The Neapolitan baba is a tall, mushroom-shaped yeast cake soaked in dark rum syrup until sodden and trembling, served cool with whipped cream or pastry cream alongside, the rum-to-cake ratio a point of civic pride.
The baba reached Naples in the 18th century via the French court (itself imported from Poland by King Stanislaw Leszczynski); Neapolitan pastry makers adopted it and over two centuries made it their own, increasing the rum soaking and shrinking the size until today's individual baba napoletano bears little resemblance to the original.
3 editor picks for Baba au Rhum in Naples, ranked by editorial score. All Naples signature dishes · Baba au Rhum across every city.
Scaturchio ★ 4.5
centro-storico · Piazza San Domenico Maggiore 19, 80134 Napoli
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 alongside the sfogliatella.
Gran Caffe Gambrinus ★ 4.5
toledo · Via Chiaia 1/2, 80132 Napoli
Gran Caffe Gambrinus on Piazza Trieste e Trento in Naples (1860) is the city's defining morning ritual, with the counter espresso and hot sfogliatella the Neapolitan brunch before brunch was a concept.
Pasticceria Moccia ★ 4.5
vomero · Via San Pasquale a Chiaia 21, 80121 Napoli
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 the local order.