Naples Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

[Jadrool]

Hello All,

My wife and I are spending about a week in Naples and would love to hear your restaurant suggestions.

Thanks

[vigna]

There's a very modest restaurant called Marino located in the Santa Lucia neighborhood that has very typical Naples pizza and good seafood. I ate there in the summer of 2003. Although it is listed in the Michelin Guida Rossa, I was the only non-Italian in the place. If you stick with simple dishes, especially the pizza, you will be satisfied (Naples has the best pizza anywhere, in my opinion, and Marino's offers a pretty good example of the very spare pure variety found in pizzerias all over the city). The restaurant is located fairly close to the hotels that line the bayside avenue just opposite the Castello d'Ovo (the site of many touristy restaurants, including Transatlantico, which is said to be good).

In contrast, I was disappointed with an old standby near the Central train station, Mimi alla Ferrovia. This seems like a restaurant of habitueés, frozen in time, which would normally be a good thing. The food was not bad, but nothing memorable. Service was a dour, which is very rare in Naples, especially if one orders in Italian. The area around the train station is not very good (I would definitely not stay again in the Starhotel Terminus at this location, chosen for convenience so that I could take an early morning train.)

Although I've not eaten at Giuseppone al Mare recently and thus cannot vouch for the present quality of the food, this restaurant has a great view of the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius (they had outdoor tables on a waterside terrace, perhaps they still do). It has been listed in the Michelin guide for over 30 years and was at one time the favorite restaurant of many locals -- a place where people would go for a family celebration. The specialty is seafood. The downside is that you must take a taxi out to the Possilipo shore line. [Naples taxis are among the worst in Europe (another contender for this honor is Prague, although nothing could beat my experiences in St. Petersburg in the early '90s) -- even if the meter is used, there is always some extra phony charge!]

If there is time to travel to the Amalfi/Sorrento penninsula, the best restaurant in the whole region is Don Alfonso at Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi (not far from Sorrento). Wonderful fresh seafood and home garden fresh vegetables are the specialties. Nice atmosphere, very friendly (had three Michelin stars, but lost one of the stars two or three years ago).

[Craig Camp]

Hello All,

My wife and I are spending about a week in Naples and would love to hear your restaurant suggestions.

Thanks

Please take advantage of the eGullet search feature which will lead you to many comments on eating in and around Napoli.

[David Lerner]

Had the best Spaghetti al Pomodoro I have ever had at Mimi alla Ferrovia. Seems like such a simple dish, but it's rarely done well and this was superb. Also had a good pepper appetizer (stuffed? can't recall). My wife had an average at best fish dish. Neither the service nor the atmosphere was anything to write home about.

Ate at Don Alfonso the day before, it didn't do much for us - fancy and expensive but not delicious (even though I liked their Olive Oil that I bough from Jim Dixon). But I'm a vegetarian, so my choices were limited. Here the atmosphere and and service were excellent. We've never been blown away by any Michelin three star in Italy - I think Michelin is rating how French (and complicated) the cooking and serving style is, and that's not a good way to rate Italian food - simple perfect ingredients expertly prepared, and less than five ingredients per dish being what I see as the Italian way.

20 years ago there was a very helpful Gault-Millau guide for Italy, nowadays we use the Slow Food Osterie D'Italia and have rarely been disappointed. It's only in Italian so takes quite a bit of work to decode sometimes, but is very clear on the cuisine and specialties.

Edited March 9, 2004 by David Lerner (log)

[marcus]

Most significant in Naples is the pizza, the prototype for all the others. Simply prepared, soft crust, clean clear flavors of tomato sauce and usually cheese, I'm not a fan of the pizza marinara which is just crust and sauce, but actually very popular. The pizza is baked in a typical wood burning beehive oven. Pizza in Naples is always the main dish, don't think pizza appetizers, and even in many fancier restaurants may be available, and when it is, it will be ordered by at least 30% of the diners, the Neapolitans love it so much. However, as a visitor, you will want to have your pizza in a pizzeria. The oldest and most traditional is da Michele, really super, you will need to take a number and wait, only pizza margarita and marinara are available on the menu. Almost across the street is Trianon, much larger, but also excellent, and with more selection if you become jaded. They offer, although I don't think that it's particularly popular with Neapolitans, a DOC pizza with buffalo mozzarella and san marzano tomatos which I found to be very good.

