Where to Eat in Naples: The Best Street Food and More in the Historic Centre

If you are looking to discover the true flavors of Naples, you are in the right place. Eating in the historic center of Naples is not just about food, it is an experience that immerses you in the culture and tradition of the city. If your question is where to eat in Naples, the best advice we can give you is to stay in the historic center, where you will find all the traditional Neapolitan dishes in the narrow streets and alleys.

Want to find out more? Stay at Odeon Neapolis, a historic residence in the heart of the historic center, surrounded by the most important monuments and, above all, just a few steps away from the best pizzerias, fry shops, and pastry shops in the city. When you stay at Odeon Neapolis, you are in exactly the right place to begin your Neapolitan culinary adventure. The property is located at Via San Paolo 51, in a location that allows you to reach Naples' main gastronomic gems on foot in just a few minutes. Not only that, but we are also available to organize food and wine tours for our guests and book tables for you at the best restaurants in the area. Just give us a call!

Street food Napoli

Neapolitan street food is legendary, and it's no coincidence that Google Trends searches confirm that tourists and Neapolitans themselves are obsessed with how and where to eat the best street food in the city. When we talk about street food in Naples, we're not talking about something ordinary: here, street food has a history, a technique, and a dedication that makes it a true element of cultural identity.

Pizzas and fried pizzas in the historic center of Naples

Pizza is the undisputed king of Naples, and there's not just one way to eat pizza here. First, there's pizza by the slice, which you order and eat while walking, and then there's fried pizza, a rich and satisfying dish that practically doesn't exist anywhere else in the world except Naples.

A few steps from Odeon Neapolis, you will find some of the city's most iconic pizzerias. Sorbillo is just a 4-minute walk (300 meters) from the property and is a true institution. It's the kind of place where the queue is almost a tourist attraction, but we assure you: it's worth it. If you're in a hurry, Santissima Pizza is just 2 minutes (180 meters) from our historic residence and is perfect if you want an authentic and truly gastronomically satisfying experience. The pizza is slightly thicker, the ingredients are always top quality, and the owners are always available to help customers. Antica Pizzeria da Michele is a 13-minute walk (1 km) away and is one of those places that has made Neapolitan pizza history. Pizzeria Starita is 21 minutes (1.7 km) away, and if you don't feel like walking, you can take the subway in about the same time.

Antica Pizzeria di Matteo is 4 minutes (350 meters) away, while Pizzeria del Presidente is 5 minutes (450 meters) away. Each of these pizzerias has its own style, history, and passionate clientele. Our advice? Try them all. We mean it... there is no such thing as the “best pizza” ever: each one offers you a different experience, a different way of understanding pizza.Some prefer thinner dough, others prefer it softer, some love a simple red pizza, others want it loaded with ingredients. The only thing that is certain is that you will not be disappointed in any of the pizzerias mentioned, or probably in any pizzeria in the historic center that you decide to visit.

Zeppole, panzarotti, and fried foods in the alleys of Naples' historic center

If you think Neapolitan food is just pizza, prepare to be surprised. Fried foods represent an entire chapter of Neapolitan street cuisine, and they are exactly what you need to try to truly understand Naples.

Zeppole, those sweet, fried balls that melt in your mouth, are a true masterpiece of traditional Neapolitan cuisine. In the alleys and vicarielli of Naples, you can find zeppole or “paste cresciute” with seaweed, empty or in the sweet version.

Panzarotti, or potato croquettes, are breaded potatoes with mozzarella and cooked ham, but in Naples there are several variations and they are a must-have at every Neapolitan fry shop. But there's more: fried pizza is the fried version of classic pizza, puffy and irresistible. You absolutely must try the “complete version” with pork cracklings and mozzarella, but also the one with escarole, salami, or cooked ham. Then there's pizza a portafoglio, folded over itself, which makes it easier to eat while walking. Frittatina di pasta is another unique specialty, pasta sautéed in a pan, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The Neapolitan tarallo is a savory biscuit that goes with everything, while the cuoppo di fritto misto is practically the symbol of Neapolitan street food: a paper cone filled with various fried foods from land or sea, an explosion of different flavors and textures.

