The story appears on

Page B4

February 16, 2017

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Related News

Home » Feature » iDEAL

Naples home to some of Italy’s best pizzas and coffees

PIZZA was born in Naples and Neapolitans still make some of the world’s most distinctive pizza pies. Brown on the outside, soft on the inside, with light toppings, locals eat their pizza napoletana, with tomato and garlic; pizza alla marinara (tomato, olives and anchovies), and the famous pizza Margherita.

It is said that chef Raffaele Esposito of Pizzeria Brandi created a pizza featuring the colors of the Italian flag — red (tomato), white (mozzarella) and green (basil) — during a visit from Queen Margherita of Savoy, wife of King Umberto I. The queen was said to have been pleased, and pizza history was made.

The birthplace of the Margherita has been feeding Neapolitans since 1780 and is still running its pizza oven today. Pizzeria Brandi is a favorite among tourists and for this reason the prices are higher here than elsewhere.

Pizzeria da Michele is also popular among tourists thanks to its enormous, unbelievably delicious and cheap pizzas. Julia Roberts ate at Da Michele in “Eat, Pray, Love” and yes it might be a bit touristy as well, but they do serve top quality Italian pies.

Sorbillo is another pizza temple highly popular with locals and tourists alike. Their menus are more creative and forward-thinking, representing flavors from all over Italy.

It is also in Naples that you can have the incredible Pizza Fritta (deep fried pizza). This is an ideal street food: quick, convenient, cheap, filling and tasty.

A giant golden-fried crescent, oozing cheese and other fillings, has the perfect combination of pizza-like chewiness with fritter-like fluffiness.

Napoli food is not only about pizza and mozzarella di bufala. The local coffee and pastries are one of a kind on the peninsula.

Naples is famous for strong coffees and sfogliatella, a delectable Neapolitan pastry one can find throughout the city. The crust is crunchy and flaky and the filling creamy and not overly sweet. It’s made with a mixture of ricotta, eggs, semolina, sugar, candied citrus and cinnamon.

If Italian coffee is the most appreciated in the world, the Neapolitans claim to make the best with their coffee pots.

With a visit to Gran Caffe Gambrinus, standing directly on Piazza Plebiscito and the Royal Palace, you will understand the world of Neapolitan coffee and pastry. It is the heir of Neapolitan coffee tradition and has been frequented by artists, intellectuals, and politicians since 1860. Chandeliers and original paintings decorate the historic coffee shop, where one can enjoy some of the best pastries and coffee in the city.

The espresso coffee is brewed according to an old Neapolitan recipe: dark, dense and hot. They also offer tasty variations to the traditional espresso: cream, chocolate, hazelnut and other ingredients are added to give guests a unique experience. A vast assortment of typical local pastries are available here. Recommended items include tasty rum baba and sfogliatella.




 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend