Coffee shops, bakeries with seats and the places Naples lingers in over a cortado.

Where to sit and slow down

Gran Caffè Gambrinus ★ 4.5

Cafétoledo

Gran Caffè Gambrinus on Piazza Trieste e Trento in Naples has poured espresso since 1860, the city's belle epoque salon where Oscar Wilde, Hemingway.

Signature drink: Espresso, cioccolata calda

Tip: Standing at the counter is the local way; sitting at a marble table runs three times the price. Try the cioccolata calda in winter.

Caffè Mexico ★ 4.4

Cafécentro-storico

Caffè Mexico in Naples' Piazza Dante has poured the city's strongest espresso since 1956, with five locations across town and the trademark pre-sweetened cup.

Signature drink: Espresso, caffè zuccherato

Tip: Order the caffè 'normale' (already sweetened) or 'amaro' (no sugar). Standing room only at the original Piazza Dante counter.

Antico Caffè Gambrinus ★ 4.4

Cafétoledo

Gambrinus in Naples is the historic literary cafe with the city's first marble counter (1860). Located in Toledo. Order the espresso, sfogliatella.

Signature drink: Espresso, sfogliatella

Tip: Pay at the till first, then take the receipt to the bar. Counter price 1.50 euros vs 4 euros for a seated terrace table.

Scaturchio ★ 4.5

Cafécentro-storicoDaily 07:00-21:00

Scaturchio in Naples' Piazza San Domenico Maggiore has run the pastry-and-coffee counter since 1905, with the ministeriale (chocolate-rum disc) the house.

Signature drink: Espresso, ministeriale

Tip: Open daily 07:00-21:00. Ministeriale is 4 euros at the counter; sfogliatella riccia 2 euros 50.

Pasticceria Moccia ★ 4.5

Caféchiaia

Moccia in Naples' Chiaia (with the Vomero branch) has run the pastry-and-coffee counter since 1936, with the sfogliatella riccia and the babà au rhum.

Signature drink: Espresso, sfogliatella riccia

Tip: Open Tue-Sun 07:00-21:00; closed Monday. The sfogliatella sells out by 11:00 on Saturdays.

Gay-Odin ★ 4.5

Cafétoledo

Gay-Odin in Naples on Via Toledo has run the city's defining chocolate counter since 1894, with the forest chocolate log (foresta) and the dense cioccolata.

Signature drink: Cioccolata calda, foresta

Tip: Eight Naples locations; the Via Toledo flagship is the oldest. The foresta chocolate log retails at 30 euros per kilo.

Pasticceria Poppella ★ 4.7

Cafésanita

Poppella in Naples' Sanita has run the family pastry counter since 1920, with the fiocco di neve (snow-flake brioche with cream filling) the dish that turned.

Signature drink: Espresso, fiocco di neve

Tip: Open daily 07:00-22:00. The fiocco di neve at 1 euro 50 is the only order; queue can be 30 minutes on weekends.

Pasticceria Attanasio ★ 4.7

Cafécentro-storico

Attanasio near Naples Central Station has fried sfogliatelle since 1930, with the riccia and frolla baked all day. Located in Centro Storico.

Signature drink: Espresso, sfogliatella riccia

Tip: Open Tue-Sun 06:30-19:30; closed Monday. The sfogliatella is 2 euros at the counter; cash preferred.

Leopoldo Infante ★ 4.4

Cafévomero

Leopoldo in Naples is the historic taralli-and-pastry chain founded in 1940, now run from Casavatore with the city centre cafes selling the sugna-and-pepper.

Signature drink: Espresso, taralli, sfogliatella

Tip: Multiple branches across town; the Vomero flagship has the longest counter. Taralli retail at 8 euros per kilo.

Caffè Kimbo ★ 4.2

Cafécentro-storico

Caffè Kimbo in Naples is the city's biggest coffee roaster (1963) with branded espresso bars across the centre, the family-owned brand behind the dense.

Signature drink: Espresso Napoletano

Tip: Open daily 07:00-22:00. The espresso intense blend is the house signature; whole-bean retail at 10 euros 250g.

Caffè Toraldo ★ 4.2

Cafécentro-storico

Caffè Toraldo in Naples has roasted espresso blends since 1860, the third-oldest family roaster in the city, with the espresso bar on Via San Liborio.

Signature drink: Espresso, miscela 100% Arabica

Tip: Open Mon-Sat 07:00-19:30, closed Sunday. The 100 percent Arabica blend retails at 14 euros per 250g.

Il Vero Bar del Professore ★ 4.4

Cafétoledo

Il Vero Bar del Professore on Piazza Trieste e Trento in Naples has poured the city's hazelnut-coffee invention since 1996, with Raffaele Ferrieri's caffè.

Signature drink: Caffè alla nocciola, espresso

Tip: Counter standing service. The caffè alla nocciola runs 2 euros 50; the kinder coffee is the dessert option.

Sfogliatella Mary ★ 4.3

Cafétoledo

Mary in Naples' Galleria Umberto I is the standing counter inside the 1887 arcade, with the sfogliatella riccia baked all day, sold piping hot to the Via.

Signature drink: Espresso, sfogliatella riccia

Tip: Open daily 07:00-20:00 inside the Galleria. Sfogliatella runs 2 euros; the riccia is the local order.

Caffè Mexico Vomero ★ 4.3

Cafévomero

Caffè Mexico's Vomero branch on Via Scarlatti runs the same pre-sweetened cup the Piazza Dante original made famous, with five branches across the city.

Signature drink: Espresso, caffè zuccherato

Tip: Counter only. Order 'normale' for pre-sweetened or 'amaro' for no sugar. Cup is one euro 20 at the counter.

Pasticceria Mennella Vomero ★ 4.4

Cafévomero

Pasticceria Mennella on Via Scarlatti in Naples' Vomero is the family-run pasticceria-gelateria with 18 Campania branches, with the babà, the sfogliatella.

Signature drink: Espresso, gelato cone, babà

Tip: Open Mon-Fri 10:00-21:00, weekends to 23:00. Counter and gelato window; the panettone is the December special.

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