Osteria da Carmela — Restaurant in Naples

Carmela came recommended from our Airbnb host, so on our second night in Naples, we paid it a visit. Reserving up front is recommended, as the space holds seven to eight tables at most. Using easygoing jazz as backdrop for conversations and bright, colourful artwork on the wall, Carmela creates a welcoming and calm atmosphere for you to enjoy your meal. The menu fits appetizers, first and second courses (fish and meat/veg) on a single sheet of paper, which is often a good sign. Better to do few things very well than to overwhelm guests with mediocrity. We pick a small bottle of house red from the extensive wine menu and start our night with fried zucchini flowers. At this point in our stay in Naples, we've been bombarded with varieties of fried food, and flavours have started to blend together. Regardless, the flowers are a crunchy, creamy and very enjoyable experience, where the greatest achievement lies in how fresh it feels underneath the batter.

Our main course consists of a classic spaghetti vongole and a spaghetti alla Nerano. Rich with olive oil, garlic and shells that are cooked to perfection, the vongole fortifies it's position as one of Napoli's greatest culinary achievements. The spaghetti alla Nerano my partner ordered combines zucchini, cheese and basil in a rich and creamy dish that feels like more than the sum of its parts. Despite our realization that white would have worked slightly better, the red wine accompanies the plates impressively well. Dessert consists of cake that's been dunked in limoncello. After the amount of wine I've been drinking, this turns out to be the man with the hammer, and he hits me straight on. Definitely a good way to finish the night.

Finally, a special mention for the one waiter serving us this evening. Always present, attentive, patient, he seemingly blends in the background until his excellent services are required. What a welcoming,...

This very tiny restaurant only has eight or so tables and they take reservations, so if you're not able to get a booking, then I suggest showing up just as they open for dinner at 7pm and hope for the best. My friend and I were first to show up and the manager/server seated us immediately and then the place really filled up.

Two appetizers, two main courses and two desserts plus a bottle of wine: €82. Quite reasonable, really.

I got the fried anchovies to start and they were amazing. Lightly battered and you can eat just about the whole thing in one bite. They were perfectly delicious with only a slight fish flavor but it was subtle and perfect with a tiny squeeze of lemon. My friend got the mussels and they looked perfect and tasted terrific.

For main course, I chose the clams with linguine. A nice sized portion with lots of clams, lots of garlic and the pasta was perfect. Simply amazing and flavorful.

For dessert, I got the chocolate torte and it was just the right size for finishing the meal. My friend's caramel panna cotta was beyond perfect. Creamy, rich and delicious desserts.

Fantastic service, great food, a cute little restaurant that could be considered cozy and...

We had a pleasantdinner here. It’s a tiny, charming place of about eight tables in the historic centre (Via Conte di Ruvo) — absolutely essential to book in advance, or risk waiting while they turn away walk‑in guests.

Inside the ambience is warm and intimate, but fair warning: the air‑conditioner is ancient. The room felt stuffy, almost uncomfortable by mid‑meal.

The menu includes plenty of options for both meat‑eaters and pescatarians. We ordered zucchini blossom starters and mussels. The stuffed zucchini flowers were over‑fried and quite heavy — too rich for our taste. In contrast the pepper mussels were perfectly done — tender, juicy and well‑seasoned.

Service was attentive despite the full house, and the vibe felt very home‑and‑family‑run, as echoed in local reviews. Food quality is consistently praised, especially their seafood and traditional Neapolitan mains.

Would visit again? Yes — for the food and intimate atmosphere. But come early, make the reservation, and skip the zucchini flowers unless you want something heavy...