For years, visitors to Italy have been encouraged to visit the southern city of Naples if they want to experience really authentic food. The origins of famous dishes including pizza may be disputed, but ask any Neopolitan and they will tell you it comes from their coastal city. However, in recent years other cities including Rome, Florence, Verona and Milan have been making their own mark within the culinary world. So, the question is, does Naples still rule when it comes to Italian food? And, if you are visiting this vibrant city, which dishes should you try?
Fried Pizza
Whilst fresh, excellent pizza is available all over Italy, fried pizza is a Neopolitan novelty. The dough is made fresh, stuffed with fillings including cheese and meat, and then lightly fried and served piping hot. Delicious, and filling, this innovative twist on pizza suggest Naples really knows what it’s doing with dough.
Fresh Pastries
Italy is as famous for its sweet dishes as it is for its savory ones, but Naples stands out for its dedication to pastry. Crisp, light and fresh, the pastries are usually filled with ricotta and sweet fillings including chocolate, pistachio and lemon. Neopolitans like to eat their pastries with a mid-morning espresso, a habit that visitors should definitely try for themselves.
Fresh Seafood
Being by the sea, Naples really does claim the crown when it comes to Italian seafood. There are famous dishes, such as pasta alle vongole (pasta with clams), but visitors can seek out dishes that are less well-known. Pasta e fagioli con cozze is a dish that combines pasta with beans and mussels, and has a delicious savory taste due to the ingredients being cooked together in the mussel broth.
Pretty much any Italian destination will wow visitors with the culinary delights on offer, but there is something particularly special about Naples as a food destination. This is a city where food really matters, and where everyone – tourists and locals alike – can be confident that they will eat well.