National Geographic Traveller (UK) - Food
SANITÀ & THE HISTORIC CENTRE
On the northern fringes of the city’s historic centre, Sanità — once a run-down district — has experienced a renaissance through food. Over the past 10 years, new restaurants, such as Ciro Oliva’s Pasticceria Poppella pizzeria and Isabella De Cham Pizza Fritta, have started to bring in Neapolitans and tourists, reshaping Sanità’s character, while pizza place Concettina ai Tre Santi began a policy of only employing from the immediate area and funding cookery classes for underprivileged local children.
Breakfast is a must at Pasticceria Poppella, which sells a modern classic of Neapolitan pastries, the fiocco di neve (‘snowflake’), icing sugar-dusted dough balls filled with ricotta.
Explore busy streets and alleys including Via San Gregorio Armeno, where you can buy a cornetto, the Neapolitan chilli-shaped good luck charm which adorns everything from keyrings to jewellery. Walk towards the
Duomo di Napoli, which houses the revered relic of San Gennaro. Across the street you’ll find Januarius, a trattoria that recently earned its first Michelin star. It’s noted for its traditional Campania-style cuisine, including zito spezzato alla genovese (pasta in a rich beef and onion ragu) and baccalà con scarola (salt cod with Neapolitan-style chicory). Before you leave, stock up on charcuterie and cheese at the restaurant’s delicatessen.
On Spaccanapoli, the street that cuts the city in two, Cornogelato sells excellent gelato. Or head for an aperitif at Hotel Piazza Bellini’s pretty courtyard bar; nearby La Fesseria Street Bar does a great pummarola (a bloody mary made with tequila and mezcal instead of vodka). On buzzy Piazza San Domenico, Palazzo Petrucci Pizzeria sells small fried pizzas, including a perfect marinara with organic tomato, basil, oregano and garlic.