History

The cuoppo (paper cone) is the defining vessel of Neapolitan street food, used for anything sold hot from a friggitoria counter. The mare version uses the catch landed daily at Porta Nolana fish market; the terra version uses potato croquettes and frittatine. The friggitorie of the Pignasecca and the Spanish Quarter have sold cuoppi since at least the 1800s.

Book a food experience

Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

Browse every bookable food experience

Common allergens: Gluten, Fish, Crustaceans, Molluscs

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 400g mixed small seafood: squid cleaned and sliced, whole small anchovies, prawns shell-on, baby octopus halved
  • 150g tipo 00 flour
  • 50g rice flour
  • Cold sparkling water or beer
  • 1 litre sunflower oil for frying
  • Sea salt, lemon wedges

Method

  1. Heat oil to 185 degrees Celsius in a deep pan.
  2. Mix tipo 00 flour and rice flour in a bowl. Add cold sparkling water gradually until the batter is the consistency of single cream. Do not over-mix; some lumps are fine.
  3. Pat the seafood very dry with paper towels. Working in small batches, toss in the batter letting excess drip off, then lower gently into the hot oil.
  4. Fry small pieces for 2 minutes and larger ones for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper.
  5. Season with sea salt immediately and serve in paper cones with lemon.

Tip from the editors. Cold batter hitting hot oil is what creates the crisp casing; mix the batter with refrigerator-cold liquid and fry immediately.

Where to eat cuoppo di mare

Cuoppo di Mare in Naples

Pignasecca Friggitorie ★ 4.2

€ SeafoodCentro Storico

The friggitorie clustered along Via Pignasecca in Naples sell the cuoppo di mare (mixed seafood in a paper cone) to the morning market crowd.

TryCuoppo di mare

TipCash only at most counters. Best from 12:00-14:00 when the fryers are hottest.

Directions

Passione Napoletana ★ 4.2

€ PizzeriaCentro Storico

Passione Napoletana on Via dei Tribunali in Naples sells pizza al portafoglio (folded pocket pizza) at 2 euros from the window, the one-handed street lunch.

TryPizza al portafoglio

TipPizza al portafoglio 2 euros at the window; no plates issued and no sit-down required. The queue moves in under 2 minutes.

Directions

All Naples signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want cuoppo di mare covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →