Naples, the largest city south of Rome and home to 8.085 million people as of 2023, has been named the world's best city for food by TimeOut. The ranking places the Campanian capital at number one out of 20 cities, largely due to its invention and perfection of pizza.
While the origin of pizza has been debated, Naples is widely recognised as the birthplace of the modern dish, which evolved from flatbread-like creations in the 18th or 19th centuries. The pizza Margherita remains the city's most iconic offering, but locals highlight the diversity of Naples' contemporary food scene.
Neapolitan writer Gabriela Proietti told TimeOut: "Neapolitan cuisine celebrates diversity, simplicity and the marriage between land, sea and history." She noted that the city's food culture can be found everywhere, from pasta dishes to pastries like sfogliatella and babà, and recommended the central Quartieri Spagnoli neighbourhood as "the place to be for food right now."
The area features Neapolitan pizzeria Santa Maradona, named after football legend Diego Maradona, which is known for its exceptional pizza Margherita. Naples' culinary reputation extends beyond pizza, with local cooks producing some of Italy's best versions of historic signature dishes.
