Naples

Caffè Diaz: Fresh Take on a Tradition

Naples is often celebrated as having a long-established coffee heritage whose fame is deeply grounded in a number of cherished rituals and literary tributes. But savoring a proper Neapolitan espresso at a café could prove to be a challenging experience for an unaware visitor: usually served in a scalding coffee cup, the hyper-concentrated concoction is very strong and intense, with a fiercely bitter edge, and it’s gone in just one sip. Neapolitans like their coffee "with the three Cs," meaning caldo (hot), comodo (no rush), and carico (strong, to give you a boost), and they indulge in it many times a day. One of the city’s most heartwarming traditions is caffè sospeso, the widespread habit – now also applied to pizza – of paying for one additional cup to ensure that even a person in need can be granted his daily shot.

Naples

Giardino Torre: A Slice of Pizza History

Among the many legends about pizza in Naples, the most famous and widespread – even though widely confirmed as inaccurate – is the one about the birth of the margherita pizza. Time and time again the story has been repeated, according to which this most beloved pizza was born in the summer of 1889, baked at the Capodimonte royal palace. Made by the cook and pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito of Brandi Pizzeria, the pizza was intended as an homage to Queen Margherita di Savoia, wife of the first king of Italy (as a united nation) Umberto I, and to the country's three-colored flag.

Naples

Neighborhoods to Visit: Pozzuoli, Naples

Nestled in the smaller bay of the Gulf of Naples, on the northern side of the Posillipo cape, Pozzuoli is the main center of the Phlegraean Fields, a vast and fertile volcanic area still marked by craters, sulfurous fumes, and seismic activity, rich with natural and archaeological treasures. Pozzuoli was once a Greek colony and a main Roman harbor and trading port the later a fishing village. Today it’s a busy ferry terminal – ferries heading towards the islands of Ischia and Procida leave from here – and a lively coastal district.

Naples

Salumeria Malinconico: Deli of Delights

Giovedì mezza giornata: “Half day on Thursday.” The writing in bold yellow and red on the closed shutter of the shop is not only a way to inform customers of the working schedule. It’s something more: an ode to the good old days when all grocery stores in Naples observed the half-day shift to enjoy a midweek break, a statement of respect towards unwritten “holy rules” and choosing personal time and human relationships over business. Sticking to old ways is what makes Salumeria Malinconico a special place. Yet nothing is dusty here; nor gloomy, despite the literal meaning of the family surname displayed on the sign, which translates to “melancholic.”

Naples

Best Bites 2024: Naples

Great food, art scattered around the city – from fantastic museums and ornate subway stations to public squares and alleys – and its inhabitants' warm and joyful temperament all make Naples one of the most loved destinations in Italy. The city is busier than ever, but its also starting to feel the strain of its popularity, crowded with tourists looking for the best selfie spot and the most delicious sfogliatella or pizza a portafoglio. Our recommendation: slow down the pace, skip the interminable queues and overhyped spots, and search for quieter ones to savor a few blissful bites.

Naples

Sogni di Latte: Sweet Dreams are Made of Cheese

Biting into a freshly-made globe of mozzarella, porcelain smoothness yields to a creamy interior and milk trickles down the cheeks. For any Neapolitan, this is true pleasure. And everyone knows the best spot for such an afternoon delight is at a cheese factory in the countryside – namely in the Caserta and Salerno provinces. There, some of the best Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP is shaped daily from fresh buffalo milk. For those of us stuck in the city center and craving that addictive bite of fresh mozzarella, one of Sogni di Latte’s two locations is our first stop.

Naples

Vitto Pitagorico: Neapolitan Plant Power

Long before Neapolitans fell in love with dried pasta – a luxury food mainly reserved for the nobles until the late 1800s and only later a popular, filling meal – and earning their reputation as mangiamaccheroni (pasta eaters), they were called mangiafoglie – literally, “leaf eaters.” The moniker referred to the habit of consuming significant quantities of the vegetables that grow in the thriving farms at the foot of Vesuvius or in the countryside areas encircling the city center. Common folk cleverly found simple yet effective ways to amplify the vegetables’ flavor, often frying them or accompanying them with tomatoes, herbs, and other ingredients, while precious products such as raisins and pine nuts were – again – the prerogative of the noble class.