17 Best Restaurants in Naples, Italy

Every pizzeria along Via dei Tribunali is worth the long wait—and trust us, all the good ones will be jam-packed—but just one can claim to have served a U.S. president: Bill Clinton enjoyed a margherita here when the G8 was held in Naples in 1994. Today the superlative pizzaioli (pizza makers) turn out a wide array of pizzas, all to the utmost perfection. Skip the calorie-counting and try the frittura, and you'll be pleasantly surprised with this mix of Neapolitan-style tempura featuring zucchini, eggplant, rice balls, and more. 

In the evening, this fourth-generation fish shop becomes a trendy spot to enjoy an aperitif and a light meal. If you want to experience superb Neapolitan sushi and cold wine while sitting on a buoy stool, get here early: service is 7:30 pm–10:30 pm. A full fish lunch is served Tuesday–Sunday.

Established in 1905, this Neapolitan institution on Spaccanapoli is a buzzy place to sample some of the finest pastries in town—plus it also makes classic savory dishes, ice cream, and mighty decent coffee.

At Ambrosino, ideal for a quick snack, you can take your pick of the pizzas and pasta dishes, or ask the owners to whip up a panino made from the excellent cheeses, vegetables, and meats on display. The uniformly high-quality ingredients make up for this place's 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; this place is hidden away off Piazza Garibaldi.

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, and 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.

Connoisseurs often say the most refined pastries in town can be found at Gran Caffè Cimmino. Many of the city's lawyers congregate here, to celebrate or commiserate with crisp, light cannoli; airy lemon eclairs; choux paste in the form of a mushroom laced with chocolate whipped cream; and delightful wild-strawberry tartlets. There are also preprepared pasta dishes for a quick lunch.

The most famous coffeehouse in town, founded in 1850, sits across from the Palazzo Reale. Although its glory days as an intellectual salon are well in the past, the rooms inside, with mirrored walls and gilded ceilings, make this an essential stop. It was here that Oscar Wilde, down on his luck, would, for the price of a cup of tea, amaze Anglophone visitors with his still-intact wit. Disappointingly, it's not the best coffee in town.

A classic address in the chic Chiaia district, in the summer months this bar sells their famous coffee-flavored chocolates in the shape of tiny coffeepots.

A simple enoteca by day, L'Ebbrezza has a dining area in the back that fills up in the evening. Owner Luca's enthusiasm for what he does is quite moving—as you sample a recommended wine you can sense that he hopes you like it as much as he does. The attention paid to the quality of the wine carries over to the food. Here you can taste paccheri stuffed with eggplant parmigiana—or try one of the fantastic soups. Other highlights include the rare cheeses, among them the Sicilian ragusano di razza modicana and the local caciocavallo podolico, and the daily selection of hot dishes.

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 slices of 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.

While flat, pan-cooked focaccia can make some pizza fundamentalists wince, this place makes mouthwatering slices of the crunchy-bottomed snacks with a variety of toppings. Skip the predictable tomato variations and go for the delicious potato-and-rosemary focaccia with melted provola. Washed down with a beer, this makes for a great speedy lunch or late-night snack.

This café is beloved not only for its excellent coffee but also for its beautiful cakes—concoctions of cream, chocolate, and fruit whose swirls of color make them look like Abstract Expressionist paintings. They also have a lunch menu.

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

A favorite haunt of students from the adjacent school of architecture, Giuliano has an old-style glass cabinet where the arancini are kept. These fried rice balls are the size of tennis balls, and you'll also find deep-fried pizzas, filled with mozzarella, tomato, prosciutto, or ricotta, which can fill that yawning void in your stomach—even if you have to sit down on the steps in the square afterward to recover.

Famed for its fiocco di neve (snowflake), the deliciously creamy pastry ball was created in 2015 by this century-old pasticceria.

This is the quintessential Neapolitan pastry shop. Although the coffee is top-of-the-line and the ice cream and pastries are quite good—including the specialty, the ministeriale, a pert chocolate cake with a rum-cream filling—it's the atmosphere that counts here. Nuns, punks, businesspeople, and housewives all commune in this unprepossessing yet remarkable space.