10 Best Restaurants in The Bay of Naples, Italy

Carrying on a tradition of top-quality cuisine started by his father, chef Paolo Gramaglia and his wife Laila—the pastry chef and sommelier—run this Michelin-starred restaurant that consistently ranks among Campania's best. The presentation of every dish is beautiful, and service is impeccable; what's more, the restaurant sometimes hosts Roman-inspired banquets with musical accompaniment.

Come here for the rare experience of dining within a 10,000-year-old volcanic crater (thankfully extinct). Sit back in the homey dining area crammed with bizarre knickknacks, and enjoy a cornucopia of tasting dishes, many made with produce grown in the fertile volcanic soil outside.

A meal at this stylish but simpatico seafood restaurant across from the ferry terminal is a fitting way to round out a day in the Campi Flegrei. The exquisite antipasti, delicately garnished pasta, and pesce straight off the boats make this a favorite with the locals.

With a Neapolitan street food pedigree—the Infante made famed taralli on Via Foria back in the 19th century—this is a reliable spot for ice cream, drinks, and snacks from breakfast to midnight  Sweet-tooths may be tempted by their indulgent babà in bicchiere while for those seeking savory there's bruschetta, filled pannini, and cold cuts and cheese platters, among many snacks.

Despite its unflattering location on a vicolo (alley) one block from the Pozzuoli waterfront, this restaurant (est. 1946) is admired in Neapolitan circles for its fresh seafood, ample portions, and reasonable prices. Spaghetti with clams, octopus salad, grilled and fried fish, and seafood risotto are among the longtime favorites prepared here.

Il Principe's owner, Gian Marco Carli, inherited his parents' 30-year research into ancient Roman cuisine; Famiglia Carli may not have fed Roman emperors, but they have cooked for at least three U.S. presidents. Their quality meat and fish dishes, and sumptuous tasting menus honor the past, while delivering exquisitely presented, modern plates of food.   

The celebrated site of oyster beds and fish farms in ancient times, Lake Lucrino is now the setting for this rustic trattoria. Quirky Ruggiero runs the dining room with a whimsical charm—don't be shocked if he addresses you through his megaphone or warmly embraces you when you leave—and his wife, Maria, lovingly prepares specialties from land, sea, and lake, much to the delight of the locals who tend to pack the place.

Doing a brisk trade with both stranieri and napoletani—always a good sign—this restaurant and pizzeria on the roundabout near the Circumvesuviana station is a 10-minute walk from the excavations of Herculaneum. Dishes vary according to season but always draw on local recipes: pasta e fagioli (with beans) is a winter favorite, and richly garnished schiaffoni (flat tube pasta) with seafood is a summer stalwart. If you're sensitive to traffic noise, avoid sitting at the outside tables.

Opened in 1955 this popular pastry parlor and gelateria is a reliable spot to pick up a coffee with a cornetto, sfogliatella, or krapfen doughnut. Their delicious gelato comes in colorful cone cialde waffle cones.