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Walked in on a whim and it was confusing at first being this was my first time in Italy. There's a to-go counter that you can only place to-go orders at and if you would like to be seated there's a different hostess stand for that as well. My wife and I decided to stay a while and people watch from the window. The staff understood English so that made it easy to communicate. We ordered a mimosa and a caffe and received free snacks on the house which consisted of two different types of pastries, chips and nuts. I am forced to give them three stars because there was a long hair baked into my pastry which was very disappointing but I know these things happen. Other than that my drink was tasty, the views from out window seat were lovely and we enjoyed our pit stop at Gran Caffe. Note: It cost to use the bathroom here if you are not purchasing something.
From Chicago, first time at Gambrinus today. Here are some thoughts: --Stopped by on a hot afternoon, place was busy, very big. --This is a classy, fancy cafe. People are dressed casually, but place has banquet feel, with striking mirrors and sculptures. --Waiters are excellent. --I had the lemon sorbet and it was delicious!! Set between two frozen lemon peels : ) --My wife had the lemon cake, frosting was delightful! --This is the kind of place my 2 twenty something daughters would love. Highly recommended!
SO happy we started our first day here! Had the best pastry (cornetto but with fruit and pastry cream) and cappuccino of my whole stay. Prices weren't even that bad, compared to what I would pay at home. Was able to sit outside, served quickly, and service was solid. Inside counter ordering was a bit chaotic, but there is plenty of indoor seating in addition to the covered patio. Reminds me a lot of Zum Schwarzen Kameel in Vienna.
On a walking tour of Naples and had a break so we visited this café. The tour guide recommended it. It was extremely busy because it is the oldest café in Naples. The atmosphere is moving quickly as it's a deli type café. Just so you know if you want to go to a "bar" in Europe, it mostly means coffee. We had a cup of American coffee and a couple of pastries. The coffee was strong and good and the pastries were absolutely delicious. The service was quick and efficient but not very friendly. Enjoyed it and it looked like everything in there would've been delectable.
We were really looking forward to returning to Naples and visiting this historic coffee, traditional savory, pastry and gelato cafe. In particular, the outdoor covered eating area that is adjacent to one of the main tourist attractions and close to the ferry terminal. Unfortunately we were somewhat disappointed by the poor service and mediocre food. One of those situations where you see all of these amazing treats in their showcase and menu but when it arrives it's all looks and so so taste. We ordered cocktails, coffee, baba and their version of pizza. Pizza was awful, two in our group felt unwell after. I had Caprese salad and Diet Coke, it was ok. The three camerieri spent most of their time chatting, paying very little attention to their tables. Very much felt like they were doing you a favour serving your food. Food is expensive considering. The bathrooms prehistoric, no lock on the door, very dirty, which was surprising considering there was an attendant. Aside from historic aspect I'm sure there has to be a better option.
Stopped by on a Saturday at around noon to see the oldest cafe in Naples. The original plan was to sit down in the dining area, have some coffee and some pastries. But we didn't want to fill up on pastries at lunchtime, so we just went to the quick service area. You have to order/pay at the register first, which was kind of confusing because I don't recall seeing a menu there. So we just showed a picture of the pastry we wanted and we got the pistachio sfogliatella. It was amazing. It was so light and airy, which went perfectly with the richness of the pistachio creme, which wasn't overly sweet. My only regret was not trying more things. Their custard topped pastries looked really good. My advice would be to come with an empty stomach and sit in the dining room, so you can really enjoy your pastry with a cup of espresso.
We were looking for some traditional coffee and tiramisu and found this place on Yelp! The café offers both outdoor and indoor seating. We liked it so much that we went twice and tried both seating options. The first time, my husband got a cappuccino, and I ordered a café latte. For food, I had the mini marinara pizzas. The food and coffee came out relatively quickly. I really enjoyed my café latte; it was creamy and delicious. My husband liked his cappuccino, though he was a bit disappointed by the quantity. However, that's typical for cappuccinos. The marinara pizzas were Sicilian style with a delicious sauce and no cheese, which was exactly what I wanted. The second time we visited, we just had the tiramisu. I must say it was one of the best I've ever tried. If you are in Naples, I highly recommend checking out this café. I promise you won't be disappointed. Additionally, the indoor ambience was mind-blowing, and I definitely recommend experiencing it.
