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There aren’t many things more enjoyable than eating a freshly baked pizza in Naples. Neapolitans take their pizza very seriously so it’s hard to find a really bad version here, but there are some places better than others, so on this page you’ll find our top choices and how to find your own perfect slice.
Use our definitive guide to the best pizza in Naples to enjoy this delicious symbol of the city
Our Top Recommendations For Where to Eat Pizza in Naples
When we talk about pizza in Naples, there are two categories; restaurant pizza and street food pizza. You’ll find recommendations for both categories on this page, but as they are very different styles, you will need to go to the places which specialise in a particular type of pizza to get the best versions.
In this guide we’re sharing:
An Introduction to Pizza in Naples
When we talk about pizza in Naples, what do we mean?
Neapolitan pizza refers to the specific process involved in making the dough, how it is prepared, the toppings added and how it is baked. There is an association for the true pizza Napoletana that manages these definitions and upholds the standards around the world. The art of Neopolitan pizza making is even on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage!
However, while there are certain expectations for what pizza in Naples should look like, there are all sorts of variations available. Toppings beyond the classic Margherita or Marinara, calzone, fried pizza, street pizza and more. You could have pizza multiple times a day and it would be different every time.
Neapolitan pizza has come a long way since the first pizzerias opened here almost 200 years ago, but remains a key part of life in Naples and is tied up with the city’s history and the people who live here.
You can discover much more about pizza in Naples in my page all about it here, but now let’s get into some specific recommendations!
If you’re wondering where to start with pizza in Naples, try a marinara, where the core ingredients shine together
How to Spot a Good Neapolitan Pizza
There are lots of recommendations on this page, but these are far from the only good pizza places in Naples! If you’re in the city and trying to decide whether a particular restaurant or takeaway location is a good option, here are the top things to look out for that indicate pizza quality:
- The pizza oven. Normally the domed brick or stone oven will be in a prominent position, so if there is no sign of a traditional oven, this is an indication that the pizza may not be authentic Neapolitan.
- The ingredients listed. Check out the menu, does it mention San Marzano DOP tomatoes and Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP? The use of quality, local ingredients that are DOP or IGP certified indicates that the kitchen cares about what they are using.
Anywhere you find locals queuing for pizza – takeaway or dine-in – is a good sign also
- The menu. A general tip for avoiding tourist trap restaurants in Italy is to pass on places that have huge menus, as well as those that have lots of pictures of what the food (may…) look like. In Naples, there are two types of places that make good pizza, either a trattoria that has a proper pizza oven as well as a regular kitchen for pasta and meat dishes, or a pizzeria that only does pizza (and fried starters). Menus can seem large therefore, but a good rule is that if there are endless pizza topping combinations on a menu, the chances are the restaurant is less interested in quality.
- The price of a Margherita. Looking at the cost of a margherita is a great way to assess if the establishment is aiming at locals or tourists. Neapolitans would be shocked to see it cost more than 8€ for a Margherita at a sit-down restaurant (if not less) and takeaway should be less. So, if you are looking at prices higher than this, it’s likely that the focus is tourists and therefore the authenticity is not always there.
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The Best Pizza On-The-Go Spots
Sometimes you don’t have the time to stop and sit down in a restaurant but still want a pizza fix. Luckily Naples has you covered, with a couple of different pizza street food options that are ideal for something quick.
Pizza a Portafoglio
This style is closer to a traditional pizza. The same dough is used, the main differences are that the pizza round is smaller and the toppings are added more sparsely. Once the pizza is baked, it is placed on paper and folded a couple of times to make a little pizza parcel – this is the ‘portafoglio’ or ‘wallet’ element.
The way it is folded makes it easy to eat while walking around and the minimal toppings mean that not only is it not going to be super messy, they are cheaper to make and sell.
Warren and I will routinely grab a pizza portafoglio when exploring Naples
One of our favourite places for this street food pizza style is Sorbillo Piccolina, a small takeaway spot opposite the Galleria Umberto I. Their pizza portafoglio is baked to order and is always the perfect texture. It is also very reasonably priced for the quality and you can choose from more toppings than just margherita if you prefer. You can get pizza fritta here too, but there are better places for that style.
