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Coffee and Sfogliatella In Naples Italy

Coffee and a sfogliatella may be the perfect Naples breakfast. Discover why this combination is a tasty way to start the day in Italy.

Babba con Frutta
The proud people of Naples, Italy are never afraid to take advantage of a photo-op to show off their fine skills. Here’s our favorite Neapolitan baker with a Babba con Frutta. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Our time in Napoli was too short during our first visit.

After digging beyond the gritty chaos, we discovered a complex city filled with many charms. Though we enjoyed the many Naples attractions, our favorite things to do in Naples was to eat. As is the case with eating all over Italy, the food in Naples is extraordinary and worthy of a visit.

We ate as much as we could during our time in Naples. We ate Neapolitan pizza. We ate a traditional trattoria meal. We ate gelato. And we ate the fried food at a friggitoria. Our taste buds were happy, but they wanted to experience more this top Italian food city.

Naples Breakfast

Naples Street Scene
We walked these busy streets in our quest for the best breakfast in Naples. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

So, instead of eating a final breakfast at our charming B&B, we graciously excused ourselves and walked into the heart of Naples in search of a light bite to fuel us for the drive to Matera. As we traversed the city’s busy sidewalks, we soon stumbled upon Caffè Spaccanapoli, the cafe where we ate the perfect Naples breakfast.

Forget bacon and eggs! The perfect Napoli breakfast instead features better Italian coffee and flaky sfogliatella (also known as sfogliatelle).

Caffè Spaccanapoli

Outside Caffe Spaccanapoli - Coffee and Sfogliatella - Naples Breakfast of Champions
Our First Glance of Caffe Spaccanapoli | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Caffè Spaccanapoli on Via Duomo is a typical Neapolitan morning spot – a combination bakeshop and neighborhood cafe featuring a range of classic Neapolitan pastries and cakes, not to mention a full bar.

The house-made pastries include popular favorites like sfogliatelle (the ultimate Naples pastry), cornetto (similar to a croissant), cannoli and baba, plus there are refrigerators filled with beautiful fruit tarts and cakes.

Pastry Counter at Caffe Spaccanapoli
Pastry Counter at Caffe Spaccanapoli (Note the reasonable prices.) | Image: ©2foodtrippers

At Caffè Spaccanapoli, locals stream through the doors, many ordering items to go and some staying to quickly sip their coffee at the bar or leisurely eat their Neapolitan pastry at a table.

Although we were in Naples as tourists, we felt very welcome at the cafe. Even though we don’t speak Italian, communication was not an issue since we all spoke a common language – the language of food.

Coffee

Coffee Naples Italy Style - Coffee and Sfogliatella - Naples Breakfast of Champions
Coffee, Naples Italy Style | Image: ©2foodtrippers

First things first, we ordered coffee after we secured a spot at the cafe’s long bar.

Coffee in Naples is traditionally served in a small cup and is quite strong. We had been drinking various versions of espresso since our arrival and were happily addicted to the potent potable. It’s no surprise that espresso rules the roost in Naples since it is the home city of espresso. Yes, espresso was invented in Naples Italy.

Learn about the coffee culture in Naples.

Sugar Bowl - Coffee and Sfogliatella - Naples Breakfast of Champions
Big Bowl of Sugar | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Since the coffee is so strong in Naples, most people add sugar to their little cups of liquid gold. We don’t typically add sugar to our coffee, but we were tempted by the big bowl of red packets placed in front of us at the bar.

Pro Tip
In Italy, it’s not typical to order a cappuccino in the afternoon or evening. Drink a cappuccino with your breakfast. You can order a coffee or other beverage in the afternoon.

Sfogliatella

Sfogliatella at Caffe Spaccanapoli - Coffee and Sfogliatella - Naples Breakfast of Champions
Sfogliatella at Caffe Spaccanapoli – Perfection on a Plate | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Pastries in Naples are dangerously good, especially the sfogliatella which was created in Campania hundreds of years ago. The layered pastry sports a flaky crust on the outside with a semi-sweet rich, slightly tangy ricotta filling.

We had eaten sfogliatella before. They’re ubiquitous items in many Italian-American bakeries, but this famous Italian pastry is so much better at the source.

As a bonus, this perfectly constructed, golden brown sfogliatella was hot out of the oven and served on a pretty flowery plate. Seriously, folks, you can’t get a sfogliatella this good outside of Naples.

