Food & Wine
Best pizza in Naples: the pizzerias, the street food and where to stay
Naples is the home of pizza, and it tastes different here than anywhere else. Here is our guide to the best pizza in Naples, the street food you have to try, and hotels on the bay where you can sleep it off.
The oven glows, the dough is slapped onto the marble counter, and after about ninety seconds the pizza comes out with charred bubbles on the crust and mozzarella melting into the tomatoes. You are standing in a narrow street in the centre of Naples with a queue number in your hand, and suddenly you understand why people travel here just to eat. The art of the Neapolitan pizzaiuolo is even on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
But Naples is more than pizza. It has some of Italy’s best street food, coffee that will spoil you for life, and pastries you will dream about for weeks. Here are the classic stops, and the hotels on the bay.
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How to eat your way through Naples
Classic pizza: Via dei Tribunali and the streets of the historic centre.
Pizza fritta and cuoppo: fried street food from tiny hatches.
Pizza a portafoglio: folded pizza to eat as you walk.
Something sweet: sfogliatella and babà from the old pastry shops.
Coffee: standing at the bar, short and strong.
The classic pizzerias
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele is one of the most famous, with a very short menu and a queue far down the street. On Via dei Tribunali, often called pizza street, you will find Gino e Toto Sorbillo and Di Matteo, known for its pizza fritta. Starita in Materdei and 50 Kalò in Mergellina are also names many Neapolitans mention.
Most pizzerias do not take bookings. Go to the door, get a number and wait. It usually moves faster than you expect, and the pizza is rarely expensive.
Grand Hotel Parker’s
Views over the bay from Chiaia
Grand Hotel Parker’s: the whole bay at your feet
Parker’s stands high in Chiaia on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, overlooking the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius. It is a classic grand hotel with old books, antiques and a roof terrace.
From here the funicular takes you down to Chiaia and on to the centre in no time.
Book your food trip: See rooms at Grand Hotel Parker’s
Street food: pizza fritta, cuoppo and portafoglio
Pizza fritta is a deep-fried pizza filled with ricotta, salami or other fillings, a classic of the old town streets. A cuoppo is a paper cone of fried seafood or vegetables. Pizza a portafoglio, wallet pizza, is a small pizza folded up so you can eat it on the move.
ROMEO Napoli
Modern design by the harbour
ROMEO Napoli: design by the harbour
ROMEO stands by the harbour, a short walk from Molo Beverello where the boats leave for Capri and Ischia, and within walking distance of the centre and the Galleria Umberto I. It has a modern design interior and a spa.
For combining your food trip with a day out on the bay.
Book your food trip: See rooms at ROMEO Napoli
Sfogliatella, babà and coffee
Sfogliatella is a crisp, shell-shaped pastry filled with ricotta and citrus, sold in the old pastry shops of the centre. Babà is a small yeast cake soaked in rum. Coffee is drunk standing at the bar, and at Gran Caffè Gambrinus on Piazza del Plebiscito there is a tradition of paying for an extra coffee, caffè sospeso, for the next person who needs one.
Grand Hotel Vesuvio: on the seafront at Via Partenope
The Vesuvio stands on the Via Partenope seafront, looking out to Castel dell’Ovo and Vesuvius. Its rooftop restaurant has one of the best views in the city.
A classic hotel for waking up to the sea with Via Toledo and the centre within walking distance.
Book your food trip: See rooms at Grand Hotel Vesuvio
Eurostars Hotel Excelsior
By the sea in Naples
Eurostars Hotel Excelsior: facing Castel dell’Ovo
The Excelsior is also on Via Partenope, with views over the Castel dell’Ovo and the bay. It is an elegant hotel with a roof terrace.
A good choice for evening strolls along the sea after dinner.
Book your food trip: See rooms at Eurostars Hotel Excelsior
When is the best time to visit Naples?
Spring and autumn are the best seasons for a food trip to Naples, with comfortable temperatures for long days on foot. Summer is hot, and many Neapolitans head to the coast in August. Around Christmas, Via San Gregorio Armeno fills with nativity scenes.
Many pizzerias close one day a week, often Sunday or Monday. Check opening hours before you go.
When should you book your hotel?
Spring and autumn: popular, so book a few weeks ahead.
Summer: combine your trip with Capri or the Amalfi Coast.
Flexible rates: choose a cancellable room if you are planning far ahead.
Frequently asked questions about pizza in Naples
Where is the best pizza in Naples?
Many people rank L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Gino e Toto Sorbillo and Di Matteo in the centre, Starita in Materdei and 50 Kalò in Mergellina among the city’s best. Try several, as Neapolitans rarely agree.
What is pizza fritta?
Pizza fritta is a deep-fried pizza, often filled with ricotta, salami or provola. It is a traditional Neapolitan street food sold from small hatches and pizzerias in the centre.
Do you need to book a pizzeria in Naples?
No, most of the classic pizzerias do not take bookings. You get a number at the door and wait until it is called. The queue usually moves quickly.
What should you eat in Naples besides pizza?
Try sfogliatella and babà, fried seafood in a cuoppo, pasta with ragù, buffalo mozzarella from Campania and a short, strong coffee standing at the bar.
Where should I stay in Naples?
Grand Hotel Vesuvio and the Excelsior are on the seafront at Via Partenope, Parker’s has views from Chiaia, and ROMEO is by the harbour near the boats to Capri. All are close to the centre and the pizzerias.