Often you’ll see a pizzeria with a small stand outside selling pizza a portafoglio to takeaway. Two of the most reliable options like this are Antica Pizzeria Di Matteo on Via dei Tribunali and Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba close to Piazza Dante, which is supposedly where this style was created.
Pizza Fritta
Fried pizza is a more recent invention in Naples, dating to the period after World War II. Naples had been bombed significantly and many pizza ovens had been damaged or destroyed. The locals were also struggling to make ends and the expensive mozzarella and tomato toppings for regular pizza were unaffordable.
Pizza fritta emerged as an answer to this. The pizza dough was made into a parcel filled with cheaper ricotta cheese and whatever small pieces of meat or vegetables were available, and could be fried in a pan rather than baked in the big ovens.
Even after Naples had recovered, pizza fritta remained popular and it has now become a speciality. Fillings come in all sorts of combinations and while it is a much richer street food, it is still a go-to for lots of people.
The best we’ve had (so far!) is those at Da Gennaro in the Spanish Quarter. The dough is properly made so it does not sit too heavily in your stomach, the pizzas are fried to order (an essential requirement for good pizza fritta) and the staff are lovely.
This delicious pizza fritta at Da Gennaro is a great place to try this more modern classic
There are quite a few references to Sorbillo on this page, but don’t worry, this isn’t a chain of restaurants but rather a family who are very passionate about pizza!
In 1935, Luigi Sorbillo and Carolina Esposito founded a pizzeria in Via dei Tribunali. Their 21 children all worked in the pizza world, and the grandchildren of Luigi and Carolina now have Sorbillo restaurants and takeaway spots all over Naples and Campania.
The most famous is Gino Sorbillo, who still runs the original location, multiple places in Naples and also operates a number of restaurants in other Italian cities. He also started Zia Esterina, named for his aunt, which specialises in fried pizza.
Sorbillo pizza in all its forms is consistently great, but if we have one tip to really enjoy it – avoid the original restaurant at Via dei Tribunali 32. This particular restaurant is talked about a lot in Naples travel guides so it is consistently busy. They do not accept reservations and the dining space is fairly small so there is always a wait. The pizza is still good but you will have a much more enjoyable experience going to one of their other locations.
Recommendations From the Locals
Where is Your Favorite Sit-Down Pizza in Naples?
Owner of our top choice for accommodation in the historic centre, right on Piazza Dante, Gemma of the La Gemma B&B likes a number of spots on Via dei Tribunali, specifically Pizzeria Vesi, Pizzeria I Decumani and Antica Pizzeria di Matteo. She also loves O’ Munaciello (which offers gluten free pizza too) and San Carlo 17 which is close to Naples port – both of which have great pizza but also other traditional Neapolitan dishes on the menu.
Another pick by Gemma is the go-to spot for Carmine, a long-time friend who has beautiful apartments at Villa Nikita on the Capodimonte hill. OWAP, a small restaurant located just off Via Toledo, stands for ‘one world, all pizzas’ and as well as offering classic Neapolitan pizza toppings, they also have a fun selection of more unusual topping combinations.
All of OWAP pizzas are made with dough that has a long rising time which really makes the crust special.
For Carmine, OWAP is where to find the best vegan pizza in Naples, both fried and regular. You can opt for vegan cheese and vegan meat alternatives which are not widely and consistently available.
If you’re looking for pizza outside of the historic center, try our friend Ciro’s top choice; Diego Vitagliano. There are three restaurants in or near Naples, one in Bagnoli (not far from the Naples Football stadium), one in Pozzuoli (perfect for after visiting the ancient Roman sights here) and the other in Santa Lucia (a short walk from Piazza del Plebiscito). Here you’ll find a mix of traditional and more contemporary pizza styles, and at the Santa Lucia and Pozzuoli restaurants there is a large gluten free menu too.
If you’re visiting the Royal Palace of Caserta, be sure to check out Ciro’s other favorite pizza spot of I Masanielli di Francesco Martucci, which is very close by.
