Dessert before dinner, always a winner…read more Ok that's not really a saying, though on the evening I dropped by La Sfogliatella Mary, it worked out! With Naples being the birthplace of sfolgiatelle, this shop (or stand really) popped up on several travel websites as one of the better places to try this local pastry. Located at the western entrance to the Galleria Umberto I arcade, it's a popular stop for both locals and tourists. While there wasn't a line, a steady flow of people came by to pick up treats. On a Saturday evening the crowds were out in full force, though since they close at 8:30pm, around 8pm they were starting to prep for closing, taking out some of the remaining pastries from the display. Fortunately I arrived when they were still taking customers, and the cordial staff was quick to grab a sfogliatelle riccia €2.50, ask if I was eating it here or taking it to go, heating it up slightly then passing it in a wax paper wrapper sprinkled with powdered sugar. While it looks similar to a lobster tail pastry, the texture is different and they originate from different parts of Italy. This spot offers both types of sfolgiatelle--the Riccia version: deep-fried, layered, with a crunchy outer shell shaped like a conical shell, and the Frolla version: similar filling with a tender short crust pastry shell in a rounded dome shape. Both are served warm with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. They also serve a variety of other traditional baked goods like pastiera, baba rum, zeppola forno, frolla sorrentina. Biting into the sfolgiatelle, the crunch factor was immediate, nothing subtle about that first bite of texture! The fragrance of orange permeates thru the ricotta filling, I'm a fan citrus infused desserts and really enjoyed the tidbits of candied orange peel and brightness coming thru. There was a generous amount of filling inside, so generous I wish there was more shell to balance it out! It was also on the richer side, especially with the pastry being fried, and the shell felt a tad more oily than I prefer. In general, from eating at other pasticerrias several days in the region, seems the typical sweetness level is greater than I'm accustomed to. That being said, I still ate almost all of it, and was glad for the opportunity to drop by and try this!

It's hard to miss when you're walking around. I have no idea how long they've been around, but they…read morelook like one of those "I've been around for 200 years but recently got a facelift" type of vibe. SFLOGLIATELLA is one of the signature items. It's crispy, thin, and has a crunchy texture. I sampled many of these throughout Naples, and liked the one from this place the most. Now that I think about it, it looks like a gigantic Turtle chip. Pro tip: go in the morning versus night time--it tasted way better fresh. Also, I think they can heat it up for you so that it's slightly warm. I got asked one time and not the second, so when they speak Italian and you have no idea what they're saying, just give them a nod. They might be asking if you want it heated up.

Very expensive. Very touristic. Coffee for 8 euros is…read moremadness. The food is OK. Would not reccomnend.

Gran Caffè Gambrinus is a must-visit if you're in Naples. Open since 1860--before Naples was even…read moreofficially part of a unified Italy--the historic cafe has been serving guests for more than 165 years and has welcomed everyone from artists and writers to politicians and royalty. The beautifully preserved interior, with its marble, chandeliers, frescoes, and ornate details, is reason enough to stop in. We visited later in the evening and were pleasantly surprised to find no line or wait. It was a bit confusing at first. There's a few different areas to order and a separate line/section if you want to dine-in. We dined in and got seated at a table right away, but I imagine it's much busier during the day/peak hours. Though there is plenty of seating inside and outside. We ordered a variety of pastries, including the maritozzo con la panna, a sampler platter, sfogliatella, and the famous Delizia al Limone. The Delizia al Limone was what I ordered and was light, fresh, and perfectly balanced without being overly sweet. The lemon flavor was perfect and I was perfectly happy with my choice. The menu also includes coffee, espresso, cocktails, sandwiches, and other light bites. What impressed me most was how affordable everything was, especially considering the stunning setting and the café's reputation. I am from Hawaii though where everything is twice the price, so that may be subjective. While takeout is available, I'd recommend dining inside if you have the time. The atmosphere is part of the experience, and it's worth slowing down to appreciate the history and beautiful art inside their historic walls. Gran Caffè Gambrinus is absolutely worth adding to your Naples itinerary. Between the rich history, beautiful interiors, delicious pastries, and surprisingly reasonable prices, it's easy to see why it has remained one of Naples' most beloved institutions for well over a century.

I finally made it here before leaving Naples, and I'm so glad I listened to the locals! It's…read moreconveniently located right near the train station, making it an easy and essential stop-by. The Sfogliatella completely blew my mind. The flakiness was incredible, and the level of sweetness was a perfect match for my cappuccino. It is truly a must-have in Napoli! On the other hand, the Babà was just okay for me and wasn't quite my favorite compared to the pastry. Just a heads-up: the line is usually long, so make sure to give yourself plenty of time. My only regret is that I didn't buy a second sfogliatella for the road!

Wow!! I read the reviews and was a sceptic normally when u see a line it tells u that it's worth…read morethe wait. I was not sure being not from Naples but WOW!!! My mouth went in total shock once I tried 3 different pastries from here the crème that was used in these OMG! Worth the wait we went maybe 25 min before closing so the line was not that bad. I don't know Italian so I just pointed out what I wanted and got through the line fine. It's hidden on a back street and be prepared to wait on the street! Worth the wait if you are in Naples around Grimaldi stop!!!

