What to eat Naples? culinary specialties and gastronomy

Italians eat a little later than northern Europeans, especially southern Europeans, who follow the Mediterranean schedule and have dinner around 8-9 pm. At lunchtime, restaurants usually open at 1pm, and at dinner at 7pm or 8pm. Most restaurants have at least one closing day per week, which varies greatly but is often Monday. On Sundays, they may be open at noon and closed in the evening.

In Naples, si mangia bene e si spende poco (we eat well and spend little). In a typical trattoria, your pasta dish will cost you 10 €. As for the inevitable Neapolitan pizza, it has remained very democratic despite its success: count 5 to 10 € for a pizza. An à la carte meal with a primo, a secondo and a dessert varies between 30 and 45 €. When it comes to paying the bill, Italian law requires restaurant owners to give customers a ticket(scontrino). Do not leave the restaurant without it, as you may need it in case of a check upon leaving the premises. However, these checks are quite rare in Italy.

In the rest of Campania, you can also eat divinely for a democratic price. Capri and the Amalfi Coast are exceptions: some establishments charge high prices, even to the point of indecency in some starred restaurants. A word of advice: if you want to treat yourself to a starred gastronomic stop during your stay, make a stop in Irpinia or in the province of Salerno, where the prices are still lower than those of a comparable restaurant in the north.

Finally, along the coast, seafood is on the menu of most restaurants. It is possible to eat fresh fish at good prices. If you want to order the fish of the day, note that the price on the menu is "all'etto", i.e. per 100 g. Make sure you know the weight of your fish and the amount you will have to pay before ordering to avoid surprises when you pay the bill.

In Italy, you pay between €1.50 and €4.00 for the table. Some establishments also charge for service, about 10% of the total bill. Tipping is always appreciated.

Use your only fork to eat your pasta (and this is true for all of Italy). Fold your pizza to go in a wallet(a portafoglio) to be able to eat it in the street more easily. At restaurants, accompany your pizza with a beer and not a glass of wine. On Sunday lunchtime, enjoy a generous plate of pasta with al ragù sauce with your family. Ataperitivo time, accompany your glass of wine, beer or cocktail (spritz has become trendy everywhere) with an assortment of fritters and croquettes with various fillings (mashed potatoes, vegetable croquettes, arancini - rice balls, fried pizza dough...)

There is no shortage of good places to eat and drink. Avoid the American and international fast food chains and choose the local ones.

Children are welcome everywhere in Italy and restaurants are no exception. They should remember, of course, that a pizzeria is not a playground...

No smoking in restaurants.

Avoid restaurants that offer a "tourist menu.

When a restaurant displays faded photos of its dishes - not exactly appetizing, by the way - it is rarely a good sign.

Cafés, tea rooms and gourmet shops (pastry shops and bakeries with tasting rooms) are generally open from early morning until late afternoon (Italians love the little pastry shop with an espresso around 5-6pm!). Ice cream shops open a little later, around noon, and close around midnight in summer. Bar hours vary: often open from midday in the city, they close between 11pm and 3am.

An espresso will cost you 1 € on average, 1.50 € for a cappuccino. In many cafés, you first go to the cashier and are given yourscontrino. You can then give it to the barman and drink at the counter. In the more touristy places, coffee costs €1 at the counter, but you will be charged more if you are seated on the terrace. A glass of wine costs between €3.50 and €5. If there are several of you - or if you are very motivated - it will be more interesting to order a bottle directly. Beer is quite expensive in Italy, especially craft beers which are very popular at the moment. Cocktails are charged between 4 and 8 € on average.

In Italy, the legal drinking age is 18.

Have an espresso at the bar in the morning before going to work. Avoid cappuccino after 11am (if you don't want to be labelled a tourist). At passeggiata time, in the late afternoon, walk around with an ice cream in your hand. Meet up with friends in the early evening for anaperitivo.