L'Antiquario hides behind an antique-shop door on Via Vannella Gaetani in Chiaia, opened in 2015 by bartender Alex Frezza as Naples' first speakeasy, with red velvet curtains, William Morris wallpaper and a classics-led cocktail programme ranked on the World's 50 Best Bars list.
Tip: Wednesday nights add a live jazz set; reserve a banquette in advance as queues build past 22:00 on weekends. Cocktails around fourteen euros.
Address: Via Vannella Gaetani 2, 80121 Napoli, Naples
Ba-Bar runs a candlelit French-bistro-styled cocktail room on Via Bisignano in the Chiaia baretti grid, with a daily-open aperitivo programme that turns into a sit-down cocktail and kitchen service alongside Friday and Saturday lunch.
Tip: Friday and Saturday add a lunch service; reserve a banquette for the weekend cocktail hours. The Chiaia baretti corner outside the door is the spillover room.
Astronomia hides ninety square metres of art-deco speakeasy beneath the Gaaastronomia salumeria on Via Ferdinando del Carretto, with a zodiac-themed cocktail list, a rotating credenza entrance and a fifty-four seat room booked by reservation only.
Tip: Reservation required through the deli upstairs; the rotating shelf is the door. Cocktails around fourteen euros. Open Tuesday to Saturday only.
Ex Salumeria runs a tucked-away rum bar on Via Candelora near Universita metro, with a small terrace, a back bar built around infused rums and house cocktails and a Bottega del Rum tasting programme that draws an enthusiast crowd past midnight.
Tip: The rum back bar is the whole point; ask the bartender for an infused pour. The terrace is the seat in the warm months. Cash works best on weekends.
Ba-Bar runs a candlelit French-bistro-styled cocktail room on Via Bisignano in the Chiaia baretti grid, with a daily-open aperitivo programme that turns into a sit-down cocktail and kitchen service alongside Friday and Saturday lunch.
Tip: Friday and Saturday add a lunch service; reserve a banquette for the weekend cocktail hours. The Chiaia baretti corner outside the door is the spillover room.
Cactus runs two floors of a Piazza Portanova cruising bar on Via Leopoldo Rodino, with a reception, lounge, music zone and smoking area on the first level and a dark room, maze and private cabins downstairs, open Thursday through Saturday only.
Tip: ARCO membership card required at the door; the bar peaks past midnight. Closes 02:00 Thursday and 04:00 Friday and Saturday.
Bar Lemme Lemme sits on Piazza Bellini with a small inside room, a terrace under the Greek wall ruins and a relaxed mixed crowd that has made it one of the city's longest-running LGBTQ-friendly meeting spots, with cocktails, Italian craft beer and a short kitchen.
Tip: The terrace tables under the wall ruins are the seats to get; arrive by 21:00 on weekends. Reasonable prices for the centre, friendly mixed crowd.
Intra Moenia has anchored Piazza Bellini since 1989 as a literary cafe and publisher, with a vaulted inside room, a long piazza terrace and a programme of book launches, author nights, live music and LGBTQ-friendly community events that draw a steady mixed crowd.
Tip: The piazza terrace fills first on warm evenings; the inside room peaks during readings and author events. Open from morning coffee through to 01:00.