In Via dei Tribunali, just 3 minutes from the property, you will find several restaurants serving fantastic cuoppo di fritto misto di terra with croquettes, pasta frittata, and zeppole, or cuoppo di fritto misto di mare with shrimp, calamari, seaweed zeppole, and anchovies. This street literally breathes culinary tradition, and walking here will give you the impression of going back decades, to when Neapolitan street food was (and still is) the true heart of local gastronomy.

Neapolitan desserts: where to eat in Naples

Neapolitan desserts are almost religious. They are not just sugar and butter: they are the history of Italian pastry-making concentrated into a few bites.

The sfogliatella is probably the most famous dessert. There are two types: the curly one (with crispy curls of pastry) and the shortcrust one (softer). Sfogliatella Attanasio is a 21-minute walk (1.8 km) away, and if you prefer not to walk, the subway will take you there in the same amount of time. It is one of the most historic places to taste this dessert, and the experience is worth the trip.

Certo! Ecco la traduzione in inglese:

Don’t forget babà, roccocò, pastiera (especially at Easter), and mostaccioli. Every dessert tells a story, a celebration, a tradition. If you’re staying at Odeon Neapolis and want to enjoy a true food and wine tour, we can take you to discover the best pastry shops in the area and help you with reservations.

The best traditional and affordable restaurants in Naples: a must-read guide

If you want to go beyond street food and sit down at an authentic restaurant, the historic center truly offers an embarrassment of choice. These are places where you eat well, spend little, and meet real people who share real stories about Neapolitan cuisine.

Traditional Neapolitan pizza

We’ve already mentioned several pizzerias, but it’s worth diving deeper. A Neapolitan pizzeria is not just a place to eat pizza: it’s almost a social experience. People come in, order, eat at the counter or at small tables, and a sense of community immediately forms. When you’re staying at Odeon Neapolis, you can easily reach these pizzerias on foot, perhaps accompanied by one of our food and wine tours. By calling the property, we’ll book your table for you, so you won’t have to worry about finding a seat.

Pasta and traditional Neapolitan cuisine

Trattoria Nennella, a 15-minute walk away (1.2 km), is the kind of place where you order what they cooked that morning, not what’s written on a fixed menu. Here you eat like a true Neapolitan: pasta and potatoes with provola cheese, ragù, genovese. The restaurant is also famous for its fun and engaging performances. Try it if you want to spend an entertaining evening while enjoying authentic Neapolitan food!

Beyond pizzerias, the historic center has dozens of small restaurants and trattorias where you’ll eat homemade pasta, ragù slow-cooked for hours like at Tandem, and fresh seasonal fish. The advice is always to choose places where you see locals sitting at the tables, where the menu changes based on what’s available at the market that day—or you can ask us, and we’ll be happy to recommend places based on your tastes.

Sfogliatelle

As we said, sfogliatella is not just a dessert—it’s an experience. In Naples, eating a sfogliatella isn’t a secondary act like dessert after dinner: it’s almost a ritual of its own. You can have a sfogliatella for breakfast, as a snack, whenever you like. Sfogliatella Attanasio remains the most renowned name, but in the historic center you’ll find excellent pastry shops practically on every corner. We also recommend trying the sfogliatelle in Galleria Umberto, about 15 minutes from Odeon along your walk toward Piazza Plebiscito.

Odeon Neapolis as the perfect base for Naples food tours

Staying at Odeon Neapolis means waking up in a historic residence in the beating heart of Naples, surrounded by art, history, and a thousand-year-old culinary tradition. Our property is not just accommodation: it’s the ideal starting point to discover the true flavor of Naples.

We’re here to help you. If you want to discover the best street food in the historic center, if you want to sit down at one of the area’s traditional restaurants without worrying about finding a table, if you want a real food and wine tour guided by people who truly know Naples, call Odeon Neapolis. We can book the best tables for you, advise you on where to go, and accompany you in discovering Neapolitan cuisine the way only locals can.

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Naples is waiting for you. And we’re here to let you sleep in the most charming place in the historic center, from which you can easily reach everything that Neapolitan cuisine has to offer. Come visit us—you won’t be disappointed.

P.S. Book directly through our website or by phone to receive a discount on your stay.

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