Eating is the main event in Naples. This is the city that gave the world pizza, and almost everything else on the table is worth your attention too. Here is what to order, where to order it, and how to read the menu once you sit down.
What is Neapolitan cuisine?
Neapolitan food is built on a few great ingredients treated simply: San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, fresh seafood, good olive oil, and a lot of pasta. Think pizza, of course, but also pasta e patate con provola, spaghetti alle vongole, ragù cooked slowly on Sundays, parmigiana di melanzane, fresh fish baked in sea salt, and the pastries that follow: sfogliatella, babà and, around Christmas, struffoli.
Neapolitan street food
Some of the best things you will eat here cost a few euros and come in paper. Look for a friggitoria (fry shop) or a pizzeria with a counter.
- Pizza a portafoglio: a small pizza folded like a wallet, eaten on the go.
- Pizza fritta: a fried calzone-style pizza, often filled with ricotta, cicoli (pork) and provola.
- Cuoppo: a paper cone of fried seafood or fried bites, one of the best snacks in the city.
- Frittatine di pasta, crocchè and arancini: fried pasta cakes, potato croquettes and rice balls. A mixed fry is called a frittura.
- Sfogliatella: the layered shell-shaped pastry filled with ricotta and semolina. Get it warm (calda).
Ristorante, trattoria, osteria, tavola calda: what is the difference?
The names used to mean something, and they still hint at what to expect.
- Ristorante: the most formal, with a fuller menu and usually higher prices.
- Trattoria: a family-style place serving traditional home cooking, often with a short, handwritten menu.
- Osteria: historically a place for wine with simple food. Today it can be as casual as a trattoria or a stylish wine-forward restaurant.
- Pizzeria: pizza first. Many also serve fried starters and a few other dishes.
- Tavola calda: a "hot table" with ready-made dishes you can eat in or take away. Quick, cheap and very local.
- Rosticceria and friggitoria: takeaway counters for roast and fried foods.
Understanding the menu
A traditional Italian meal comes in courses, and you are not expected to order every one.
- Antipasti: starters, often cured meats, cheese, fried bites or seafood.
- Primi: first courses: pasta, rice or soup.
- Secondi: second courses of meat or fish, usually served on their own.
- Contorni: side dishes (vegetables, potatoes) ordered separately.
- Dolci: dessert, then coffee. Cappuccino after a meal raises eyebrows. Order an espresso instead.
You will often see a coperto (a small cover charge per person) on the bill. That is normal and is not a tip. Tipping is appreciated but not expected the way it is in the US. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is plenty. House wine (vino della casa) is usually good and good value.
Pizza: where to start
Neapolitan pizza has a soft, puffy edge, a thin center and a short bake in a very hot wood-fired oven. Margherita and marinara are the classics. These famous names are a good place to begin, and expect a line at the most popular ones.
- L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele: the legendary spot near the station. Two classic pizzas, no frills.
- Gino e Toto Sorbillo: on Via dei Tribunali, one of the best known in the city.
- Pizzeria Di Matteo: a historic address, famous for its pizza and its fried street food.
- Pizzeria Starita: an old-school classic in the Materdei area.
- 50 Kalò: a modern take with a famously light dough, right on the seafront.
- Antica Pizzeria Chiaia: a neighborhood favorite in Chiaia, away from the busiest tourist streets.
Hours, wait times and even locations change, so check before you go. Going slightly off the main tourist streets, or arriving right when they open, usually saves a long wait.
How to spot a good place
- A short menu, written in Italian first, usually means fresh, seasonal cooking.
- Locals eating there, especially at lunch, is the best sign you will find.
- Be wary of photo menus and staff calling to you from the street.
- Lunch is usually 1:00 to 3:00 pm and dinner starts late, often after 8:00 pm. Kitchens may close between services.
- Fish sold by weight is priced per 100 grams on the menu, so ask the total before you order.
Want us to show you?
The fastest way to eat well in Naples is to go with someone who knows. Our Naples street food tour covers the essentials in about three hours, and our concierge service can build you a restaurant plan around your dates and tastes. Looking for something other than Italian food? Send us a message and we will point you in the right direction.