Even if you don't plunk down euros for a pricey coffee, it's well worthwhile to see the interior of this stately, venerable historic coffeehouse. I like the look of real hollowed-out lemons stuffed with lemon ice cream. And the most famous old coffeehouse in Naples has a mini "museum" of unwashed coffee cups from famous customers. Here you see Pope Francisco and Angela Merkel. Ha!
It is crowded, hot and not air conditioned but the atmosphere is charming old school and the desert and sandwiches excellent. We tried this place twice and it did not disappoint : The baba was very moist and reasonably priced at $ 6 and the mozzarella and tomato sandwich fresh and generously. The server spoke english and the whole experience was worth the stop. I do advise to eat on the terrace so you can linger and people watch while enjoying your orders.
We were in Naples, Italy early one morning we planned to stop for an expresso and local pastry. Gran Caffe Gambrinus is a more upscale breakfast location to grab an express at the bar - or get table service inside or outside under the tent. Service was fast, location great and java was hot! Great pastries!
The Gran Caffe Gambinus is a bustling 19th century coffee & pastry shop. An elegant setting offering many varieties of sfogiatelle which is the pastry we wanted. It's always been my favorite and the favorite of my parents and grandparents, and since they were from Italy, having a sfogiatelle feels like they are still with me. Amazing the power of food to evoke such memories and connections! While you can definitely get a sfogiatelle anywhere in Naples since they were invented here and it's one of the food items they are famous for, we chose Caffe Gambrinus because of the charm and elegance. Inside is exquisite. The domed ceiling, marble floors, chandeliers, wooden coffee bar in the back packed with people having a late afternoon espresso. Like a scene from a movie. The pastry counter is huge and filled with so many types of sfogiatelle. Not just the original but sfogiatelle topped with different flavored pastry creams and fruit. They looked amazing but I'm all about the original, the extra crispy outer shell and the creamy ricotta inside,the perfect satisfying bite of a not to sweet pastry. You dont order at the pastry counter. You go to the cashier, tell them what you want and pay, then they give you a receipt that you bring to the pastry case. The sfogiatelle were just $2.50 for the large regular. There is a dining area where you can sit but it's way too crowded for me. They also had lots of tables outside under a canopy. We all got pastries to go. Located on the corner as you enter this very busy area, just a 2 minute walk from the train station, it's definitely touristy but we wanted to experience the charm of this old establishment. Anywhere along this same street you can purchase sfogiatelle, cannoli, fried pizza, panini, pizza and so many food items. At 4:00 every stand and restaurant was packed so this must be a common ritual. How they eat all of this food and look so good is one of life's mysteries!