In Naples, there are several versions of sfogliatella, with the most popular being sfogliatella riccia and sfogliatella frolla.

The exterior of the riccia version is curly with layers of flaky dough, with an inside that is filled with a ricotta mixture that includes semolina, sugar, egg and citrus fruit. The second most popular Neapolitan sfogliatella is the sfogliatella frolla which is a smoother version of the riccia.

Of the two, we prefer the sfogliatella riccia, but that’s our personal taste. Both of these Naples pastries are delicious and worth every calorie.

As good as the Naples coffee and Naples sfogliatella are, they are even better together. Trust us.

We visited more cafes in Naples during our first visit to the southern Italian city, but there was something special about little, unassuming Caffè Spaccanapoli. Open since 1920, almost a century ago, it was a perfect spot for us to share our last bites and sips in Naples until our inevitable return.

Caffè Spaccanapoli is located at Via Duomo, 87, 80138, Napoli, Italy.

Sfogliatella Update

Sfogliatella Mary in Naples
Eating a Sfogliatella at Sfogliatella Mary is a must during any visit to Naples. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

During our second and third visits to Naples, we were in the city long enough to discover sfogliatella with added fruit, such as the Santa Rosa offered at Sfogliatella Mary, a tiny bakery located at the western entrance to Naples’ grandest shopping mall, Galleria Umberto.

Although Sfogliatella Mary offers a wide selection of Italian pastries like beautiful Rum Babas and Cannolis, we’re partial to the aforementioned Santa Rosa. In fact, this Santa Rosa sfogliatella very well may be the best sfogliatella in Naples.

We couldn’t resist the macerated cherry-topped, crunchy, flaky pastries lightly dusted with confectioners’ sugar. A true Napoli classic!

Naples Planning Checklist

Check out our guide to eating in Italy as well as our picks for the best Italian foods and the best Italian desserts before your trip so that you don’t miss a delicious bite.

Hungry For More In Naples?

Torta Caprese at Pasticceria Poppella in Naples
Desserts
Gelato Cone at Fantasia Gelati in Naples Italy
Gelato
Naples Pizza - Social IMG
Pizza
About The Authors

About The Authors

Daryl & Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers their unique taste of the world.

Disclosures

Article Updates
We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.

Funding
We self-funded our multiple trips to Naples.

Original Publication Date: December 8, 2014

Charice

Tuesday 10th of September 2019

Sorry guys- I went to cafe Spaccanapoli on your advice and got the worst sfogliatelle during my whole 2 weeks in Naples. The crust was so chewy I couldn’t finish it. Possibly an outlier but I found the cafe at the corner of via duomo and via Tribunali more consistent in freshness. Love your blog though. Who doesn’t want to just eat their way through Napoli?!

Daryl and Mindi Hirsch

Wednesday 11th of September 2019

That's a bummer but hopefully an outlier. We'll be sure to re-visit Spacanapoli when we're back in Naples to check it out. Also, we hope you went to Sfogliatella Mary per our article update. As noted, Sfogliatella Mary bakes what could be the best sfogliatella in the city.

Hannah

Friday 19th of December 2014

Annnd now I want a big fat fresh Italian pastry. Sigh

Francesca

Wednesday 17th of December 2014

When we took my mom on her first trip to Italy a few years ago, her #1 objective was to have a real sfogliatelle in Napoli. I think she ate them all ;-)

Daryl and Mindi Hirsch

Wednesday 17th of December 2014

Thank goodness she left a few for us!

Nancie

Tuesday 16th of December 2014

How I miss the European coffee shops and breakfast. They just know how to do it right. Living in Asia, I've come to love a lot of different food, but the Asians really don't do breakfast. At least, not what I want. Here in Korea (where I'm based half of the year) they eat the same thing as they would for lunch or dinner (rice, soup, meat/fish). Although, the Koreans do seem to love western food, so "proper" breakfast is becoming more available.

Daryl and Mindi Hirsch

Tuesday 16th of December 2014

We once ate porridge for breakfast at the Seoul airport. It was tasty, though very different from a European breakfast. That's our only breakfast in Korea so far.

Andrea

Tuesday 16th of December 2014

Breakfast with sfogliatella is the best in the world! Enjoy it!

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