Dish to order: pizza margherita and frittatine di pasta
Address: Via Port’Alba, 18, 80134 Napoli NA, Italy
Website: anticapizzeriaportalba.com
Mimì alla ferroviaLuciano Furia
Mimì alla Ferrovia
Just around the corner from Naples’ central train station, Mimì alla Ferrovia has recently celebrated its 80th anniversary, and it seems that the restaurant’s décor hasn’t changed much since the mid-1940s, conveying a rustic, old-fashioned Italian charm that’s as endearing as the food served. Although Mimì alla Ferrovia has become an institution, the chefs don’t rest on the venue’s laurels, with some more modern, international-inspired dishes on the menu alongside the Neapolitan classics. Think seared octopus with kimchi or guabao stuffed with Genovese ragù and Caesar dressing. It’s the classics that really stand out, however, notably including the melanzane alla parmigiana with its layers of deep-fried aubergine, tomato sauce, Parmigiano Reggiano and basil leaves, or various fish and seafood dishes, with seafood proudly displayed in a chilled cabinet. The spaghetti with sweet, meaty clams is always a good bet, as is the sea bass ravioli with candied lemon and a rich cuttlefish and prawn sauce.
Dish to order: melanzane alla parmigiana
Address: Via Alfonso D’Aragona, 19/21, 80139 Napoli NA, Italy
Website: mimiallaferrovia.it
Tripperia O’Russ
As expected from the name of this small, family-run restaurant, the famous dishes served at Tripperia O’Russ are some of the more polarising. Specialising in dishes derived from the 18th century, when many Neapolitans were forced to make use of cheap, lesser-loved cuts of meat, the menu here is very offal heavy. Dishes such as ’o per’ e ’o muss’ (literally meaning ‘the foot and the muzzle’) will scare off some visitors, yet it’s a delicious, surprisingly light dish of boiled calf’s snout and pig’s trotters, cut into small pieces and generously seasoned with salt and served with lemon. Other, arguably more approachable highlights include the likes of spaghetti with tripe and potatoes, or trippa alla buonocore – a tripe salad with celery, carrots, olives, tomatoes and lupini beans. All are a must-try for any adventurous food lovers.
Dish to order: spaghetti with tripe and potatoes
Address: Via S. Eframo Vecchio, 68, 80137 Napoli NA, Italy
Website: facebook.com/Trippa1945
Gran Caffè Gambrinus
The most popular café in Naples and one of Italy’s most elegant dining rooms, Gran Caffè Gambrinus is worth visiting for the décor alone, festooned with marble, decadent stuccos, low reliefs and tapestries, plus art from famous Neapolitan landscape painters. Since 1860, the venue has been a popular haunt for distinguished guests from Empress Sissi of Austria to Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway and Jean-Paul Sartre, plus countless tourists. Inside, the front of the building is home to a bakery offering goods to take away, but the dining room and its ambience are the real reason to come, especially considering the prices aren’t particularly democratic (especially for Naples’ standards). Ideally, you should visit for breakfast and enjoy a strong espresso alongside one of the textbook Neapolitan pastries such as sfogliatella, pastiera, zeppole, stuffoli, or baba.
Dish to order: espresso and sfogliatella riccia.
Address: Via Chiaia, 1, 80132 Napoli NA, Italy
Website: grancaffegambrinus.com