29 days ago
8 months ago
It's very beautiful in here yet also very busy. There are 2 sides dine in and to go. I opted to go as I just wanted pastries. It was a little confusing but be sure to order one the kiosk theb stand in line. I got the pistachio cannoli and a strawberry tart. I think i expected more they looked so delectable in the display window. The cannoli was decent but I wasn't a fan of the strawberry tart it had a strange after taste almost wax like. The location, pricing and beauty are worth a visit. Maybe I should have tried something different like a cupcake or bread read more
5 months ago
Fabulous! What a delicious place. Endless possibilities and fresh too! Great service with very reasonable prices. Lovely spot. read more
Walked in on a whim and it was confusing at first being this was my first time in Italy. There's a to-go counter that you can only place to-go orders at and if you would like to be seated there's a different hostess stand for that as well. My wife and I decided to stay a while and people watch from the window. The staff understood English so that made it easy to communicate. We ordered a mimosa and a caffe and received free snacks on the house which consisted of two different types of pastries, chips and nuts. I am forced to give them three stars because there was a long hair baked into my pastry which was very disappointing but I know these things happen. Other than that my drink was tasty, the views from out window seat were lovely and we enjoyed our pit stop at Gran Caffe. Note: It cost to use the bathroom here if you are not purchasing something. read more
From Chicago, first time at Gambrinus today. Here are some thoughts: --Stopped by on a hot afternoon, place was busy, very big. --This is a classy, fancy cafe. People are dressed casually, but place has banquet feel, with striking mirrors and sculptures. --Waiters are excellent. --I had the lemon sorbet and it was delicious!! Set between two frozen lemon peels : ) --My wife had the lemon cake, frosting was delightful! --This is the kind of place my 2 twenty something daughters would love. Highly recommended! read more
SO happy we started our first day here! Had the best pastry (cornetto but with fruit and pastry cream) and cappuccino of my whole stay. Prices weren't even that bad, compared to what I would pay at home. Was able to sit outside, served quickly, and service was solid. Inside counter ordering was a bit chaotic, but there is plenty of indoor seating in addition to the covered patio. Reminds me a lot of Zum Schwarzen Kameel in Vienna. read more
On a walking tour of Naples and had a break so we visited this café. The tour guide recommended it. It was extremely busy because it is the oldest café in Naples. The atmosphere is moving quickly as it's a deli type café. Just so you know if you want to go to a "bar" in Europe, it mostly means coffee. We had a cup of American coffee and a couple of pastries. The coffee was strong and good and the pastries were absolutely delicious. The service was quick and efficient but not very friendly. Enjoyed it and it looked like everything in there would've been delectable. read more
11 months ago
We were really looking forward to returning to Naples and visiting this historic coffee, traditional savory, pastry and gelato cafe. In particular, the outdoor covered eating area that is adjacent to one of the main tourist attractions and close to the ferry terminal. Unfortunately we were somewhat disappointed by the poor service and mediocre food. One of those situations where you see all of these amazing treats in their showcase and menu but when it arrives it's all looks and so so taste. We ordered cocktails, coffee, baba and their version of pizza. Pizza was awful, two in our group felt unwell after. I had Caprese salad and Diet Coke, it was ok. The three camerieri spent most of their time chatting, paying very little attention to their tables. Very much felt like they were doing you a favour serving your food. Food is expensive considering. The bathrooms prehistoric, no lock on the door, very dirty, which was surprising considering there was an attendant. Aside from historic aspect I'm sure there has to be a better option. read more
Stopped by on a Saturday at around noon to see the oldest cafe in Naples. The original plan was to sit down in the dining area, have some coffee and some pastries. But we didn't want to fill up on pastries at lunchtime, so we just went to the quick service area. You have to order/pay at the register first, which was kind of confusing because I don't recall seeing a menu there. So we just showed a picture of the pastry we wanted and we got the pistachio sfogliatella. It was amazing. It was so light and airy, which went perfectly with the richness of the pistachio creme, which wasn't overly sweet. My only regret was not trying more things. Their custard topped pastries looked really good. My advice would be to come with an empty stomach and sit in the dining room, so you can really enjoy your pastry with a cup of espresso. read more
