
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Naples, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Richard Nevell, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Neapolitan pizza, Fried pizza and Sfogliatella. Put your name on the list at a historic pizzeria, wait on the street with locals, and eat a margherita folded in quarters or at a crowded table. Pizzerias often open at lunch and again from about 7pm; dinner in restaurants starts from 8pm.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Neapolitan pizza
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 7
- Tipping
- Tipping is not expected; a cover charge is usually included.
- Food experiences
- 4
12 foods to try
Dish · Vegetarian
1.Neapolitan pizza (Pizza napoletana)
A soft, chewy, blistered crust cooked in about a minute in a wood-fired oven. The margherita (tomato, mozzarella, basil) and marinara (tomato, garlic, oregano) are the classics; the art of the pizzaiuolo is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
Where: Historic pizzerias on Via dei Tribunali and in the Sanità and Quartieri Spagnoli; expect queues at the famous names.
Street food
2.Fried pizza (Pizza fritta)
Pizza dough stuffed with ricotta, provola, tomato and sometimes cicoli (pork crackling), then deep-fried until puffed and golden.
Where: Friggitorie and pizzerias in the historic centre and Sanità.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
3.Sfogliatella
A shell-shaped pastry with crisp, layered dough (riccia) or a soft shortcrust (frolla), filled with ricotta, semolina and candied citrus. Eat it warm.
Where: Pastry shops around Via Toledo, Piazza Garibaldi and the historic centre.
Dessert · Vegetarian
4.Babà
A mushroom-shaped yeast cake soaked in rum syrup, sometimes filled with cream; one of the city's favourite pastries.
Where: Every pasticceria in Naples.
Street food
5.Cuoppo
A paper cone of fried seafood (small fish, squid, prawns) or fried snacks such as zeppoline, potato croquettes and aubergine.
Where: Friggitorie in the centre, Pignasecca market and along the seafront.
Snack
6.Fried pasta omelette (Frittatina di pasta)
A fried disc of bucatini bound with béchamel, peas and ham, a filling snack sold at pizzerias and friggitorie.
Where: Pizzerias across the city serve it as a starter.
Dish
7.Spaghetti with clams (Spaghetti alle vongole)
Spaghetti tossed with fresh clams, garlic, olive oil, parsley and white wine; a staple of seafood restaurants by the bay.
Where: Trattorias in Borgo Marinari, Mergellina and Marechiaro.
Dish
8.Ragù and Genovese
Two slow-cooked Sunday sauces: ragù of meat simmered for hours in tomato, and Genovese, a Naples dish (despite the name) of beef and onions cooked down to a sweet, brown sauce, served with ziti or candele pasta.
Where: Traditional trattorias, especially at Sunday lunch.
Dish · Vegetarian
9.Buffalo mozzarella (Mozzarella di bufala campana)
Soft, milky mozzarella from water-buffalo milk made in Campania, best eaten fresh on the day it is made.
Where: Cheese shops and markets in the city; dairies in Caserta province for the freshest.
Dish · Vegetarian
10.Aubergine parmigiana (Parmigiana di melanzane)
Layers of fried aubergine, tomato sauce, basil, mozzarella or provola and Parmesan baked together; served warm or at room temperature.
Where: Trattorias and rosticcerie across the city.
Drink · Vegetarian
11.Neapolitan espresso (Caffè)
Short, strong and often sweetened, drunk standing at the bar with a glass of water. The tradition of caffè sospeso, paying for a coffee for a stranger, began here.
Where: Historic cafés around Piazza Trieste e Trento and Via Toledo, and any neighbourhood bar.
Drink · Vegetarian
12.Limoncello
Lemon liqueur made from the thick-skinned lemons of the Sorrento peninsula and Amalfi Coast, served ice-cold after dinner.
Where: Restaurants offer it as a digestivo; buy bottles in shops in the centre and Sorrento.
Food experiences
Pizza on Via dei Tribunali
Put your name on the list at a historic pizzeria, wait on the street with locals, and eat a margherita folded in quarters or at a crowded table.
Pignasecca market
The oldest street market in Naples, near Montesanto, sells fish, produce and fried snacks; go mid-morning for the liveliest stalls.
Coffee at the counter
Order a caffè and a sfogliatella standing at the bar of a historic café, and consider leaving a caffè sospeso for someone else.
Sunday ragù
Book a traditional trattoria for Sunday lunch, when families gather for slow-cooked ragù and Genovese.
Quick bites and street food
- Fried pizza — Friggitorie and pizzerias in the historic centre and Sanità.
- Sfogliatella — Pastry shops around Via Toledo, Piazza Garibaldi and the historic centre.
- Cuoppo — Friggitorie in the centre, Pignasecca market and along the seafront.
- Fried pasta omelette — Pizzerias across the city serve it as a starter.
Vegetarian options
Of the 12 foods in this guide, 7 are usually vegetarian: Neapolitan pizza, Sfogliatella, Babà, Buffalo mozzarella, Aubergine parmigiana, Neapolitan espresso and Limoncello. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Pizzerias often open at lunch and again from about 7pm; dinner in restaurants starts from 8pm.
- Pizza in Naples is eaten whole by each person, often with a knife and fork, or folded 'a portafoglio' as street food.
- A cover charge (coperto) is common; check the menu.
- Famous pizzerias have long queues; put your name on the list and wait nearby.
- Ask for the house wine or a local Falanghina or Aglianico, which are inexpensive and good.
Tipping
Tipping is not expected; a cover charge is usually included. Rounding up or leaving a couple of euros for good service is appreciated.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buongiorno | Good morning / hello |
| Un caffè, per favore | An espresso, please |
| Il conto, per favore | The bill, please |
| Grazie | Thank you |
| Jamme! | Let's go! (Neapolitan) |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Naples famous for?
Neapolitan pizza, Fried pizza, Sfogliatella and Babà. A soft, chewy, blistered crust cooked in about a minute in a wood-fired oven.
+Is Naples good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Neapolitan pizza, Sfogliatella and Babà.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Naples?
Tipping is not expected; a cover charge is usually included. Rounding up or leaving a couple of euros for good service is appreciated.