Spaghetti alle vongole in Naples is made in bianco (without tomato), the pasta finished in the vongole veraci clam juices and white wine with garlic, chilli, flat-leaf parsley and a thread of olive oil, the sauce light and briny.
Clams have been harvested in the Gulf of Naples and the Pozzuoli coast since the Roman era; the pairing with pasta became codified in Neapolitan cucina di mare in the 19th century. Naples insists on the in bianco version without tomato; Rome's version with tomato is a separate preparation.
3 editor picks for Spaghetti alle Vongole in Naples, ranked by editorial score. All Naples signature dishes · Spaghetti alle Vongole across every city.
La Cantinella ★ 4.5
chiaia · Via Cuma 42, 80132 Napoli
La Cantinella in Naples' Santa Lucia waterfront has run the classic seafood carte since 1971, with the Bay of Naples view, spaghetti alle vongole and crudo di mare anchoring lunch.
Mimi alla Ferrovia ★ 4.4
centro-storico · Via Alfonso d'Aragona 19, 80139 Napoli
Mimi alla Ferrovia near Naples Central Station has cooked the canon since 1943, with the linguine all'astice (lobster pasta) the dish Sophia Loren and the city's politicians keep ordering.
Ristorante Caruso ★ 4.4
chiaia · Via Partenope 38, 80121 Napoli
Ristorante Caruso on Via Partenope in Naples sits on the rooftop of the Grand Hotel Vesuvio over Castel dell'Ovo, with a classic seafood carte and the city's named-table tradition.