What is Your Go-To Pizza Topping?
It is unsurprising that the classic, simple Neapolitan toppings are top of the list. Both Gemma and Carmine love a margherita as the true pizza of Naples, and Gemma also is a big fan of marinara – they are timeless classics for a reason!
The combination of salsiccia e friarielli, which is sausagemeat pieces and leafy bitter greens, is popular with a lot of Neapolitans (and Warren) and is a more substantial pizza.
Ciro’s suggestion is one that Sara also enjoys, which is called fiocco. This pizza is topped with slices of prosciutto cotto, fior di latte cheese and pieces of breaded and fried mashed potato usually served as an antipasto; crocchè di patate. As with the salsiccia e friarielli, the fiocco is a more filling combination but the ham and potato combination is fantastic.
Sausage and friarielli is the quintessential Neapolitan pizza topping
Which Fried Antipasti Do You Order?
The frittatina di pasta was a universally popular choice with everyone we asked, and is one of Sara’s favourites too. These are made from pieces of cooked pasta in a bechamel sauce that have been cooled, then breaded and fried. Often the pasta will have little pieces of ham and some peas, but there are all sorts of varieties – if you have the chance to try a frittatina genovese, these are spectacularly tasty!
A crocchè di patate is also a regular fixture for Gemma, Ciro and Carmine but don’t forget about Carmine’s other go-to of fiori di zucca ripieni, stuffed zucchini flowers.
If you’re a vegan, you don’t have to miss out on all the fried things – try Arrecrià Bistro on the Vomero hill for the best vegan fried food according to Carmine.
Unsure what to start with? Ask for a mix of antipasti
For Street Food Pizza, Do You Prefer Pizza a Portafoglio or Pizza Fritta?
Finally, we asked our friends a difficult question for Neapolitans – would you rather have pizza a portafoglio or pizza fritta on the go?
While her preferred place for fried pizza is Zia Esternina Sorbillo (try the one on Spaccanapoli), Gemma prefers pizza portafoglio, mainly because finding the really good quality fried pizza that isn’t too heavy is more difficult.
Carmine thinks that pizza fritta tastes better but is much heavier so is better as an occasional treat, whereas you can have pizza a portafoglio more frequently!
Ciro opts for pizza portafoglio but if you’re looking specifically for fried pizza, he recommends going to Antica Friggitoria La Masardona dal 1945, in the Mergillina area (within the Chiaia neighborhood) which serves delicious versions.
Sara and Warren’s Favourite Pizza in Naples
We have tried a lot of pizza in Naples over the years and genuinely have not had a bad experience anywhere. That said, there are a couple of places that we respectively like the best. For me, this is Pizzeria Antonio Sorbillo. Next door to the original Sorbillo pizza place, Antonio Sorbillo is a cousin of Gino Sorbillo and set up his own pizzeria after learning the trade from his father.
The gluten free pizza at Antonio Sorbillo is genuinely excellent, with the characteristic chew and flavor of the traditional dough
I love this place so much because it is all about the pizza. The decor is simple and service is friendly but fast because the focus is on top quality food. The menu has all the classics as well as some more unusual combinations, but for me what really makes it stand out is the quality and wide availability of their gluten free pizzas.
Since needing to go gluten free in the last year, I have tried a lot of gluten free pizzas and they have often been disappointing. Capturing the classic chewy crust and flavour of a Neapolitan pizza with gluten free flours is a challenge, but those at Antonio Sorbillo are excellent.
For Warren, his favourite place is a different Sorbillo establishment; Gino Sorbillo Lievito Madre al Mare in Chiaia. The waterfront location makes for a great place to escape the sometimes chaotic streets of Naples, either for lunch or dinner – especially when the weather is good and you can grab a table outside with a view of Bay of Naples.
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To sum up…
The best pizza in Naples is also going to be subjective, as one person’s excellent is another person’s average. However, these personal recommendations from myself, Warren and our Neapolitan friends hopefully will give you some great starting points to work out what excellent pizza is for you.
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