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Naples: Osteria della Mattonella

Via G. Nicotera,13 , Phone: 081416541

Closing day: Open for lunch only on Sundays

Reviewed by: willit from UK, review #3073

When: 2008

Very small, basic restaurant serving excellent , inexpensive food.

It would have been easy to miss this restaurant with it's unassuming front entrance onto a hectic Naples street. At first I though it was closed, as I failed to get the door open, but the owner waved us in.

Initial impressions were of size - five or six tables only, and a tiny kitchen. I doubt the place could hold many more than two dozen people when full. When we arrived there were two groups of locals eating.

The walls are brightly tiled, and shelves are full of many different types of wine. The menu is basic, badly typed, and in Italian, English and German. Food is simple and choices limited - it appeared mostly seafood and pasta.

We started with Spaghetti with Calamari and Spaghetti alla puttanesca (Tomato, olives, capers and anchovies) - both dishes were superb - priced around €5 each.

Next I had Octopus in wine, and Jenny had mixed fried seafood - calamari and anchovies (there were prawns advertised, but I believe they had run out). We ordered mixed contorni (spinach, peppers, mushrooms and artichokes).

Along with a litre of local red wine and some mineral water, the bill came to around €45 - not bad at all considering the excellent quality of the food.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by: colleenk from MA, review #1531

When: 2005

Charming, Good food, very inexpensive osteria.

We were not too hungry for our last meal in Italy so chose this simple, inexpensive trattoria not too far from our hotel. Although it is located near the S. Maria degli Angeli Church, it was very difficult to find as there is no direct access to the street it's on.

We eventually found it in a roundabout way and thought it was charming. The walls are tiled and very pretty, and the small room has several wood communal tables that look into the open kitchen. There were lots of photographs on the walls of customers, some of them looked like Italian celebrities. A friendly, family run osteria, it had a limited but very inexpensive menu. However, the wine list was fairly extensive.

I had a nice mixed fried fish plate for 9E that included huge prawns, lots of anchovies and squid and a plate of mixed vegetables that were very good for 5E. Jim had the pasta puttanesca that he totally enjoyed for 4 E. We indulged in a Rosso Montalcino for 18E, so with water and a 3E coperti, the total bill came to 39E. A bargain and lots of fun!

This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com.

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Naples: Osteria della Mattonella

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