Sitting in a dark and humid apartamento round a little table eating sfogliatelle the size (and…read moreweight!) of bricks with two Sofia Lauren look-alikes espousing the virtues of our sfogliatelle while the radio murmers "honesty is such a lonely word" against the hum of scooters and the constant din of inconsequential arguments drifting from the street. A scene like this can only happen in Naples. The substantial yet delicate (it's the subtle hint of orange blossom that does me in!) sfogliatelle held in such high esteem? From the age old sfogliate Napoletane, Pintauro across from the elegant Galleria Umberto (http://www.qype.co.uk/place/80613-Galleria-Umberto-I-Neapel) . And what could make such a deliciously Neapolitan moment even more luscious? To get up from that little table amble down the apartamento's half-finished stairwell and trot along the cobbled streets with these belle napolitane , pass the shrines and the trash to another little table at a quaint and noisy pizzeria (http://www.qype.co.uk/place/576785-Manfredi-Naples?hide_related=true) where alici and pizza fritta and glorious moscardini affrogati await!

Pintauro has existed in this location since the 18whatevers and for good reason. This is the best…read moreplace for traditional Neapolitan pastries such as sfogliatelle, caprese, mostaccioli, roccoco' (at Christmastime only) and others. I make a pilgrimage here everytime I'm in town.

This place was recommended to me and it was definitely a good one. I ordered a medium gelato cup…read morewhich came with three flavors. Since I'm a chocoholic, I got all three chocolate flavors that they had. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate and a chocolate that had cookie pieces in it. All were DELICIOUS but I think the milk chocolate flavor was my favorite. I didn't expect this but they added a small cone on top of the gelato cup and I love that. It was such a cute detail and tasted so yummy! Ordered a cup and also get a cone with it?!?!? Yes please! It's a small shop with a few tables both inside and out which is nice if you wanna sit and take a break. There's also a bathroom which is even better since it can be hard to find a bathroom in that area. Service was great as well. Workers were very nice. Would 100% go back if I'm ever in the area.

Great gelato here - trust me you will not be disappointed! The service was prompt and the the…read morevariety of gelato flavors was fantastic.

Since sfogiatelle is my absolute favorpastry, when I passed this pastry shop named La Sfogiatella,…read moreI had to stop in even though I had already eaten a sfogiatelle earlie that day! But hey, I'm in Italy and I can't get sfogiatelle in Portland, Oregon. Plus, the calories don't count when traveling! A sfogiatelle is made from laminated pastry cut into coin shapes, several coins layered on top of each other which creates a flaky shell. A mixture of ricotta slightly sweetened with powdered sugar and citron, typically orange, is paced on top and the coin is then folded over to resemble a clam shell. It's then baked and the shell is both buttery and super crispy while the ricotta is now slightly firm from baking. It's not too sweet which is exactly why I love them. Sfogiatelle originated by a nun in Naples and has become a symbol of Naples and they are found in abundance all over Southern Italy. Don't confuse a sfogiatelle with the American Lobster tail. While the outer shell is similar, the lobster tail has a larger shell and a dollop of Chou pastry is placed in the center before baking to puff up the core. Then after the shell is baked, pastry cream, not ricotta, is piped in. It's good, but it is not a sfogiatelle! They were created in the U.S. when Italian Americans could not acquire ricotta, so they improvised. Coming from an Italian family, my grandparents always brought a box of sf and cannoli for every holiday or special occasion. And of course we went to the bakery to get them even if it was not a holiday! So being in Southern Italy where my grandparents on both sides were born and lived, eating sfogiatelle and other foods from my childhood felt like they were still here with me as I visited the cities they were from. And the sfogiatelle from La Sfogiatella was superb in every way!

One of the specialties of Naples. Translated it means lobster tail…read more There are many many many thin layers of crisp dough with a delicate orange cream on the inside. They are served fresh out of the oven and are really tasty. read more about our Naples food tour on my site

Best pizza in Napoli- we had the fresh tomato basil buffalo cheese mozzarella and olive oil - molte…read morebene! yummy This is best pizza we have had in Italia

Stopped by this restaurant for one last Neapolitan pizza before leaving town. We shared a margarita…read morepizza. Our server was nice enough to split the pizza in half on separate plates for us. The pizza was piping hot, slightly crispy crust with the chewiness inside that I really enjoy. The server had enough English to deal with American tourists like me. Best of all, we sat in the outside area which allowed for people watching. Nice place!

The final stop of our food tour, this was gelato. Several different delicious flavors available and…read moreI opted for the crostata di fragoline. It's made from their wild strawberry tart so there were strawberries and pieces of pie crust in there, it would almost be like a cobbler for Americans. Absolutely delicious and it's only a bummer that because we were here at 12:00 noon, the place was absolutely packed with every table in use. Friendly service and a good portion, I'd have this again for sure. [Review 19216 overall - 367 in Italy - 186 of 2023.]

Looks like this is chain in Naples, but overall it's really good. Staff was on top of everything…read more Mostly cake and ice cream, but that's not a bad thing. Taste of the food was great. A nice little spot to take a break at.