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Restaurants
Neapolitans love to eat and love their traditions: While new, fashionable restaurants are opening, the old ones are getting face-lifts, and you will find a number of good restaurants respectful of the local culinary traditions as well as many innovative ones. Seafood and pizza dominate the scene, yet many traditional local dishes are vegetarian or meat-based (just don't expect a big, juicy steak).
The Best Neapolitan Pizza in the Historic District
Forget all you have ever known about this cheesy treat and open your mind to the experience of pizza in Naples, so different from what we call pizza in the rest of the world. Here is the lowdown on the absolute best Naples pizzerie, where the decor is minimal or nonexistent, and an individual pizza costs between 3€ and 8€ ($4.20-$11/£2.10-£5.60):
Acunzo, Via D. Cimarosa 60 (tel. 081-5785362; closed Sun), is a historical address where you'll find pizza with unusual toppings along with typical Neapolitan dishes, like friarelli (sautéed broccoli), eggplant parmigiana, and bean soup.
Mattozzi, Piazza Carità 2 (tel. 081-5524322; closed Fri) is one of the oldest pizzerie in Naples, using strictly local ingredients, from the regional flour and the tomatoes of Mount Vesuvio to the fiordilatte from the Lattari Mountains on the Sorrento peninsula and the mozzarella di bufala.
Pizzeria Da Michele, Via Sersale 1, off Via Forcella (tel. 081-5539204; www.damichele.net; closed Sun), is where you'll find the best pizza in Naples, according to many locals. In business since 1888, it serves only two varieties: margherita or marinara, basically with or without cheese. Come early; it is usually quite crowded.
Pizzeria Di Matteo, Via dei Tribunali 94, at Vico Giganti (tel. 081-455262; closed Sun), is another historical establishment serving excellent classic pizza and specializing in the to-die-for pizza fritta, a delicacy of fluffy thin dough filled with a mix of ham, tomatoes, and local cheese -- provola, ricotta, and mozzarella -- that you can split as an appetizer or eat on your own. President Clinton ate here during the G7 summit in 1994.
Pizzaiolo del Presidente, Via Tribunali 120 (tel. 081-210903; closed Sun), was opened in 2000 by Ernesto Cacialli, the former pizzaiolo (pizza chef) of Di Matteo, above. He is the one who personally served Bill Clinton in 1994 -- apparently convincing the president to try his special margherita pizza -- and has named his pizzeria after that event. Do not miss the margherita or the pizza fritta.
Sorbillo, Via Tribunali 32 (tel. 081-446643; closed Sun), provides a somewhat more formal setting and an equally -- if not superior -- quality of pizza. Open since 1935, it specializes in pizza made exclusively with local high-quality ingredients: the fiordilatte from Agerola on the Sorrento peninsula, the extra-virgin olive oil, the oregano from Frattamaggiore, which is best savored on the simple marinara. The other house specialty is the pizza with olives, capers, Vesuvian tomatoes, and provola (local cheese).
Starita, Via Materdei 27 (tel. 081-5441485; closed Mon), is a pleasant small pizzeria run by one of the best pizzaioli in the city. It is popular for the unique quality of its dough and famous for its pizza fritta as well as its pizza coi fiori di zucca (with zucchini flowers) that is available only in summer.
Trianon da Ciro, Via P. Colletta 42 (tel. 081-5539426; open daily), is an extremely popular pizzeria where you'll have to compete for a table with the students of the nearby university and the many local aficionados who come to savor the exceptional pizza con salsiccia e friarelli (with sausages and broccoli) and pizza con pomodorini e mozzarella di bufala (with Vesuvian tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella).
For Your Sweet Tooth
Naples is famous for its desserts, which include such world-famous specialties as babà, sfogliatelle, and pastiera. To taste those and many others, head to the Pasticceria Scaturchio (Piazza San Domenico Maggiore 19; tel. 081-5516944). This historical pastry and coffee shop opened in 1903 and has been a favorite with locals ever since. Locals come here for a pick-me-up (there's nothing better than a sfogliatella as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack), or to buy dessert to bring to their hosts and family for dinner. Beside the excellent typical pastries, a chocolate candy developed here made them famous: the Ministeriale, a medallion of dark chocolate with a special liqueur cream filling.
Another excellent dessert stop is Caffetteria Pasticceria Gelateria G. Mazzaro (Palazzo Spinelli, Via Tribunali 359; tel. 081-459248; www.pasticceriamazzaro.it; Wed-Tues 7am-midnight), which makes scrumptious pastries and excellent gelato in many flavors.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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