Outside of pizza, the best thing to have in Naples is the super fresh simply prepared whole fish, prepared in a number of ways. I personally found Mimi alla Ferrovia to be excellent for fresh fish, but best of all is da Dora, a truly wonderful restaurant. I found the whole fish at da Dora, although not the other dishes, to be even better than at La Rosetta in Rome.

[albie]

In Posillipo, try Rosiello, a wonderful trattoria; also enjoyed Ciro a Santa Brigida; overall, Naples is a much underrated city for food. Countless horror stories-- mostly but not always exaggerated -- about crime and grime have kept tourists at bay, and paradoxically held down the tourist trap restaurants -- you know, the kind with front windows festooned with pictures of the dishes they purport to serve, menus in five languages, or the phrase ``menu turistico."

It's my impression that it's a lot easier to eat badly in Venice or Milan than in Naples.

[David Lerner]

Heading back to Naples and Ravello in May. One of us is a vegetarian. We know about the pizza, can anyone recommend other good choices (dishes, restaurants, or both) that aren't seafood only? Ravello itself doesn't seem to have any great food (or didn't 18 years ago), but we loved the town, the square, the view and everything else - we're happy to drive down below (or out the back) for dinner.

We're more interested in the food than the ambience (Don Alfonso was too fancy and refined for our tastes - we prefer simpler dishes and bolder flavors).

I'm enjoying some wonderful Apricot jam from Vesuvius, and I know the famed San Marzano and pomodorinni del pinello (sic?) tomatoes from the area - can anyone recommend specific restaurants or dishes to enjoy them in? Are there other vegetable dishes or pastas of note in the area? We're not afraid of red sauce if it's really good.

And I'm always looking for great peperonata.

Also heading down toward Paestum for a day, only found one restaurant in the area in the Slow Food guide (La Pergola in Capaccio). It sounds pretty good actually.

Thanks!

[Pizza Napoletana]

I have found Carala Capalbo's The Food Lover's Companion to Naples and the Campania very interesting and informative.

Ciao

Heading back to Naples and Ravello in May. One of us is a vegetarian. We know about the pizza, can anyone recommend other good choices (dishes, restaurants, or both) that aren't seafood only? Ravello itself doesn't seem to have any great food (or didn't 18 years ago), but we loved the town, the square, the view and everything else - we're happy to drive down below (or out the back) for dinner.

We're more interested in the food than the ambience (Don Alfonso was too fancy and refined for our tastes - we prefer simpler dishes and bolder flavors).

I'm enjoying some wonderful Apricot jam from Vesuvius, and I know the famed San Marzano and pomodorinni del pinello (sic?) tomatoes from the area  - can anyone recommend specific restaurants or dishes to enjoy them in? Are there other vegetable dishes or pastas of note in the area? We're not afraid of red sauce if it's really good.

And I'm always looking for great peperonata.

Also heading down toward Paestum for a day, only found one restaurant in the area in the Slow Food guide (La Pergola in Capaccio). It sounds pretty good actually.

Thanks!

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[Michael M]

Thanks to help here and other forums, I am closing in on a plan for my visit in March. Fly into Rome, stay there a few days, then into Campania somewhere, then back to Rome. I've never been to the region (Campania), and want to visit Napoli as well as the penninsula in general. I would alro like to have a car sometime during this trip in order to visit wineries in the Campania region. But then there's Napoli and driving within the city.

I've driven in Italy and think it's fine. I've also driven in Rome and would like to avoid that as much as possible, likewise Naples I would expect.

