Where to Eat in Naples
Maybe you’ve heard stories implying Naples isn’t the most tourist-friendly city. But to visit Naples as a guest of Kiton, guided by CEO Antonio de Matteis, is to experience hospitality in the extreme. The first thing you’ll appreciate is how beautifully situated the city is, on the azure Gulf of Naples (where the cherished red coral blooms,) near the base of Mt.Vesuvio. The city bears the weight of millennia, buoyed by everyday bustle and density. And the food! Famous as the birthplace of pizza, Naples boasts outstanding seafood. The mozzarella alone is worth the journey.
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For a light, picturesque lunch with seaside ambience we headed to La Scialuppa (the lifeboat) on the marina of Castel dell’Ovo, a castle attached to the coast by a causeway crowded with newlyweds. -
At La Scialuppa we had pezzonia, a local line-caught fish, with Caprese salad and melone e prosciutto. Perfetto. -
For that famous Neapolitan pizza we hit Da Ciro a Mergellina. Dessert that night — and every night thereafter because it was in season — was fragoline di bosco, tiny wild strawberries, usually with vanilla gelato or lemon sorbetto. -
De Matteis’ family has dined at Ristorante Europeo di Mattozzi for generations. Every pasta dish was a symphony of regional, seasonal flavor. But the biggest revelation? Grilled artichokes, eaten by hand. -
De Matteis called Da Dora “the best seafood in Naples.” Hidden and cozy, it did not disappoint. -
With a tiny kitchen somehow turning out countless grilled, steamed and fried seafood courses, Da Dora put us into orbit, in the end… -
...with chocolate profiteroles.
Tomorrow on NMdaily: Where to Eat in Capri
