Category Archives: Naples

Where To Dine In Naples, Italy

I hope you have enjoyed reading about my adventures in Italy learning all about San Marzano tomatoes (read all about it here and here). On this trip, our homebase was Naples, Italy and from there we made day trips to the region to learn about the coveted tomatoes as well as visit the Amalfi Coast and island of Capri.

Beautiful Naples, Italy
Beautiful Naples, Italy
Galleria Umberto Naples, Italy
Galleria Umberto Naples, Italy

Naples doesn’t always get rave reviews, but I’m here to tell you I had a great time and really appreciated the city after spending 10 days there. Many people call it the “smaller and grittier version of Rome” and while somewhat true, I’d say that is exactly what I appreciated about it too. I found Naples beautiful, and loved that it is situated on the water with views of Mt. Vesuvius.

The Streets of Naples, Italy
The Streets of Naples, Italy
Sunset Along The Bay In Naples, Italy
Sunset Along The Bay In Naples, Italy

And, as a vegetarian, you know Italy is like heaven with endless veggie food options. I joke that if you are vegetarian and hungry while in Italy, that’s your own fault. There is no shortage of pizza, pasta, gelato and pastries and it’s available on every corner. Seeing that I was traveling with a group of chefs and foodies, you know we ate at some spectacular places. Here are a few favorites:

Pizzium– What’s actually a chain throughout Italy, I loved not only the food at Pizzium, but the decor and fun ambiance. I sincerely enjoyed all the things we ate including the bruschetta, Caprese salad, margherita pizza and my favorite was the pizza made with San Marzano tomato sauce topped with little mozzarella balls and spheres of pesto. So good and something really unique!

Bruschetta Wtih San Marzano Tomatoes At Pizzium
Bruschetta Wtih San Marzano Tomatoes At Pizzium
Caprese Salad With San Marzano Tomatoes At Pizzium
Caprese Salad With San Marzano Tomatoes At Pizzium
Pizza With San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella And Pesto Spheres
Pizza With San Marzano Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella And Pesto Spheres At Pizzium

Mimi alla Ferrovia– An established restaurant of Naples with a loyal crowd in a beautiful restaurant setting. You can tell the old world charm brings patrons who are regulars. My two favorite dishes were the ricotta topped with a tomato jam (seriously, the lightest and best ricotta I’ve ever had in my life!) and the pasta made with squash blossoms (a specialty of Italy). I actually ate here twice on my trip!

Fresh Ricotta With Tomato Jam- Mimi Alla Ferrovia
Fresh Ricotta With Tomato Jam- Mimi alla Ferrovia
Pasta Ai Fiori Di Zucca (Pasta With Zucchini Blossoms)
Pasta Ai Fiori Di Zucca (Pasta With Zucchini Blossoms)

Gaetano Adamo– This casual spot near the train station is a great option if you are looking for something quick and chill. Fresh made pizzas straight from the oven are definitely their specialty as are the calzones. They were able to make a vegetarian calzone for me and it was delicious. I was so hungry that evening, I ate almost the entire thing! That’s when you know it is good.

Calzone At Gaetano Adamus Naples
Calzone At Gaetano Adamo Naples
Tiramisu At Gaetano Adamus
Tiramisu At Gaetano Adamo

Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria– Not only does this restaurant offer atleast five varieties of different pizza crust, there is a pizza lab underneath where they are always innovating new recipes and options. I loved the food here and some favorites included the appetizer of pizza crust tossed with sun-dried tomatoes,arugula, pesto and fresh shaved parmesan as well as the cacio e pepe pizza topped with a pistachio pesto. Don’t skip dessert either, we devoured that chocolate cherry mini cake. A must visit!

Pizza Crust Appetizer At Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria
Pizza Crust Appetizer At Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria
Cacio e Pepe Pizza At Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria
Cacio e Pepe Pizza At Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria
Delicious Chocolate Cherry Cake
Delicious Chocolate Cherry Cake

Miranapoli– We stopped here midday during a tour of Naples and only had the chance to get a drink, so I can’t say anything about the food. BUT, Miranapoli is a must visit for the views alone. Situated overlooking the water with Mt. Vesuvius in the background, make sure to get an outdoor patio seat if the weather permits. I relished every sip of my Aperol Spritz and could not take my eyes off that spectacular view.

