24 Best Restaurants in Naples, Italy

Favored by meat eaters who can't abide another bite of bream, this cozy, dimly lit dining den is known for dishes such as tender carpaccio with fresh artichoke hearts. There are also excellent homemade pasta selections, including orecchiette with chickpeas or pappardelle al sugo di agnello (pasta with lamb sauce), but the highlights are the extravagant grilled meat plates. Finish up with a babà or slice of pastiera for dessert. The restaurant is very popular among locals, so reservations are recommended.

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.

This fourth-generation fish shop run by brothers is also a trendy, if rough-and-ready, spot to enjoy a super-fresh but pricey seafood meal—including superb Neapolitan sushi—and cold wine while sitting on a buoy stool.

Named for Neapolitan character Pulcinella’s girlfriend, this restaurant is in the onetime oratory of the adjoining church, which became a sawmill in the early 20th century. The high tufo arches and period fittings have been maintained, and the pizzas and pasta dishes are first class—the owners grow much of the produce that's used on their farm in nearby Sant’Agata dei Goti.

Run by the Di Porzio family since 1916, Umberto is one of the city's classic restaurants, combining the poshness of its neighborhood, Chiaia, and the friendliness found in other parts of Naples. Try the paccheri d'o treddeta ("three-finger" pasta with octopus, tomato, olives, and capers), which bears the nickname of the original Umberto, who happened to be short a few digits. Owner Massimo and sisters Lorella and Roberta (Umberto's grandchildren) are all wine experts and oversee a fantastic cellar. Note that Umberto has been catering to diners with a gluten allergy, as well as to vegetarians, for years.

Just off bustling Via Toledo on the basalti flagstones of a narrow Quartieri Spagnoli street, this small trattoria does superb-value, classic Neapolitan dishes. Take a seat at one of the small tables with checkered tablecloths and ask the amiable staff about the day's freshest seafood, meat, and vegetable dishes while taking in the atmospheric surroundings.

Here, you can take your pick of the pizzas and pasta dishes, or ask the owners to whip up a panino incorporating some of the excellent cheeses, vegetables, and meats on display. The uniformly high-quality ingredients make up for the spartan surroundings.

For a hot-out-of-the-oven sfogliatella, Naples's tasty ricotta-filled pastry, try the justifiably famous Attanasio (you can grab one as soon as you get off the train). Note, though, that this place is slightly hidden away off Piazza Garibaldi and shouldn't be confused with the touristy restaurant of the same name on the piazza itself.

Since 1938, this place has been popular with kids (and decidedly not with health-conscious adults) thanks to its greasy brown-paper bags filled with deep-fried eggplant, zucchini, zucchini flowers, zeppole dough balls, or potato croquettes—the Neapolitan versions of French madeleines. Forget all that stuff about the Mediterranean diet being so healthy and indulge in some oil-drenched bliss.

This stylish place has long been popular thanks to the innovative cuisine of master chef Diego Nuzzo. A bar, where salami and other glorious tidbits are served, runs the length of the restaurant, but, for the real deal, take a table and be pampered with subtle dishes such as insalata di aragosta e gamberi alla catalana (lobster and prawn salad garnished with citrus).

This innovative eatery offers a menu of fixed-price bowls such as the squisita (exquisite) with rice, octopus, hummus, and fennel or the vivace (lively) with seared tuna fillet, chopped hazelnuts, and three types of rice. The open kitchen looks over a large, high, communal table with stools, and outdoor seating overlooks the bustling Piazza Bellini.

At this perfect place for a lunchtime snack, you point to what you want in the tempting glass counter and pay for it at the cash desk. Among the specialties are the usual frittura, tangy cheese pies (sfoglino al formaggio), pizza scarola (an escarole pie with black olives), and omelets stuffed with spinach, peppers, or onions. If you can't find a seat, you can stand against the wall, as some customers do, or just get your order to go and enjoy your meal outside.

