Starita in Naples' Materdei has run the wood ovens since 1901, with the montanara fried pizza (Sophia Loren's choice on screen) the unmissable order alongside the canonical margherita.
Signature dishes: Montanara fried pizza, Pizza margherita, Angioletti
Must order: Montanara fried pizza, margherita and angioletti dough fritters to start.
Tip: Closed Monday lunch; otherwise open daily 12:00 to 24:00. No bookings; arrive 12:30 or 19:30 for the shortest queue.
Address: Via Materdei 27/28, 80136 Napoli, Naples
Di Matteo on Via dei Tribunali in Naples has fried pizza, frittatine and crocchè from the streetside window since 1936; Bill Clinton's 1994 lunch stop sits in the legend.
Signature: Pizza margherita, Pizza fritta, Crocchè di patate
Order: The pizza fritta from the window, then pizza margherita inside and crocchè di patate.
Tip: Open daily 10:00 to 24:00. Cash preferred at the window; sit-down service runs upstairs.
Brandi off Via Toledo in Naples claims the 1889 invention of the pizza margherita by Raffaele Esposito for Queen Margherita of Savoy. The queen's thank-you letter still hangs in the dining room.
Signature: Pizza margherita, Pizza marinara
Order: Pizza margherita, the canonical version named for the queen in 1889.
Tip: Open daily 12:00 to 15:30 and 19:00 to 24:00. Book ahead for groups; the original Esposito plaque sits at the entrance.
Ciro Oliva's Concettina ai Tre Santi in Naples' Sanita is the modern pizza fine-dining room, with tasting menus of six small pizzas and a wine pairing in the historic 1951 family room.
Signature: Tasting pizza menu, Pizza margherita, Pizza marinara
Order: The five-pizza tasting menu and the modern margherita with three tomato cuts.
Tip: Book on the website three weeks ahead. The tasting menu runs 45 euros; the historic counter still serves the classic pizzas.
Lino Scarallo's Palazzo Petrucci on Posillipo Hill in Naples holds one Michelin star and the seafront cliff terrace over the Bay, the city's most-told modern Campanian tasting room.
Signature: Lasagnetta di mozzarella di bufala, Risotto alla pescatora
Order: Lasagnetta di mozzarella di bufala and risotto alla pescatora with Bay views.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead via the website; the 145-euro tasting menu is the entry point. Terrace tables go first.
Umberto in Naples' Chiaia has run the family room since 1916, with the tubettoni do treddeta (3-fingered seafood pasta) and the spaghetti alle vongole anchoring the historic carte.
Signature: Spaghetti alle vongole, Tubettoni do treddeta, Pizza
Order: Tubettoni do treddeta (the house specialty since 1916) and spaghetti alle vongole veraci.
Tip: Open Mon-Sat 12:00 to 15:30 and 19:30 to 23:30; closed Sunday. Book a week ahead via the website for weekends.
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.
Signature: Linguine all'astice, Ragu napoletano, Pasta alla genovese
Order: Linguine all'astice, ragu napoletano della domenica and pasta alla genovese.
Tip: Closed Sunday all day. Book a fortnight ahead via Resy for weekends; the lobster pasta runs around 35 euros.