We were looking for some traditional coffee and tiramisu and found this place on Yelp! The café offers both outdoor and indoor seating. We liked it so much that we went twice and tried both seating options. The first time, my husband got a cappuccino, and I ordered a café latte. For food, I had the mini marinara pizzas. The food and coffee came out relatively quickly. I really enjoyed my café latte; it was creamy and delicious. My husband liked his cappuccino, though he was a bit disappointed by the quantity. However, that's typical for cappuccinos. The marinara pizzas were Sicilian style with a delicious sauce and no cheese, which was exactly what I wanted. The second time we visited, we just had the tiramisu. I must say it was one of the best I've ever tried. If you are in Naples, I highly recommend checking out this café. I promise you won't be disappointed. Additionally, the indoor ambience was mind-blowing, and I definitely recommend experiencing it. read more
Even if you don't plunk down euros for a pricey coffee, it's well worthwhile to see the interior of this stately, venerable historic coffeehouse. I like the look of real hollowed-out lemons stuffed with lemon ice cream. And the most famous old coffeehouse in Naples has a mini "museum" of unwashed coffee cups from famous customers. Here you see Pope Francisco and Angela Merkel. Ha! read more
It is crowded, hot and not air conditioned but the atmosphere is charming old school and the desert and sandwiches excellent. We tried this place twice and it did not disappoint : The baba was very moist and reasonably priced at $ 6 and the mozzarella and tomato sandwich fresh and generously. The server spoke english and the whole experience was worth the stop. I do advise to eat on the terrace so you can linger and people watch while enjoying your orders. read more
We were in Naples, Italy early one morning we planned to stop for an expresso and local pastry. Gran Caffe Gambrinus is a more upscale breakfast location to grab an express at the bar - or get table service inside or outside under the tent. Service was fast, location great and java was hot! Great pastries! read more
11 months ago
The Gran Caffe Gambinus is a bustling 19th century coffee & pastry shop. An elegant setting offering many varieties of sfogiatelle which is the pastry we wanted. It's always been my favorite and the favorite of my parents and grandparents, and since they were from Italy, having a sfogiatelle feels like they are still with me. Amazing the power of food to evoke such memories and connections! While you can definitely get a sfogiatelle anywhere in Naples since they were invented here and it's one of the food items they are famous for, we chose Caffe Gambrinus because of the charm and elegance. Inside is exquisite. The domed ceiling, marble floors, chandeliers, wooden coffee bar in the back packed with people having a late afternoon espresso. Like a scene from a movie. The pastry counter is huge and filled with so many types of sfogiatelle. Not just the original but sfogiatelle topped with different flavored pastry creams and fruit. They looked amazing but I'm all about the original, the extra crispy outer shell and the creamy ricotta inside,the perfect satisfying bite of a not to sweet pastry. You dont order at the pastry counter. You go to the cashier, tell them what you want and pay, then they give you a receipt that you bring to the pastry case. The sfogiatelle were just $2.50 for the large regular. There is a dining area where you can sit but it's way too crowded for me. They also had lots of tables outside under a canopy. We all got pastries to go. Located on the corner as you enter this very busy area, just a 2 minute walk from the train station, it's definitely touristy but we wanted to experience the charm of this old establishment. Anywhere along this same street you can purchase sfogiatelle, cannoli, fried pizza, panini, pizza and so many food items. At 4:00 every stand and restaurant was packed so this must be a common ritual. How they eat all of this food and look so good is one of life's mysteries! read more
1 year ago
Well, what can I say about Cafe Gambrinus that had not been said already. Pretty sure you will read all sorts of comments on this being a tourist trap, expensive, etc. I am going to try and keep it real for all of you. Seeing as like myself, most of us reading this are possibly visiting Naples, Italy I have to tell you that you would be remiss of you did not visit Cafe Gambrinus. Cafe Gambrinus is Naples oldest and most historic caffe and ristorante. This caffe has been at the same location since 1860 roughly and is essentially a landmark. Does this make them somewhat touristy, absolutely. Does these make them a little pricey, absolutely. Does this mean the food and service they provide is not good, absolutely NOT where Cafe Gambrinus is concerned. Plenty of locals were in full force at this caffe on a daily basis and as we know the locals typically know best. Most of you may know that I am not big on touristy type restaurants but Cafe Gambrinus would definitely be an exception to my usual rule. The overall ambiance of the caffe is very