Aperol Spritz at Miranapoli
Aperol Spritz at Miranapoli

Chalet Ciro 1952– It was my very last night in Italy and I was tired after a full day on the island of Capri and I needed to get back to the hotel to pack before my 3:30am wakeup call to head to the airport. But, our gracious host insisted that I MUST visit the local hot spot Chalet Ciro for one last hurrah and to try some desserts. Mind you, we had just finsihed a multi-course dinner and I was not even hungry. But, of course I’m glad we went. We each got a delicious, fresh-squeezed tropical juice and then a local famous donut (not sure of the name, sorry!). That donut was hot and fresh and amazing! Ok, it was totally worth it for the lack of sleep before I came back home.

Tropical Juice at Chalet Ciro
Tropical Juice at Chalet Ciro
Selection of Mini Ice Cream Cones at Chalet Ciro
Selection of Mini Ice Cream Cones at Chalet Ciro
Famous Naples Pastry at Chalet Ciro
Famous Naples Pastry at Chalet Ciro

Tarralleria Napoletana– While shopping one day, we saw this adorable store serving these traditional snacks of Naples called tarralli. They are basically breadsticks served in a circular form, but almost look like little donuts. This particular shop had both savory and sweet flavors and were offering samples, so I was definitely intrigued to try a local staple. To note; I learned most tarralli are made with lard, but Tarralleria Napoletana has both vegetarian and vegan options. I loved the basil flavored one the most, but really all of the vegetarian savory options I tried were phenomenal. Highly recommend buying some tarralli from here!

Tarralli; A Naples Snack
Tarralli; A Naples Snack
Make Sure To Seek Out Vegetarian Tarralli
Make Sure To Seek Out Vegetarian Tarralli; This One Has Olives In It!

I hope this is a helpful list for when you find yourself in Naples, Italy. Obviously there are so many great spots, but these were just a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

Please Note: While this post is in collaboration with Associazione Nazionale Industriali Conserve Alimentari Vegetali (Anicav), all opinions are my own.

Feasting in Italy- San Marzano Tomato Edition

As if it wasn’t amazing enough to travel to Italy to learn all about San Marzano tomatoes (read more about that here), I’d say the BEST part was the many ways I enjoyed eating San Marzano tomatoes.

Prior to my trip, my guess is I only had San Marzano tomatoes in the most basic forms in pasta or pizza sauce. But now after visiting the birthplace of San Marzano tomatoes right outside of Naples, not only did I get to enjoy fresh San Marzano tomatoes straight from the vine in the tomato fields themselves, but I also tasted some classic and unique preparations. Here’s a list of some of the ways we enjoy San Marzano tomatoes in Italy:

Caprese Salad– With Buffalo mozzarella being one of the stars of Italian cuisine, and especially in Naples, I enjoyed daily caprese salads (not even kidding!). The Buffalo mozzarella was sliced (or sometimes presented as one giant ball that you would slice on your own at the table!) served with fresh, sliced San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil and drizzled with olive oil. Pretty sure no Caprese Salad will ever compare to these in Italy.

Caprese Salad With San Marzano Tomatoes
Caprese Salad With San Marzano Tomatoes

Bruschetta– Diced, fresh San Marzano tomatoes with fresh basil, and garlic mixed in olive oil and topped on toasted bread. A perfect appetizer. How does it get better than that? It does not. 😊

Bruschetta With San Marzano Tomatoes
Bruschetta With San Marzano Tomatoes

Pizza– When you are in the city that is called “the birthplace of pizza” you better believe I was eating pizza on the daily! Not only that, but Naples is also best known for their style of pizza called Neapolitan style pizza (pizza Napoletana) which is created from the simplest, yet fresh ingredients; the crust (made from flour, yeast, salt and water), hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes, Buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil leaves and olive oil. That’s it! The pizza is baked in a special type of wood-burning oven for only 90 seconds and is eaten immediately after coming out of the oven. We actually had the chance to do a pizza making class with a pizza master (pizzaiolo), so I got to experience firsthand how it is all done.

