Experience the Culinary Delights of Naples with iBestTravel

Naples is one of the most underrated cities in Italy, if not all of Europe. Often plagued with outdated warnings of danger, crime, or pollution, Naples isn’t as polished or glamorous as Milan, Trento, or Parma, nor as internationally adored as Rome, Venice, or Bologna, but it’s just as charming – if not more so. Yes, Naples is chaotic; it’s comparatively grittier than nearby Sorrento and Capri. However, when it comes to culture, people, and lifestyle, there’s no place quite like it. Moreover, the food is exceptional. The region of Campania is considered the rightful birthplace of outstanding dishes such as Pizza Margherita, Lasagne Carnevale, Ragù Napoletano – a tomato-rich sauce slow-cooked for hours with varying meats, Pasta alla Genovese, Sfogliatella, Zeppole, Mozzarella di Bufala, San Marzano tomatoes, Amalfi lemons, and much more. Based on regular visits to Italy’s third-largest city, here are the best restaurants in Naples.

Osteria della Mattonella

Osteria della Mattonella is one of those Italian restaurants you might typically see in classic films or old photographs, yet you’re rarely lucky enough to experience it in real life. Close to the Teatro Sannazaro and a ten-minute (steep uphill) walk from Piazza Del Plebiscito, the restaurant began its journey in 1978 as a wine and olive oil shop before transforming into a traditional restaurant. It’s so traditional that it’s extremely difficult to secure a table past 8 PM as the restaurant fills up quickly with locals, and a translated menu is hard to come by. All you need to know, however, is to order a bottle of house red and the pasta alla Genovese – a local specialty comprising tubes of ziti pasta dressed with a ragù of slow-cooked beef and plenty of sweet onions, showered with a generous fistful of Parmigiano Reggiano. Desserts here are also an absolute triumph.

Dish to order: Pasta alla Genovese
Address: Via Giovanni Nicotera, 13, 80132 Napoli NA, Italy
Website: osteriadellamattonella.com

Pizzeria Brandi

Another of Naples’ oldest pizzerias, and one of the best restaurants in Naples, this site is famously credited as the birthplace of one of the most renowned dishes of all time: the pizza margherita. Legend has it that chef Raffaele Esposito was asked to prepare three different pizzas for the royal visit of King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy in 1889. The queen’s favorite was the option prepared to represent Italy’s tri-color flag, featuring tomatoes, white mozzarella, and basil. Consequently, this pizza has become a world-renowned icon of Italian cuisine and is still executed remarkably well at Pizzeria Brandi, using the finest San Marzano tomatoes, cheese from Agerola on the Amalfi Coast, basil from the Vesuvian villages, and the best olive oil from Campania. Various additional toppings are available; however, when the original is done so well, there’s no reason to stray from it.

Dish to order: Pizza Margherita
Address: Salita S. Anna di Palazzo, 1/2, 80132 Napoli NA, Italy
Website: pizzeriabrandi.com