Italian and quite beautiful as the interiors are very well decorated. The outdoor dining area is also very, very nice and in full view of Plaza Plebiscito which is the largest plaza in Napoli and adjacent to Via Chiaia, Via Toledo, the Royal Palace and the Spanish Quarter as well. We visited Cafe Gambrinus on two separate occasions and loved the food and the service. We ordered fresh fruits, croissants, cafe latte's and pastries on one occasion and on another we ordered a more America style breakfast's. Everything was very fresh and all pastries are baked on site from what we could tell. With regards to the fresh fruits, you can specify more of one fruit or another if you like. Highly recommend you all try the melons as they weee phenomenal and the strawberries were incredible. Naples, Italy region has a large agricultural industry and they grow many of these fruits locally in the Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi areas. Truthfully I don't think you can go wrong at Cafe Gambrinus, so long as you remember that it will not be inexpensive but well worth it in my opinion. Hey, if you are already enjoying Naples, go ahead and treat yourself and pay them a visit as they are a local landmark and i am sure you will enjoy it. We typically visited them early as they are open at 7 AM daily but no worries if you like sleeping in as they are open pretty late. Wishing you all a great time in Naples, Italy, Enjoy m'es amis and Bon Appétit! read more
11 months ago
4 years ago
One of the worse coffee experience ever at this 162 years old cafe. Waited 30 minutes on a table with delayed services while customers after us finished their coffee, paid and left. Don't ask me why but as if that's the norm there - 1 minute. Wait. Peng.cafe @ IG read more
One of the oldest cafes in Naples I am told, it's a classical institution that's definitely worth a visit. If you are willing to splurge a bit, come enjoy this cafe in the seated area. The pastries are lovely, get the dessert platter if you want to try a bit of each of their highlights. The cannoli was our favorite and definitely enjoyed a taste of the classic baba without trying to eat a full one. Being late afternoon, we went with a hibiscus tea than their famous coffee. The tea was served in beautiful ceramic pots and comes with lovely cookies to complement your order. read more
4 years ago
Gran Caffè Gambrinus is a historic café, pasticceria, and gelateria that opened in Naples, Italy in 1860. It was founded by Vincenzo Apuzzo. It originally opened under the name 'Gran Café' not long after Naples joined the newly unified Kingdom of Italy. Apuzzo dreamed of making his café the most important one in the newborn Italy. By the late 1880s it had fallen on hard times. New owner Mario Vacca commissioned a complete reconstruction and refurbishment with beautiful paintings. At this time it was dubbed 'Gran Caffè Gambrinus'. It was named for the legendary icon thought of as the patron saint of beer. The intention was to merge the two most popular beverages of Europe: beer (pale, cold, Nordic) and coffee (dark, hot, Neapolitan). Following its grand reopening, it became a popular social center for members of royalty, nobility, intellectuals and artists such as Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway. In 1938, the new fascist government declared the café an anti-fascist place and ordered it closed. In 1973, Michele Sergio and his family took over Gambrinus and slowly restored it to the beauty of its glory days. My wife and I visited Gambrinus during our honeymoon in July 2018. The place was just beautiful and was filled with the delicious aroma of Italian coffee and freshly baked pastries. We just had pizza for lunch and were looking for something sweet for dessert. When most people think of Italian pastries, they think of cannoli. Cannoli are actually Sicilian in origin, and are referred to as 'Cannoli Siciliani' throughout the rest of Italy. In Naples, the popular pastries are Sfogliatelle (or as we say back home in New Haven: 'shfooyadels'). I ordered one topped with a cherry while my wife had one topped with pistachio cream. They were probably the best sfogliatelle that we ever ate. We ate them at the bar counter. If we wanted to sit at a table then they would have cost double. Other pastries that looked really good were their cannoli, zeppole, and rum baba. Their gelato selection also looked very impressive. It was so cool to eat delicious pastries in a place where so many famous historical figures had frequented. read more
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I went to this place after seeing it on social media as a recommendation. Let me tell you- this place was packed and for a good reason. The service and food was great! I ended up going inside on my first visit and having a pistachio coffee concoction and it was to die for! The restaurant is beautiful and the gentleman serving me my coffee was so friendly and welcoming. I only spent two nights in Naples, but this place will always be on my must do list when I go back. read more
