The Best Restaurant in Naples, Italy

Background Illustration for Restaurants

Let's be honest: you really want a traditional Neapolitan dinner against the backdrop of Vesuvius with a great show of Neapolitan love songs to get you crying into your limoncello liqueur. There's no reason to feel guilty, because even the natives love to get into the spirit. But listening to someone warble "Santa Lucia" while feasting on a pizza Margherita from a table overlooking the bay is just one example of the many pleasures awaiting diners in Naples.

As the birthplace of pizza, Naples prides itself on its vast selection of pizzerias, the most famous of which—Da Michele (where Julia Roberts filmed her pizza scene in Eat Pray Love) or Sorbillo—deserve the designation of "incomparable." Many Neapolitans make lunch their big meal of the day, and then have a pizza for supper.

Palazzo Petrucci

$$$$ | Mergellina Fodor's Choice

Overlooking the beach at the 15th-century Palazzo Donn'Anna, the Michelin-starred, three-level Palazzo Petrucci doesn't lack for dramatic seating options, including a lounge bar and a dining area that's practically on the beach, with a glass partition revealing the kitchens. Fortify yourself with a complimentary glass of Prosecco before agonizing between the à la carte offerings and one of the three menu degustazioni (from €90 to €150). A popular starter is mille-feuille of local mozzarella with raw prawns and vegetable sauce. The paccheri al impiedi (large tube pasta served standing on end) in a rich ricotta-and-meat sauce is an interesting twist on a regional classic. The interior is elegantly minimal; the culinary delights are anything but.