So I think I have two choices. One: Drive from Rome and end up somewhere in one of the cities outside of Napoli as my base (perhaps Sorrento or Positano). I'll have a car to visit wineries inland, and public transportation for getting into and out of Naples. Then take a train back to Rome. The problem here is that 1) We would not be in the city of Napoli and 2) it would take time each day to get into Naples.

Two: take the train from Rome to Napoli, stay there a while, then rent a car somewhere on the outskirts of town and...maybe relocate again? I'm not sure about this. I'm only there 10 days, and 4 of them will be in Rome.

I've scoured the archives here, took into account responses to my previous queries.

Any suggestions now about where to stay for the easiest winery access? Thanks.

[MarkDM]

There are trains from Naples to just about every small town throughout the Campania region. Or you could rent a car at the Naples airport (easier in and out, and avoid for the most part city driving) to drive to neighboring towns. Or, depending on the time of year- in off season there are some desperate tour guides that would probably be willing to drive you to Avellino, Benevento, etc.

[Ore]

I am sure you have it ready but what wine area are you tryin to visit in Campania. From my experiences I would rec. staying in Avellino or one of the smaller towns East of Avellino. From Avellino there are many wineries including Feudi di San Gregorio and Mastroberardino but 10 minutes away. Then there are the smaller producers like Di Meo and all the Taurasi producers 15 or 20 minutes away.

Check Avellino.

Ore

[Michael M]

Actually I haven't finalized plans yet, though I realize I should have. Thanks for the tips. I'm leaning that direction anyway.

[Brad Ballinger]

Michael,

Of course the recommendations will depend on which wine areas or which producers you wish to visit. The post you linked references Puglia, but not Campania. Wine production in Campania takes place all over -- near Napoli, on the Costa Amalfitana, near Avellino, near Atripalda, on Ischia, near Paestum.

One recommendation I have for you (if you are more interested in DOC areas than specific producers) is to visit Italian Made and look for DOC areas in Campania. Then decide. Regardless of where you have your base, plan for the drives to take longer than you would guess. And don't drive in Napoli.

[docsconz]

I think Ore has some good recommendations for wineries to visit. Whether to have a car or not really depends on what you wish to do with most of your time. If you will be spending most of your time in Naples forget about a car, but if you wish to just spend a day or two visiting Naples a car is fine. If you are going to have a car, though I would recommend staying outside of Naples. While the Amalfi coast is IMO the most beautiful area in the region to stay, it is not the best base for getting around the area as a whole. Sorrento IMO would be the best position from which to get around to various areas with or without a car. The train service from Sorrento to Naples and some other surrounding areas like Pompeii and Herculaneum isn't bad, but won't afford you the same freedom a car will. With a car you can also easily visit the Amalfi coast (Positano is clearly one of the most beautiful villages I have ever seen), wineries, buffalo farms and just about any other location you might want. It is also a good point from which to catch a ferry to Capri or some of the other islands.

[Michael M]

Thanks for both recent responses. I threw the question out then got overwhelmed with house renovation issues. It's time to dive back in and get this thing planned!

[Brad Ballinger]

I'll also add this. If you are visiting in the summer, don't base out of any town on the Amalfi Coast. Traffic and parking will be atrocious. If you'll be visiting off-season, the Amalfi Coast will be all yours -- although your day trips will be longer to destinations further inland. I based out of Ravello for a week in November, and had a wonderful and wonderfully easy time of it.

[MMerrill]

We'll be spending 3 days in Naples later this month and plan to visit several classic pizza places as well as trattorias. Any updates? I read a review on Gambero Rosso's website about La Notizia which sounds very good. Has anyone been there? We're also venturing into Molise to Campobasso to eat at 2 Gambero Rosso "Red" restaurants there, and to Bojano where there's one. Ending up with a night at the Torre Gaia "Wine Resort" near Dugenta in Campania. These places are somewhat off the beaten track, but - what do you all know?