beautiful and elegant cafe in napoli. its a "touristy" spot and a bit overpriced for table seating, but definitely an experience when you are in napoli. their raspberry sfogiatelle, raspberry tart and pistachio cannole are worth a try! the desserts are different from the ones i've had back in the US - the cream is thicker and the flavors are more authentic read more
7 years ago
We went to this cafe as was told by our guides that it was the most famous patisserie and coffee place in all of Naples. Oscar Wilde, Hemingway, Jean Paul Satre (Are I in Naples? Does Naples exists?) and Mussolini were all patrons (obvs not at the same time ;-) and this place is also much lauded for it's superb 1890's Belle Epoch decor. Unfortunately, a lot of other folks (locals and tourists) were also aware of this and so this place was packed and forget getting a table to sit, it took us ages to even get a staff member to take our order, and finally we were luckily rescued by one of our guides, who came into the store to get a coffee and flagged down a staff-member and put in the order for us. We got the two delicacies of the area, a tasty and heavily alcohol rum babà, that was moist and definitely made my knees weak with how potent the rum was, and also a 'lobster tail' which was delicately made puff pastry, with a gazillion pastry layers. Its the pastry in my photos where the texture resembles stacked leaves. For my taste, the rum babà was definitely more tasty, and I found the lobster tail texture to be too dry. I'd def try coming here again, if in the area, however, if possible, try to come with a local so you can get your order in! Yelp 282/ 2018 read more
This is the Vatican of sweet shops and a must see for all who pass through the city. Located on one of the busier street corners the outdoor seating and indoor coffee tea Room are not to be missed. Be sure to check out some of the glass display cases by the entrance to the tea Room which have a bit of the history of notable and important people who have come through these doors and had a sip and a bite at the very tables you too can sit at. The coffee is standard which means it's excellent for being in Italy. There are 3 rooms where you can get your sweet tooth satisfied. One Room is dedicated to gelato and sweet cookies already prepared in bags to go for easy travel. The main hallway and entrance has a sweet bar that contains many of the cakes and pastries full size and individual portion that you can point to and choose from. The 3rd area is an actual bar where you can get all your libations whether they be coffee based or alcohol base or a mixture of both. You have 2 options here, you can sit down and order and they will bring it to you or you can order at the counter's and tell them that you're going to be sitting down and they will bring it too. So if you don't know exactly what you want it's easy enough to choose by pointing and it will arrive safe at your table just minutes later. Staff is friendly but a little bit on the snooty side you can understand this mean a very high class joint. But do not worry to all the weary tourists and travelers the service is good they pay attention to the details and they're happy to make you happy. read more
Be aware that they have separate counter and seating prices...the seated prices in the cafe are 3-4 times more expensive than eating/drinking at the bar. To order at the counter, go to the main register and tell the cashier which drinks and pastries you want. After you pay, they'll give you a ticket to hand over to the pastry server and a ticket to hand over to the baristas, which serves as your actual order. There weren't any names in the pastry display so I just took pictures of what I wanted and showed my phone to the cashier - it worked perfectly! Despite the rather confusing ordering process, this spot is perfect for a little pick-me-up. The cappuccinos are deeelicious. I was actually expecting a lot more tourists here but we were surrounded by locals, which is always a good thing! read more
Because of the historical and cultural nature of Gran Caffe Gambrinus, it made its way to our must-see list for Naples. We took a seat outside so we could still oogle the Plazza del Plebescito. The menu is extensive. We had an espresso, a cocktail, and a pastry tray. We were excited when the cocktail came with a tray of salty snacks and a bowl of olives. Everything was wonderful. The pastry tray came with five mini pastries and all were delish. Service was surprisingly attentive for a sidewalk situation. I expected to see the server once, but we saw him about 3-4 times, very spiffy. The place is beautiful. We went inside and purchased some cup/saucer sets to take home. I think the wifi there is spotty so make sure to have cash on you. Do not depend on the plastic as they may not be able to connect to the network. read more
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More info about Gran Caffè Gambrinus
Via Chiaia 1
80121 Naples
Italy
Plebiscito/Centro
Directions
081 417582
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http://grancaffegambrinus.com
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