Pizza in Napoli
 

Can someone recommend a *great* pizza place in Naples that is not too far from the train station? Will be transferring there (no luggage) and would love to take an hour or so and have some pizza ... you know, so I can decide for myself if Naples has the best in Italy!

Da Michelle is nearby -- I was unimpressed, but the Japanese line up by the dozens (meaning its a well known touristy pizza spot). I'm sure there are others where the locals dine, but as a tourist, I visited the toursity places.

Brandi is the other famous pizzeria...doesn't fit your requirement of being close to the train station and doesn't serve very fast. Da Michelle, I believe, gets the pies out within minutes of being ordered and it is as good as most other pizza in Napoli.

Maybe post this question on Vincenzo's Garbage in Naples thread

seriously - he or she has lived in Naples for decades it sounds and if he don't respond here, catch him there - a current thread about the garbage piling up again - you may not want to get out of the train station!

PalenQ,
Vincenzo doesn't live in Naples-though he did say once that he grew up there. I think he lives sometimes on The Sorrentine Penninsula and pther times in the North (Possibly ER)

Thanks for correction - i just quickly scanned his garbage thread but he still may be an expert worth consulting it seems

I remember that Vincenzo's favorite pizza place is near the water. I think Da Michelle is the closest well known pizza place to the train station. I found one nearby the station but I have no idea of the name. the locals eat at Da Michelle's too, it is just that it has become so well known that tourists now go there!

Here I am !
I was born in Naples and I grew up there the first 35 years of my life.
Then I moved in Penisola Sorrentina where I spent 14 wonderful years of my life.
Actually, it's my fifth year that I live in Romagna and I am very glad to live here because this area is very nice and sweet and the quality of the life is high, in my opinion.
I suggest to improve the knowledge of Romagna because it deserves and is able to transmit you lovely way to discover how cute it is.
Often I go to Penisola Sorrentina and to Naples, also.
IMO, still now, one of the best pizza in Naples is "Ettore" in Via Santa Lucia, between Piazza del Plebiscito and the longwater.
My choice is "favolosa", with fresh tomatoes and fordilatte coming from Agerola, an hilltown in Monti Lattari.
But, anyway, Ettore is far from the train station or, let's say so, close enough to the second train station of Naples: Napoli Mergellina.

Vincenzo

One name you can keep in mind for great pizza is Sorbillo. I had a wonderful pizza with carciofi there a few hours ago..not so very very far from the station..

De Matteo also appears to be very popular..on the same street as Sorbillo. Both were packed today with lines out the door at Sorbillo at 1pm today, Saturday..

Brandi costs much more and appeared to me to be very popular with tourists..

Ciao Vicenzo! I hope to visit Ettore later today, in between my lunch at Sorbillo and dinner!! And perhaps another visit to Sfogliatelle Mary! Oh, that mozzarella from Agerola is divine!



Bella Napoli!!

Thank you everyone. I might have to show up hungry and have a slice at a few places!!

thanks for all the suggestions.

i, too, am looking for good pizza to try on our short stop in naples!