Neopolitan Style Pizza With San Marzano Tomatoes
Neopolitan Style Pizza With San Marzano Tomatoes
Pizzaiolo Using Pizza Shears To Cut The Pizza
Using Pizza Shears To Cut The Pizza
Wood Fire Pizza Oven
Wood Fire Pizza Oven
Guess I'm A Pizza Expert Now!
Guess I’m A Pizza Expert Now!

Pasta Pomodoro– The Italians know how to do it; use only the freshest ingredients and keep it simple. One of the best and most basic pasta dishes I had included freshly made spaghetti, a simple sauce of San Marzano tomatoes, topped with fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano. That’s it. When you eat the best and most authentic food, it’s hard to eat anything else. Definitely have been spoiled!

Pasta Pomodoro With San Marzano Tomatoes
Pasta Pomodoro With San Marzano Tomatoes

Eggplant Parmigiana– The eggplant parmesan we eat here in the US is very different than that which is served in Italy. The dish we ate in Italy more resembles a lasagna, where the layers are created with thinly sliced, eggplant, Buffalo mozzarella, and a sauce from San Marzano tomatoes and basil. The dish is then baked, cut, topped with fresh parmesan and served just like lasagna. To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of the US version of eggplant parmesan (which are deep fried slabs of eggplant topped with tomato sauce and cheese and then broiled), but I do like the traditional Italian version way better!

Eggplant Parmigiana With San Marzano Tomatoes
Eggplant Parmigiana With San Marzano Tomatoes

Gnocchi– We also had the chance to do a gnocchi making class at a restaurant right in the heart of Naples. Here we made a flour-based gnocchi (as opposed to the traditional potato or ricotta based gnocchi) and learned how to make a San Marzano tomato based sauce to go with it. The cool thing is the chef showed us two different preparations of the sauce, but with the same ingredients. Namely, the San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and salt. It was incredible how different the two sauces tasted, even though they had the same ingredients! Either way, this gnocchi was so delicious.

Gnocchi Making Class- We Made A Mess!
Gnocchi Making Class- We Made A Mess!
Always Crush San Marzano Tomatoes By Hand
Always Crush San Marzano Tomatoes By Hand
Two Different Sauces Made With San Marzano Tomatoes
Two Different Sauces Made With San Marzano Tomatoes
Gnocchi With Sauce From San Marzano Tomatoes
Gnocchi With Sauce From San Marzano Tomatoes

Ice cream topped with candied, dried San Marzano tomatoes-Definitely the most unique way we enjoyed San Marzano tomatoes was in the dried, candied form on top of vanilla bean ice cream as a dessert. When you have access to the fresh form of these tomatoes right in Italy, I’m sure there are so many innovative ways to include them in dishes and even desserts! So happy we got to try this sweet option.

Ice Cream Topped With Candied San Marzano Tomatoes
Ice Cream Topped With Candied San Marzano Tomatoes

As you can see, I sincerely enjoyed the many ways we ate and appreciated San Marzano tomatoes. You can definitely take my word on it, but the better option would be for you to go to Italy and try it for yourself. Let me know if you do!

Please Note: While this post is in collaboration with Associazione Nazionale Industriali Conserve Alimentari Vegetali (Anicav), all opinions are my own.

A Visit To Italy To Learn About San Marzano Tomatoes

The San Marzano tomato: I bet most people have heard the name and noticed them on restaurant menus or in grocery stores, but don’t really know much else about them (unless, of course, you have taken the time to learn about them). Well, not to worry, because prior to a few weeks ago, I didn’t know a whole lot about San Marzano tomatoes myself!

