What to eat in Naples
Pizza a portafoglio
A small margherita, folded in four, wrapped in paper and served piping hot. You eat it standing up while walking, and it must be eaten straight away: cold, it's just not the same. It's the dish that kicks off almost every walking tour, and there's a reason for that. If the first bite is right, the rest of the route falls into place.
Pizza fritta
Fried dough with a filling, usually ricotta, cicoli and tomato. It weighs more than it looks and anyone who orders it in the late afternoon skips dinner. On a tour, it comes halfway through, which is exactly where it should be.
Frittatina di pasta
Bucatini, béchamel, peas and provola, all breaded and fried. It's the most Neapolitan fried food there is and the one that even convinces those who say they don't like fried food. It's cheap, eaten in three bites, and you can find it in every friggitoria on Via dei Tribunali.
Taralli, rice balls and mozzarella
Taralli 'nzogna e pepe, the ones with almonds on top, are what Neapolitans really snack on. Arancini, or rice balls, are right next to them. Fresh mozzarella is bought at the deli, not the pizzeria: if a tour takes you into a deli to buy it, that's a good sign.
Baba, sfogliatella, gelato
Sfogliatella comes in riccia and frolla, and Neapolitans have been arguing about which is better forever. The riccia is flaky, crispy and hard to eat with dignity. The frolla is softer and gentler. The baba is soaked in rum and should be eaten at the counter, not taken home in your suitcase. Gelato finishes the tour, always at the end, never at the start.
Ragù, but not what you think
Neapolitan ragù isn't the same as ragù bolognese. It's chunks of meat slow-cooked in tomato sauce, made on Sundays and you won't find it at midday on a Tuesday in some alleyway. On a tour, you'll only come across it if the route passes a kitchen that makes it, and in that case, it's worth the wait.
Coffee
At the counter, standing up, in two sips, and you pay afterwards. Sitting at a table for an espresso is the most touristy thing you can do in Naples. It's not forbidden, it's just that none of us do it.
If you had to name four
Pizza a portafoglio, frittatina di pasta, sfogliatella, ragù. In that order, and you can do the first three in a single morning. How they fit into the streets of the city centre is what I’ll tell you in the food itinerary, step by step.
Don’t order everything at once. Neapolitan fried food fills you up fast, and the classic mistake is reaching dessert already full. On a tour, the guide sets the order; on your own, you’ll have to do it yourself.
Where to try it all in one go
The condensed version of this list is a street food tour lasting two and a half hours: pizza a portafoglio, pizza fritta, frittatina, arancini, taralli, mozzarella, babà, sfogliatella and ice cream, in the right order. If you’d rather make the pizza yourself, we move on to pizza-making courses.
Frequently asked questions
What must you absolutely eat in Naples?
Pizza, in one of two forms: margherita on a plate or folded into a pizza a portafoglio. Then there’s frittatina di pasta and sfogliatella. These are three things you eat standing up and in no time, so they fit even into a packed day.
What are four typical Neapolitan dishes?
Pizza a portafoglio, pizza fritta, frittatina di pasta and Neapolitan ragù. If you’d prefer a sweet fourth, swap the ragù for a sfogliatella riccia. A route that covers almost all of them is in the food itinerary.
What is Naples’ signature dish?
Margherita pizza. It’s not an original answer, but it’s still the right one: tomato, mozzarella, basil, quick cooking. The rest of Neapolitan cuisine revolves around that simplicity.
Do you eat enough on a food tour?
Yes, and almost always more than you’d expect. The portions are generous and there are lots of tastings: how much you actually eat is what I explain in what to expect. Those with dietary restrictions will find their answers in vegetarians and dietary restrictions.