This well-known trattoria–wineshop sees everyone from foodies to students and professors from the nearby university. The menu on the wall's blackboard changes daily, but there is always a good selection of pasta, meat, fish, and vegetable side dishes. Go for a plate of pasta e fagioli or octopus salad and fried anchovies with a carafe of a good local wine.

With a balanced array of land-based dishes, owner--manager Gaetano's unpretentious eatery attracts students and young professionals, mainly regulars from the school of medicine around the corner. It's busy and small (expect to share a table—and if your fellow diners are not shy, why should you be?), but the prices can't be beat, and the daily selection of a good dozen vegetable side plates merits a detour of its own, even if you're not a vegetarian.

This restaurant's name translates roughly to "room of taste," but the tastes here are many and extend from the traditional to the gourmet and ultramodern. Start with the antipasto di pesce (seafood appetizer), experience the glory that is Naples in the gattò delle due Sicilie (cake of the two Sicilies; Sicilian eggplant with a cheese fondue and a pesto mustard), or bow to contemporary sensibilities with the menu vegetariano km zero (all local vegetables of the season). With its recycled chairs and tables and vintage-style ads outside, this place exhibits a strong but pleasing personality. The cheese-and-wine parlor downstairs has an easygoing ambience, while the room upstairs is more of a slow-food den.

As its name suggests, this gracious trattoria atop a flight of steps on a small side street near Naples's main university is popular with the artsy intelligentsia, but it manages to remain welcomingly low-key. Warmed with touches of wood, it prides itself on its fresh interpretations of Neapolitan classics, with excellent salami, mozzarella, and frittura appetizers, cabbage soup fragrant with good beef stock, and meat and fish grilled over wood. Desserts include Sicilian cannoli—crisp pastry tubes filled with dark chocolate mousse or ricotta cream. Finish your meal with a choice of liqueurs or Neapolitan moka coffee.

Just around the corner from the Borgo Marinaro and the Hotel Vesuvio, this famous restaurant and pizzeria offers up its delights in a cool white-and-blue room. Try the house specialty pizza Sant'Anastasia, with cherry tomatoes and lots of premium fior di latte cheese. A range of pasta, meat, and fish dishes is also available. A wide sidewalk and the partial pedestrianization of Via Santa Lucia make this a pleasant venue for alfresco dining in summer.

A hidden gem in the Quartieri Spagnoli, A Pignata is a favorite with locals for its typical Neapolitan cooking. Each antipasto of land and sea is a meal in itself, but save space for the grilled calamari or involtini di cotica di maiale, rolled pork rind stuffed with garlic, parsley, pine nuts, and sultanas. Wash it all down with a bottle from the extensive wine list.

The classic address for sfogliatelle is Pintauro, which rarely disappoints. Try one of these fresh from the back-room oven.

This century-old pasticceria is famed for its fiocco di neve (snowflake), a delicious pastry ball filled with cream and ricotta cheese, created in 2015. Chocolate and pistachio are among the recommended variations.

The bright, clean, and simple decor reflects this place's lighter take on traditionally heavy Neapolitan food. The soupy pasta e piselli (with peas) is a wonderful surprise for anyone who has bad memories of pea soup, and the mezzanini allo scarpariello (pasta tubes with fresh tomato, basil, and pecorino cheese) will set taste buds quivering.

This family-run trattoria exudes a calm, relaxed atmosphere, offering traditional Neapolitan dishes without fuss or ostentation. Try the excellent fish or the pasta dishes, which are cooked with a light, modern touch, especially those with verdure (fresh leafy vegetables) or with patate con la provola (potatoes and smoked mozzarella). Close to Teatro San Carlo and aptly decorated with playbills and theatrical memorabilia, both ancient and modern, this is an excellent place to stop after a visit to the opera house. Look for the entrance almost immediately on the right as you go up Via Nardones from Piazza Trieste e Trento; ring the bell outside to be let in.

Just 50 yards from the main Capodimonte gate, this no-nonsense eatery is favored by locals as well as day-trippers to the park and museum. The friendly owners will talk you through the day's specialties, and there's an inexpensive lunchtime set menu. Fish is a favorite, with fried calamari and alici always available.