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Best Coffee Shops In Naples
The 10 best coffee shops in Naples, Italy
Published February 8, 2022
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Chandra Melo
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
No trip to Italy would be complete without trying real Italian coffee. Are you looking for the best coffee in Naples? You might be surprised to hear that only recently has the first Starbucks opened in Italy, even though the founder of the popular coffee chain took the idea of opening a coffee shop from traveling to this country. The reason for this is mainly due to the fact that Italians drink their coffee differently compared to how chain coffee shops will usually make it, and this is evident in the local coffee culture. If you’re interested in trying the best coffee you have ever had, Italy’s western coast is the place to be.
Drinking coffee in Naples is a unique experience – many cafes don’t have seating but instead serve coffee to customers who stand at the bar, sipping on their coffee before going to their next destination. Artisan and specialty coffee drinkers can also find what they are looking for in Naples, with newer, specialty coffee shops now opening alongside the traditional Italian coffee shops that are popular with locals and tourists alike. The electronic espresso machine is a rare sight here and getting a coffee can feel like you have gone back in time. Here is a guide to some of the best coffee in Naples Italy to try if you are planning a trip.
1. Birdy’s Bakery
Although Naples is filled with small coffee shops, there are some modern cafes that offer a traditional experience too. If you are looking for somewhere with a quaint, cozy atmosphere and want to sit down and enjoy some of the best sweet treats in the area, Birdy’s Bakery is a great choice. Along with everything that you would expect from a traditional Italian coffee bar, you can also find pastries, breakfasts, and more. You can rely on it to provide great food and coffee, as the locals consistently rank it in the top five best coffee shops in Naples. Come to Birdy’s Bakery and coffee shop for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and after-dinner coffees. The Milky Cake is delicious!
2. Gran Caffe La Caffettiera
If you want to go somewhere for coffee in Naples and are more interested in the quality of your coffee than the café itself, then a visit to Gran Caffe La Caffettiera is a great choice. This is a famous Italian café where coffee beans are roasted in line with the humidity level of the day, and along with all of their coffee drinks, they also have a huge pastry menu with something that will match perfectly with any drink that you order. The visit to this café is even more enjoyable for those who are interested in the area’s architecture since the venue is rather historic. The Gran Caffe La Caffettiera is open from Monday to Sunday, 7 AM to 11 PM.
3. Caffe Letterario Intra Moenia
A combination of a cozy bookstore with garden vibes is exactly what you can expect when you pay a visit to Caffe Letterario Intra Moenia. The name translates to ‘bookstore café’, which you will see on the gorgeously designed sign situated outside the welcoming entrance. If you need somewhere to shelter on a rainy day or want to get some work done while you are in Naples, this is one of the best coffee shop Naples options on offer. Or, if you’re visiting on a sunny day, it’s well worth requesting a table outside on the green terrace.
4. Chalet Ciro
While you can usually expect a long queue outside of Chalet Ciro, everybody who has been and tried the coffee says that the wait is definitely worth it. Along with offering some of the best coffee in Naples, Chalet Ciro also has a great menu of sweets, handmade cakes, and juices. You can’t stop here without trying their famous ‘cono graffa’, which is gelato served inside a pastry cone. Outside, there are seats underneath the iconic yellow umbrellas where you can sit and enjoy your coffee.
5. Caffe del Professore
If you like rich, creamy espresso, you need to pay a visit to Caffe del Professore and order one here. Along with being famous for the gorgeous espresso, this local coffee shop is also famous for stunning hazelnut coffee and their coffee that is served with Nutella or Kinder. While the café is located right next door to the famous Vucciria Market, which can seem like a tourist hotspot, you might be surprised to hear that the interior isn’t touristy at all. When you order a coffee here, you will drink it standing at the bar like the locals do – it’s a great way to quickly get away from the tourist crowds and get to know the locals.
