Naples is one of the only Italian cities that has been inhabited since the Neolithic period, the oldest traces of Greek settlements date back to the 2nd millennium BC.
In 1889 Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy visited Naples and that is when master pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito made a pizza resembling the Italian flag with tomato (red), cheese (white) and basil (green). Margherita of Savoy approved and that’s how the Margherita pizza was born.
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
Da Michele’s family-owned pizzeria has been in operation since 1870. It’s not unusual to see a crowd of people standing outside the door, waiting patiently for their number to be called. Once inside you will barely have time to sit before someone comes to take your order but with only two types of pizza on the menu, marinara and Margherita, it should be a quick decision and within minutes a piping hot pie will at the table.
Trianon
With two locations, the second is in Salerno, Trianon offers a wide range of pizzas and makes one of the best Margheritas you’ll ever taste, you can choose to have it topped with cow’s milk or buffalo mozzarella. The staff are very friendly and they don’t mind posing for pictures but make sure to ask first.
Antica Pizzeria Del Borgo Orefici
If you’re in Naples to eat pizza, here is another to add to your list. Antica Pizzeria del Borgo Orefici may be small but their pizza is on point. It’s usually packed with locals so you it’s good.
Gran Caffe’ Ciorfito
Walking down the alleys we saw many cafe delivery people walking trays of coffee and pastries to nearby patrons. We decided to stop in at Gran Caffe’ Ciorfito for a macchiato and baba, a sponge cake soaked in simple syrup, rum or limoncello. While we were there someone asked for a caffè sospeso, we had heard that this was a tradition here. Caffè sospeso or pending coffee is when you pay for two coffees but only drink one. Later, someone inquiring if there was a caffè sospeso available would be served a coffee for free. It’s a tradition that started in working class caffès in Naples but has since spread around the world.
Pintauro
One place we had to search out was Pintauro, known for making some of the best sfogliatella in town. Sfogliatella are a type of pastry stuffed with sweetened ricotta. When you get to the counter you are asked, frolla o riccia, smooth or curly. Both are amazing with their creamy ricotta centres but with the riccia, the pastry is cut many times creating a puff pastry type mouth feel. Try both and decide for yourself which is the best.
