9 Best Restaurants in Naples, Italy

A fave with Via dei Mille shoppers is Bar Guida, which offers you not only the luxury of being able to sit down, but also has a decent range of savory light meals.

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.

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.

Conveniently close to the archaeological museum, yet surprisingly off the tourist beat, this small eatery is patronized by professori from the nearby Academy of Fine Arts and theatergoers from the Teatro Bellini next door. A specialty here is the blend of seafood with vegetables—try the tubettoni con cozze e zucchini (tube-shape pasta with mussels and zucchini) or paccheri al baccalà (large pasta with codfish). If you prefer meat, try the brasato alla Genovese (onion and meat sauce). The service at Osteria is both swift and obliging, and they have one of the best wine lists in the city.

Come here to taste traditional Neapolitan ragù, a meat-based sauce generally served with pasta and prepared from cuts of beef and pork. At Tandem, local cervellatine sausages are included in the sauce. The young and enthusiastic staff keeps the mood lighthearted and fun. Enjoy your ragù with ziti spezzati (broken ziti pasta) and Parmesan cheese, and mop the sauce up with the celestial Neapolitan rustic bread. There is also a branch just off Piazza del Gesù.

A small low-key entrance on Piazza Vanvitelli opens into a labyrinth of underground cellars and a large covered courtyard surrounded by palazzos. This bustling eatery suits a range of palates and budgets: pizzas and several variants of filletto (steak) come highly recommended. Portions are large, so be conservative when ordering.

Fans of rice will be spoiled for choice at this risotteria, the only one of its kind in the city. The menu offers 20 dishes, including vegetarian and gluten-free options. Order the crema di gamberetti (shrimp cream), pistachio or the specialty Risotto Vesuvio, with buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes, and watch the chef assemble the ingredients behind a glass wall. Valù is also a braceria, for meat-lovers, and has a vast wine list. They also have a branch in Vomero.