[Pizza Napoletana]

We'll be spending 3 days in Naples later this month and plan to visit several classic pizza places as well as trattorias.  Any updates?  I read a review on Gambero Rosso's website about La Notizia which sounds very good.  Has anyone been there?  We're also venturing into Molise to Campobasso to eat at 2 Gambero Rosso "Red" restaurants there, and to Bojano where there's one.  Ending up with a night at the Torre Gaia "Wine Resort" near Dugenta in Campania.  These places are somewhat off the beaten track, but  - what do you all know?

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I am sorry to be so bold, but forget La Notizia. Even on the Gambero Rosso online forum people couldn't believe why it was reviewed in the first place. If you had to visit 1 pizzeria, only one, then Salvo must be the one. Click here

Then Da Michele, Gorizia, Sorbillo Gino (not sure has re-opened as few weeks ago was going through refurbishment), Costa, Il PIzzaiolo del Presidente, Capasso, Cafasso but definetelly not La Notizia....

Dugenta is great area. Good wine, some olive oil, great Wild boar and a relxing environment.

Molise also produce one of the best olive oil in the country, so buy some.

Ciao

[MMerrill]

Wow! Thanks for your opinion. I'm scratching La Notizia and adding Salvo.

[Pizza Napoletana]

Wow!  Thanks for your opinion.  I'm scratching La Notizia and adding Salvo.

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You may want to check this post:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...dpost&p=1012377

[MMerrill]

We drove from Fiumicino to Naples on a Friday afternoon and the driving all the way was the worst I've ever experienced in Italy, but when we reached Naples, total chaos ensued. By the time we reached our B&B and stashed the car, we were too frazzled to go far to eat, so tried a pizza place in the neighborhood (via Medina) that the proprietor of the B&B recommended - the name of which translated to "Buffalo Brothers." Pizza was perfectly good but not out of the ordinary.

Next day (Saturday), walked all around and had lunch at da Michele. We liked the look of what the policeman from Ancona who sat across from us was eating, so ordered the same thing - pizza Margherita, doppia mozzarella. This was a sublime pizza, definitely the best we had, although we did not get to Salvo (darn).

On Sunday, most pizza places were closed, but we found one "vera pizza Napolitana" place near us open and went there - Lombardi a Santa Chiara. They offer more topping choices and the pizza was excellent.

Clear winner - da Michele!

[eatrustic]

We drove from Fiumicino to Naples on a Friday afternoon and the driving all the way was the worst I've ever experienced in Italy, but when we reached Naples, total chaos ensued.

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I'm sorry, but I found your comment hilarious only because I was in Naples at this time last year and I would be there as we speak if not for a family situation at home. It truly is pandemonium attempting to drive in and around Naples and I refuse to even attempt it. I simply do my rentals from the airport (Naples) and either take a taxi or shuttle from the city to get my car. Life is too precious to squander it in the meat grinder they call traffic!

[Pizza Napoletana]

Fratelli La Buafala is a chain and also with a good marketing story, which is in fact a lie. they now have branches in MIami and London.

I am glad you liked Da Michele.

Ciao

[MMerrill]

"Fratelli La Buafala is a chain"

Oh my, a chain! Well we were steered there by a Neapolitan native who said he grew up eating at da Michele.

[marlena spieler]

my favourite restaurant in naples, one i keep coming back to, is Europea, across the big street and down a little bit of an alleyway or littleish street, from the naples chamber of commerce......near where they are building one of the subway stops. i'm sure you can google it. it might be l'europea.

really delicious homey food, and if you go there when squash blossoms are in season, you MUST get some. i love their pasta con le patate......good mozzarella.....i've never looked at a menu, rather gone with a group of people and simply ordered lotsa stuff. lots of really yummy stuff.

marlena

ps the bread in campania and especially naples is really excellent. it reminds me of san francisco sourdough at its best.

Edited November 10, 2006 by marlena spieler (log)