Forget what you think you know about Italian food. In Naples, everything feels a bit more intense, from the flavours to the way people talk about what is on their plate. Food here is not just something you eat, it is pride, tradition and pure joy.
Here are some of the savoury and sweet masterpieces you should try while you are in the city.
1. Pizza
Pizza is not just food in Naples, it is an identity. The art of the Neapolitan pizzaiuolo is even listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The base is everything, a soft, elastic, well hydrated dough that puffs up into a pillowy, slightly charred crust, the cornicione. The sauce is simple, usually just crushed San Marzano tomatoes with a little salt and basil.
The two pillars of Neapolitan pizza are the Marinara (tomato, garlic, oregano, olive oil, no cheese) and the Margherita, created in 1889 with tomato, mozzarella and basil to match the colours of the Italian flag. Start with one of these, then you can get more adventurous later.
2. Cuoppo di Frittura
Cuoppo di frittura is one of the most fun things you can eat on the streets of Naples. It is a paper cone filled with freshly fried goodies, usually a mix of seafood like calamari and prawns, plus little fish, courgette flowers or bite‑sized crocchè, depending on the place. You eat it with your hands as you wander, still hot and salty, with a squeeze of lemon on top. Look for small fry shops in the historic centre where locals are queuing, that is usually where you will find the crispest, freshest cuoppo.
3. Ragù Pasta
Neapolitan ragù is not your quick weekday pasta. It is a slow cooked meat and tomato sauce that simmers for hours until it turns deep, glossy and full of flavour. Try the ragù at Tandem, where they are famous for serving it in generous portions over pasta or soaked into bread.
Another local classic, slightly confusingly called Pasta alla Genovese, is actually Neapolitan too. It is an onion based meat sauce that is cooked until the onions almost melt into a sweet, silky sauce. Both are amazing and very satisfying, especially with a glass of red wine. 🍝
4. Baba / Rum Cake
Let’s talk Italian sweets. The babà al rum is a soft, mushroom shaped sponge cake soaked in rum syrup until it is completely saturated. It is light in texture but extremely sweet and boozy. You bite into it and the syrup almost drips out, so it is definitely one to eat over a plate or napkin.
You have to try at least one, the texture is unlike anything else. I would recommend sharing it, because it really is very sweet, especially if you have already had pizza or pasta. 😋
5. Sfogliatelle
Neapolitan sfogliatelle are pastries made with ultra thin layers of dough that bake into a crisp, crunchy shell. Inside, you get a filling of semolina and ricotta with a hint of orange and warm spices, creamy but with a lovely texture. There are two main styles, the classic shell shape (riccia) and a smoother version (frolla).
You will find them in almost every bakery in Naples, and they are perfect for breakfast with an espresso or as a mid morning treat. Definitely one of my favourites!
6. Canoli
Sweet cannoli are technically Sicilian, but you will see them in good pasticcerie all over Naples. They are crunchy pastry tubes filled to order with a rich ricotta cream, sometimes dotted with chocolate chips, candied orange or pistachios at the ends. They are quite sweet and very filling, so one is usually enough, especially after a big meal.
If you can, choose a place where they fill the shells on the spot so the pastry stays crisp and does not go soft. This is definitely one of my favourites too. 🥰
7. Gelato
Gelato is the thing you will keep coming back to during a trip to Naples. Good gelato here is dense and creamy, with strong flavours like pistachio, hazelnut and dark chocolate, plus seasonal fruit sorbets that taste properly of the fruit. It is completely normal to have it more than once a day, either in a cone or a cup, as a quick break between sights or instead of dessert after dinner.
Gay-Odin has been a Neapolitan institution since 1894 when Isidoro Odin started producing chocolate in Naples. The company’s gelato history is shorter, dating back to just 2008, but don’t rule Gay-Odin out. I would like to reccomend this place.
8. Limoncello
No Neapolitan meal feels truly complete without a little digestivo, and the king of them all is limoncello. This sweet, very fragrant liqueur is made by steeping lemon peel, typically from the Sorrento or Amalfi Coast, in high proof alcohol, then mixing it with sugar syrup. Served ice cold in a small chilled glass, it is the perfect sunny punctuation mark at the end of a meal.
You will often be offered a tiny glass on the house in traditional places, and it is hard to say no. If you fall in love with it, you can pick up a bottle to take home to share with family and friends.