6. Café do Brasil
Café do Brasil is one of the oldest cafes in the area, and you’ll need to take the cable car to the unique neighborhood of Vomero to get there. Known as ‘the coffee lord’, it’s impossible to not head here to enjoy a coffee as you watch the city go by, and the prices are very reasonable too. Once here, you can enjoy excellent private label coffee and fresh, artisanal coffee cream. You can enjoy a very relaxing atmosphere here, and the café is visited daily by Neapolitan locals, so it’s a great way to experience the area like those who live there do. If you want to practice your Italian, grab a seat and see how much of the conversation you can translate.
7. Bar Mexico
If you are going to Italy, then you can’t miss out on visiting Bar Mexico, one of the best coffee shops in Naples. It is a popular spot with tourists and locals alike who flock here to get a cup of the famous Passalacqua brand from Mexico. Here, the coffee is served already sweetened and in a hot cup, like most other Italian cafes. There are a few different Bar Mexico locations around Naples – just look out for the unmistakable orange and red sign. Decades ago, when pineapple was a rare treat in Italy, Bar Mexico became famous for serving pineapple juice, which at the time was a very exotic drink. In fact, this was the first bar in Naples to import coolers and put cold drinks on the menu.
8. Ceraldi Caffe
Since it opened in 1973, Ceraldi Caffe has been one of the best coffee shops in Naples, serving a large menu of amazing coffees, savory foods, sweet foods, and impeccable service. It’s a family-run bar, and you can tell that they really love what they do in every single detail. Their policy is to never turn their back on the customer, and you’ll see the coffee being made right in front of you while you can have a chat with the barista.
9. Bar Augustus
The Bar Augustus coffee shop has been around since 1927, and along with its famous coffee, it’s also known for its stunning homemade candies. The location is quite central and easy to get to, and you can expect to always be served excellent-quality coffee here. When you visit, you will definitely feel like you have been transported back in time.
10. Gran Caffe Gambrinus
Along with being one of the most important coffee shops in Naples, Caffe Gambrinus is also a museum. It was founded in 1860 and still maintains all its original, elegant decoration to this day. Along with their famous espresso, the sfogliatella served here is also a really popular, delicious choice.
The Story of Coffee in Italy
The history of coffee in Italy began many years ago due to its excellent location geographically, which helped build strong relations with the Arabs, who spread the coffee tradition throughout the country. It’s worth bearing in mind that Cairo, Egypt, was one of the most important centers of coffee propagation in the sixteenth century, and traders and travelers exported coffee from here to almost everywhere in the world.
Coffee’s real expansion happened throughout the Ottoman Empire, supplies countries around the world, including Italy, with immense quantities of coffee beans. During the seventeenth century, coffee was finally debuted in Europe for good. There are stores that have neither been confirmed nor contradicted that a century before coffee became such a popular drink in Italy, it was already possible to find Arabica seeds in Venice, which were used as a remedy for various problems and sold in various apothecaries. By the end of the seventeenth century, coffee shops had become a popular sight in Europe and where there for good.
The first coffee shop in Italy was opened in Venice and was named ‘bottega do caffe’. It opened at the end of the seventeenth century and was very well located in Piazza San Marco in Venice. A century later, the famous Caffe Florian was opened on St Mark Square in Venice, and it’s still the oldest coffee shop in the world today. Since then, Italy has consistently been on the list of countries that consume the most coffee around the world and has become famous worldwide for its imposing yet tasty coffees, with Italian coffees some of the most highly awarded.
If you’re heading to Naples, Italy, then you will be thrilled to hear that this city offers numerous excellent coffee shops throughout the city. No matter where you go in Naples, you will never be too far away from a good coffee.
About the author
Chandra Melo
Marketing as job, barista as passion. An authentic coffee lover, looking for the next fantastic cup of coffee that I will fall in love with. Coffee, for me, is more than a beverage. It's about community and connection - how can all the world consume the same fruit? And differently? How can we have so many different tastes? I also don't know. And because of this, I feel in love each day more for this world. Happy to share and make a change in the coffee community.
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