The best pizza IN THE WORLD is made in a pizzeria close to the railway station in Naples, called TUTINO's. The neopolitans call it "'n cop e mura", which means "on the walls". When I go to Naples, at least twice a year, my wife and I go to Tutino's at least three times a week. The pizza is out of this world, and they also make great polenza fritta, and fantastic arancinas. I don't know the address, in spite of going there often. What I do know is how to get there from Piazza Garibaldi. At the end of Piazza Garibaldi, is a great statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi. This is on Corso Garibaldi. When you get to the statue, look down towards the water, a clear view from the statue. Walk down Corso Garibaldi towards the water for about 1/10 of a mile. You will reach Porta Nolana, a great big arch. Face the arch and walk towards it. Before going under the arch, there's a little street. Go left on the street for a very short way and look up on your right, to a second story sign that says "Tutino". Enter and enjoy the pizza from heaven. The reason for "'cop e mura", is that in the old days, there was a big wall surrounding this area of Naples. Porta Nolana was one of the entrances to get into the walled area. Porta Capuana and Porta Alba are the other entrances. Tutino's is built into what remains of the wall. Another reason we go there is that Mr. Tutino absolutely was ga-ga over Toto. His restaurant is dedicated to Toto. There are countless photos of him and lots of posters dedicated to him. On one wall of the restaurant, is a huge mural painted with the likes of Toto, Eduardo Di Fellipe, a great Italian humourist (like our Will Rogers), the guy that starred in El Postino, Massimo Troisi, and some other guy whose name presently escapes me. It's a great mural, and a nice conversation piece. The owner will be too happy to discuss the mural and Toto at any time. Another thing, HE LOVES AMERICANS. During WWII, he lost his family, and was adopted by four GIs. He spent a long time living in the American barracks, and learned the language well. He kept in touch with those GIs after the war, and visited every one of their funerals, from North Dakota to Alabama. His love for the US is greater than that of many ungrateful Americans. When I appear at the reastaurant, and he's there, he says loudly "L'American sta ca!" (the American is here). How could one not love this place??

waldo, that is a great story and great recommendation. thanks so much for sharing!!

btw, please also tell me about polenza fritta and the fantastic arancinas. not sure what those are...

dina

Dina, I believe Waldo is referring to a couple of the fried snacks sold at "frigittorie" which are easy to find in the historic center.. These are sidewalk take-away stands offering a variety of the salty, scrumptious fried street snacks including fried zucchini flowers, arancini (rice balls stuffed with cheese), fried potato balls, fried dough, and lots of others. These were a revelation to me and you MUST try. Prices for each range from about 20 cents to 1 euro and they present them to you in a folded paper cone or bag... Truly you are in for some amazing eating in that city..I will write a report as son as I get settled back home..

The proper word is POLENTA, I mistook when I wrote polenza. In any event, it is a cornmeal sort of round pie, that is then cut into pie shapes and deep fried. It is crunchy and very tasty. It's probably loaded with cholesterol, but who cares? Arancina is indeed a rice ball that usually has meat, cheese and peas in the center. It is also deep fried, and is a nectar of the gods. In Naples, arancini are usually made in sort of an inverted cone shape, round at the bottom, and tapering off to a point on top. In Sicily, arancini are compltety round, and if you want to kill someone, hit him with a Sicilian arancini. They are heavily loaded with goodies, and one arancini is a big meal, although I could go for two or three of them.
I'm sure Vincenzo could elaborate on this story.

Maybe, Waldo is talking about "panzarotti".
The basis of panzarotti is potato, then eggs, small (very small) pieces of "ciccioli" of pork or mortadella or prosciutto cotto.
This is the ancient tradition of the "street food" very common in the whole mediterranean area where, thanks to the weather, never deeply cold, and because of money (not so much) and job (no long lunch break) was the usual habit for people.
I agree about the different shapes of arancini between Naples and Palermo.
The Italian word for panzarotti is "crocchè di patate" but, please, do you listen the difference ?!?!
BTW, panzarotto is also the funky (but not bad way) to mean that a friend of us is fat (especially kids).

Vincenzo

We've eaten at Pizzeria Da Michele and we enjoyed the pizzas. Take note though, that it only serves 2 kinds of pizza: margherita and marinara. I don't know how far it is from the train station but during lunch time I saw 90% of the small eatery filled with Italians, and the rest were us, Americans, a Belgian couple and 2 Japanese young men.

Is there any 'bad' pizza in Napoli?

like saying any 'bad' Coney Island hotdogs in NY?

or Philly Steak Hoagies in Philly

thanks, everyone.

can't wait to try those street snacks AND pizza.

esckrunchy -- can't wait, also, to read your trip report!!

dina

Dina..I hope to begin the report soon. We found an absolute food paradise with more new tastes than on any other Italian trip in recent memory..

Along with the pizza and fried snacks, you must leave room for the sfogliatelle. Served hot from the oven! Truly, a world of edible wonders awaits you in Naples!