Fresh San Marzano Tomatoes
Fresh San Marzano Tomatoes

I was lucky enough to embark on an epic adventure to Italy and to the actual town called San Marzano, just to learn all about these tomatoes and what makes them truly special. And let me tell you, there is a whole lot of love and care that goes into cultivating these delicacies that has been perfected over generations. The San Marzano tomato really is one of the best tomatoes you will ever have.

The Cute Town of San Marzano, Italy. Notice the Statue of Tomatoes!
Truly Some of the Best Tomatoes In the World!

San Marzano tomatoes come from the region right outside of Naples, Italy surrounding the famous Mt. Vesuvius (you know, the one that erupted in 79 A.D. that destroyed and yet preserved the city of Pompeii). Due to the rich soil around the volcano and perfect climate conditions, the tomatoes thrive in this particular geographic area and are harvested each year from July through October.

Fields of San Marzano Tomatoes with Mt. Vesuvius in the Background!
Beautiful Fields of San Marzano Tomatoes

We had the opportunity to go into the tomato fields themselves as well as several canning facilities to learn about the entire process from field cultivation to seeing the final slats of packed cans being ready to ship around the globe. Here are some notable highlights I took away from the experience.

The tomatoes are hand-picked from the vines. In today’s modern world of automation, this crucial step of picking each tomato by hand allows the tomatoes to remain in the best possible wholesome state. It also comes with much less probability of being damaged during the process than if picked by machines. It’s truly a white glove service getting the tomatoes from the fields.

San Marzano Tomatoes Freshly Picked From the Vine
San Marzano Tomatoes On Their Way!
San Marzano Tomatoes Ready for the Distribution Center
I Really Enjoyed Visiting the San Marzano Tomato Fields! What a Cool Experience.

Each batch of tomatoes is labeled, sent to a distribution center and sent to a canning facility within hours of being picked. Basically, the tomatoes go from the vine and are in a can in a very short amount of time! You know this system has been perfected over time and is what also lends the tomatoes to remain the freshest and the best final product.

Labeled Batches of San Marzano Tomatoes Ready For the Cannery
San Marzano Tomatoes Loaded Up and Ready To Go!
A Quick Process from Field to Can For San Marzano Tomatoes
Ready to Be Shipped Around the World!

There are no additives or chemicals added to the tomato cans. The peeled tomatoes, some of their sauce, salt and a bit of citric acid are all that you will find in the canned version of the San Marzano tomatoes. The cans of tomatoes are truly just that and nothing else (sometimes basil may be added, but not always).

San Marzano Tomatoes Being Washed and Steamed to Remove Their Peels
A Very Hands-On Process To Ensure the Best Quality Product
San Marzano Tomatoes Canning Process
I Really Enjoyed Visiting the Canning Facilities Too. It Was Fascinating!

The tomatoes really are special! They tend to have fewer seeds, taste slightly sweeter and less acidic as compared to traditional plum style tomatoes. Also, the skin on the San Marzano tomato is very thin and comes off much easier as compared to other tomatoes.

A Cut Open San Marzano Tomato- Notice Fewer Seeds
The Peel on San Marzano Tomatoes Is Very Thin, Can Scrape or Steam Them Right Off
San Marzano Tomatoes Are Slightly Sweeter

Beware, there are imposter San Marzano tomatoes out there. I was shocked when I found this out! The key to purchasing legit San Marzano tomatoes is to look for two particular symbols: the DOP (the product designation in Italy) seal as well as the San Marzano seal with serial number. When you see these two symbols on the can, you know you are purchasing authentic San Marzano tomatoes from Italy.

Look For These Two Symbols and Serial Number To Ensure Authenticity of San Marzano Tomatoes

I hope you found some of these facts both interesting and educational. I know I did! I had the honor to learn first hand from the most passionate and wonderful people who dedicate their lives to San Marzano tomatoes in Italy. And for that, I’m so incredibly grateful.

Stay tuned for my next post with probably THE most important aspect of the San Marzano tomato; the many ways to eat and enjoy them!

Please Note: While this post is in collaboration with Associazione Nazionale Industriali Conserve Alimentari Vegetali (Anicav), all opinions are my own.