Taralleria Napoletana: the authentic taste of Naples tradition

The historic center of Naples is an area of extraordinary beauty, not only in terms of art and tourist attractions, but also for its colors, sounds, and scents that allow you to explore and learn about the fascinating Neapolitan culture.

For this reason, a journey to Naples wouldn't be complete without a stroll along the picturesque Spaccanapoli, the famous street that cuts through the city connecting the neighborhoods of Forcella and Quartieri Spagnoli.

Already in ancient Greek and Roman times, this street was one of the main city arteries, and today it represents a true microcosm capable of offering insights into both the history and the authentic spirit of Naples and its inhabitants.

Arriving from the western side, precisely from via Toledo, you'll first find yourself in the splendid Piazza del Gesù Nuovo, where you can admire the extraordinary façade of the Church of Gesù Nuovo (16th-17th century) and explore its fabulous interiors.

Continuing along via Benedetto Croce, you'll enter the most characteristic part of Spaccanapoli, among artisan shops, street artists, small and charming squares, monuments, and local establishments offering typical Neapolitan products.

Among the latter, the Taralleria Napoletana, located just a short distance from via San Gregorio Armeno (the famous “Presepe’s street" of Naples), between Piazza San Domenico Maggiore 18 (the Café) and via San Biagio dei Librai 3 (the Labshop), certainly stands out. The Taralleria Napoletana is the ideal place to taste the quintessential Neapolitan street food: the tarallo.

Before continuing to discover the other must-see attractions of the historic center, such as the Chapel of San Severo Museum, Naples Underground, and the majestic building of the Duomo with the Treasure of San Gennaro, a stop at the Taralleria Napoletana will allow you to recharge after your long walk with a delicious gourmet taralli snack.

With a rounded shape like a sort of small doughnut, originally born to reuse scraps of bread dough in a tasty combination with lard, Neapolitan taralli have become a true institution, and the Taralleria Napoletana represents a point of reference of absolute excellence in the panorama of the street food in Naples.

In the pulsating heart of Spaccanapoli, the LABSHOP at via San Biagio dei Librai 3 is a place of interaction between past heritage and future perspectives, where traditions are passed down and experimented with at the same time, to create products of extraordinary quality capable of conveying the flavors of the past while never ceasing to offer new and surprising tastes.

Thus are born the extraordinary recipes of classic handmade taralli, prepared with flour, oil, lard, yeast, salt, and pepper, and then seasoned on one side with simple and local ingredients, such as cherry tomato or piennolo yellow; on the other hand, with special and appetizing combinations, as in the case of the special tarallo Jamaica (Type 2 flour, hemp flour, almonds, EVO oil, yeast, salt, and Jamaican pepper) or the Turmeric & Rosemary (Type 2 flour, Caserta Black Pig lard, turmeric, wild rosemary, Evo oil, almonds, salt and pepper).

At the Taralleria Napoletana, you can taste the various flavors with an aperitif directly on-site, or thanks to the Tarallo Mix, a box containing 12, 24, or even 60 carefully selected taralli, also paired with a local craft beer.

A short distance from via San Biagio dei Librai, precisely at Piazza San Domenico Maggiore 18, you’ll find the Café, a true concept store that combines the quintessential street food, the Neapolitan pastry traditions, and an enviable drink experience from an international cocktail bar.

Here, you can savor taralli and pastries to your liking while sipping on a Spritz immersed in the scenery of one of the most beautiful squares in Naples, experiencing a blend of flavors, culture and fun.

The Taralleria Napoletana boasts an incredible and romantic history dating back to the 1940s of the 20th century: a story intertwined with that of a young apprentice named Leopoldo Infante.

In a complex and difficult historical period, the young Leopoldo fell in love with the daughter of a baker in the historic center of Naples, marrying her and then opening a small workshop in the present-day Via Antonio Villari, not far from the Archaeological Museum.

Thanks to traditional baking methods, his taralli gradually became more recognized and appreciated, with its unmistakable aroma and unique flavor. Thus, in the 1960s, Leopoldo moved to the renowned Via Foria, the "street of artisans”, expanding and becoming increasingly known for the production of Neapolitan bakery products.

But Leopoldo's real secret was to have passed down within the family the recipes and customs of the past, transmitting the love for cooking and flavors to his children and grandchildren, who have carried on over the decades an activity that has become a true hub of street food and, in general, Neapolitan cuisine.

Building on these foundations, today the Leopoldo Group boasts the LABSHOP (founded in 2017) and the Café in the heart of the city, as well as the Temporary Stores located in Eataly spaces in various cities in Italy and Europe.

The goodness and authenticity found in the 'nzogna e pepe taralli of the Taralleria Napoletana stem from research, history, and the passion of the past.

It's all here, in the same words of Grandfather Leopold echoing as you savor the authentic taste of his taralli: "è un sogno ritrovato tra i ricordi di bambino, una promessa fatta e non detta a chi questa arte l’ha custodita e trasmessa (it’s a dream rediscovered among childhood memories, a promise made and unspoken to those who have cherished and passed down this art).”