Antica spaghetteria Francesco e Maria Sofia — Restaurant in Naples

Disappointing Experience Despite High Hopes

I was hoping for an authentic dining experience, but unfortunately, I left disappointed.

Let’s start with the appetiser: we ordered the Neapolitan Antipasti, which sadly didn’t live up to its name. Most of the items could easily be found at a local supermarket in Austria, and in some cases, even in better quality. At €10, it was acceptable, but I had expected more authentic, regional products.

The main course didn’t improve things. I had pasta with a tomato and ricotta sauce, which was supposed to include pork and beef. However, I only found a single small piece of meat on top of the pasta, hardly what I’d call a meat sauce. My friend ordered spaghetti with mussels, which were just average. The sauce lacked proper seasoning, and the mussels themselves seemed to be of a lower-quality variety.

My friend also noted that my pasta sauce tasted suspiciously like store-bought Barilla. I can't confirm if it was fresh, but the taste certainly wasn’t memorable, it was something I could easily cook better at home. The menu is quite small, which can often be a good sign, but in this case, the limited selection paired with mediocre quality didn’t inspire confidence.

While the service staff was friendly, the service itself left much to be desired. The waiting time, even for the appetisers, was long. We were also told to reuse our cutlery for the second course, which felt a bit odd for a dine-in restaurant. Our dishes didn’t even arrive at the same time.

The mismatched plates and cutlery gave things an unintentionally humorous touch. But what really made me laugh (in disbelief) was the state of the bathroom: one toilet was broken and lying on the floor, and although there was a second one, the sink there wasn’t working.

In conclusion, I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant. There are far better options in Naples’ Centro Storico that offer a truly authentic and delicious experience. While the food and service were okay at best, they weren’t enough to make me want to return. Hence, I’m giving it three stars, for the friendly staff and because the food wasn't bad, it was...

Food is very average. The real issue is the appalling service.

We were there for over an hour before one of our mains arrived (we only ordered two pastas literally as we sat down, no starters); the table beside us that arrived later received their food much earlier.

It was another 30 mins before the second main arrived, when questioned about this the waiter said it was a small kitchen and out of their hands; even if this is the case, there was no attempt to manage expectations or say there was going to be a delay.

Other small things that added to the experience were asking for two drinks and only one arriving, asking for a bottle of water and only a bottle arriving with no glasses, then asking for glasses and only one arriving. Perhaps minor points in other contexts, but in this particular case just made the experience more infuriating.

We even tried to pay our bill before the second main arrived just to leave but were given a half-hearted excuse as to why this wasn’t possible. Fortunately, the three meatballs we had ordered 90 minutes ago arrived shortly after this exchange.

If you are considering going here because the two locanda restaurants are full; i would suggest you...

This my FAVORITE restaurant in Naples! I frequent here from America every 3-4 months The minute I get off the plane I head over for the Mezzalani pasta or the Ragu w/meatballs . Pomemdsro sauce is soo good, I sometimes ask for a glass of it to just drink, it, it is that delicious! Getting excited just thinking about it!

If you ask nicely they sometimes have a magnificent bruschetta appetizer for €16 Euros that is off the menu. Best bruschetta I ever tasted

The place during high season gets packed and busy, but worth the wait! Staff is super friendly, so even if they busy just ask/bug them and you shall receive what you need! Everything is freshly made to order. Fresh excellent food takes time to make, so I am patient. Sip on some wine and enjoy the atmosphere. Wine is top of the top! They even offer a substantial discount if you pay in cash!

Family owned and operated for multiple generations. Atmosphere is like being in an Italian Family’s personal dinning room/home

Dreaming of the food...