In Napoli love may be king (or at least Dean Martin thought so), but the food is a pretty big deal too. The Sicilian city is synonymous with the most authentic pizza and pasta, but a new wave of cuisine has been overtaking the more traditional recipes in the culinary stakes. Indeed, it’s now the Italian province with the most Michelin stars. And here are the five to have been awarded in the city itself…
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George Restaurant
Drink in the panorama of the Gulf of Naples (including Vesuvius, the Sorrentine Peninsula and Capri), as you also drink the fine wines at the fancy George Restaurant. It’s part of the Grand Hotel Parkers, a veteran of the hotel scene here, with over a century and a half of heritage. Chef Domenico Candela — himself a born and bred Napoletano — leads the show kitchen, where the alchemy of tradition and contemporary cooking takes place. Candela spent time in restaurants across the world before returning and ensuring George received its Michelin star, with colourful, beautiful and artful plates drawing on recipes from Campania.
Veritas
This restaurant has a more casual ambience, favouring minimalism over opulence. Veritas was first opened in 2007, by Stefano Giancotti, born of his love of haute cuisine, good wine and the conviviality that comes with dining together. Designed for ‘free thinkers’ the six-course set menus have names like ‘harmony’ and ‘sensuality’, with the term ‘freehand’ used in place of a la carte. True octopus with plancha, escarole, provola sauce and nduja; spiced tataki beef, carbonara cream, green bean caviar, and ponzu sauce with balsamic vinegar; and amberjack sashimi, Andalusian gazpacho, Mediterranean herbs and scents are just some of the courses served at Veritas.
ARIA
Following Campagnia’s traditions, yet expressing the city’s modernity and contrasts, Aria is an oasis of calm amid Naples’ well-documented bustle. Chef Paolo Barrale creates sophisticated tasting menus with wine and cocktail pairings. His dishes are different and ground-breaking, often marrying Asian flavours and products with indigenous plants and fruits of the local sea. Perfect for those who don’t like to be overly serious, the approach here is at times quite playful; such as bread, served in the form of lard-based crackers and baked into the shape of a pig. This may be artistic fine dining, but it’s anything but pretentious.
Il Comandante
Its ninth-floor location ensures the restaurant is endowed with some splendid and far-reaching views, a romantic accompaniment to your meal. Accommodated with the Hotel Romeo, Il Comandante’s title comes from the nickname of the founder of the Lauro Fleet, whose HQ was once in the same premises. The cuisine at the restaurant brings together Mediterranean and Eastern flavours; chef Salvatore Bianco pays close attention to the rituals of dining, emphasising this, along with an air of sensuality and some molecular techniques for that wow factor. It’s recently undergone a major makeover, revealing a new look in November 2022.
Palazzo Petrucci
Launched in the same year as Veritas within the former stables of the historic Palazzo Petrucci in Piazza San Domenico Maggiore, this restaurant was the brainchild of business expert Edoardo Trotta and Neapolitan chef Lino Scarallo. The pair chose to revive the region’s traditional o ragu e mare (turf and surf) and just a year later gained their Michelin star. The following year Palazzo Petrucci moved home, to take up residence in the Villa Donn’Anna, right beside Posillipo’s beach. Diners can now experience Scarallo’s food from a table just feet from the sand. The chef also offers in-house cooking workshops.
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