Salerno is a city in Campania that is located halfway between the Amalfi and Cilento coasts. It is a city with a long and rich culinary tradition , the perfect place to visit even at the table. It is about 50 km from Naples and, inevitably, it suffers its influences even if it manages to maintain its own food and wine identity. Furthermore, the city is fortunate to be the capital of a province of 4,918 sq km of surface which includes 236 km of splendid coasts, a territory as vast as it is heterogeneous.
In this large area mother nature has been quite generous, which is why the typical dishes of Salerno reflect the abundance and quality of the raw material. Stop in Campania and discover 10 specialties to eat in Salerno and where.
1 – Lemon delight
Photo by dags 1974. The lemon and yellow color are dominant throughout the Amalfi Coast, the sour but delicious citrus fruit is present throughout the territory and is undoubtedly one of the most characteristic products of the area .
The lemon delight is a dessert created in 1978 by the master pastry chef Carmine Marzuillo from Sorrento, and has the typical shape of a dome , made with sponge cake and filled with a lemon cream. As a decoration, wisps of whipped cream and grated lemon zest are added.
- Recommended for : snack
- Average cost : €8.00
- Main ingredients : sponge cake, cream, lemon cream, grated lemon
2 – “Zizzona” di Battipaglia
It is one of the most famous and appreciated dairy products of Salerno and of the whole province. The “Zizzona” of Battipaglia, which became famous also thanks to the film “Welcome to the South”, is nothing more than a large buffalo mozzarella with a characteristic shape reminiscent of a prosperous breast.
Usually larger than the classic mozzarella, it has a very white color and a juicy flavor , it accompanies numerous dishes but can also be enjoyed alone.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner, snack
- Average cost : €10.00
- Main ingredients : buffalo mozzarella
3 – Pizza “Carmine”
The pizza in Salerno is a little different from the typical Neapolitan one, and in fact thin and with a high cornice . The pizza called “Carmine” is one of the most popular in the city , together with the typical Margherita.
It takes its name from Carmine Donadio, owner of the “Carminuccio” pizzeria located in the popular suburb of Mariconda, for many the best pizza in the city . Its filling includes tomato, cheese, diced bacon and basil.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner, snack
- Average cost : €8.00
- Main ingredients : water, flour, yeast, tomato, cheese, bacon, basil
4 – Stuffed spleen
It is a specialty that is prepared especially during the feast of San Matteo , the patron saint of the city, which takes place every year on 21 September. That of the “Meveza” and the perfume that invades all the streets of Salerno, a typical dish that is prepared by stuffing the spleen with garlic, chopped parsley and chilli . Cooking takes place with oil and vinegar, and it is this step that makes this food so juicy and inviting.
It is a street food , as it is served in simple sandwiches and, despite being a traditionally poor dish, it is now much appreciated and inevitable during the celebrations of the patron saint of the city.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner, snack
- Average cost : €10.00
- Main ingredients : spleen, garlic, parsley, chilli, salt and lemon
5 – Scazzetta
The desserts in Campania are a very important part of the culinary tradition , here in fact another dessert appears in the list of typical Salerno dishes. The famous “scazzetta” is made by the “Pantalone” pastry shop, in the heart of the historic city center, and is a specialty as simple as it is delicious .
It is prepared with a few ingredients , namely sponge cake, cream, wild strawberries and red icing on the surface. It takes its name from the dialect term that indicates the headdress that the cardinals received from the pope during the investiture.
- Recommended for : snack
- Average cost : €6.00
- Main ingredients : sponge cake, cream, wild strawberries and sugar glaze
6 – Sfogliatella “Santarosa”
Photo of Mess. The sfogliatella certainly needs no introduction, being one of the most known and loved Campania products not only in Italy, but in the world.
The origins of this dessert date back to 1700: the nuns of the monastery of Santa Rosa in Conca dei Marini on the Amalfi Coast were expert cooks, but they created the sfogliatella in a completely random way! During the day of making the bread, one of the nuns added dried fruit, limoncello and sugar to the semolina flour cooked in milk. Once cooked, the name “Santarosa” was added to the sfogliatella in honor of the conventin which it was first created. In 1818 a cook discovered the recipe, reproduced it and finally the dessert obtained the deserved success. Over time, new ingredients have enriched the sfogliatella, such as ricotta, sour cherries in syrup or custard.
- Recommended for : always
- Average cost : €6.00
- Main ingredients : flour, lard, water, honey, semolina, ricotta, egg, candied fruit
7 – Ciambotta
Photo by Luca Nebuloni. It is a side dish of summer vegetables widespread throughout southern Italy and for this reason there are many versions. Also called “cianfrotta” or “caponata”, and generally made up of potatoes, aubergines, tomatoes, peppers and chilli, onion and aromatic herbs to taste.
In the Salerno version, however, only peppers, potatoes and aubergines are used. During its preparation, care must be taken to fry the vegetables separately , then combine them in a pan and sauté them for a few minutes.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €7.00
- Main ingredients : seasonal vegetables, usually potatoes, aubergines and peppers
8 – Scialatielli ai frutti di mare
Photo of Coso. They are a first course of fresh pasta typical of the Amalfi Coast, based on fish. It is a recipe that symbolizes the Salerno summer , quick and easy, where the flavor of homemade pasta perfectly matches the freshness and sweetness of seafood, namely mussels, clams, shrimps and squids.
The pasta format called “scialatielli” was born from the creativity of the chef Cosentino in 1978, which earned him the entremetier of the year award.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner
- Average cost : €15.00
- Main ingredients : flour, water, egg, pecorino cheese, seafood
9 – Limoncello
Limoncello is a typical lemon-based liqueur of the Amalfi Coast. Sweet and fragrant, it is obtained from the extract of the peel of freshly picked lemons, in a phase of their maturation that foresees that the color is still quite green.
Its history is linked to various legends , Sorrento, Amalfi and Capri, for example, compete for its invention. The entrepreneur Massimo Canale was the first to register the “Limoncello” brand in 1988. In Salerno and throughout Campania it is often handcrafted at home and offered as a gift during the holidays.
- Recommended for : always
- Average cost : € 10.00 per bottle
- Main ingredients : lemon peel extract, alcohol
10 – Cuoppo fritto
This is a typical Campania street food , the undisputed king of Salerno street food. The fried seafood cuoppo is part of the ancient local culinary traditions: it is a more or less large frying cone that overflows with dishes.
Walking through the narrow streets of the center of Salerno it is impossible not to come across a fried cuoppo dealer , which usually consists of anchovies, prawns, squid and paranza, all breaded and fried. Even the youngest people love this street food, which is usually sold for a few euros.
- Recommended for : lunch, dinner, snack
- Average cost : €5.00
- Main ingredients : mixed fried fish
Where to eat in Salerno: best restaurants, typical bars and street food
To decide where to eat well in Salerno there is only the embarrassment of choice , the city is in fact full of restaurants, trattorias, pizzerias and street food retailers that populate not only the center but also the more peripheral areas. To eat well, in Salerno, you don’t need a high budget : the local specialties are usually dishes of poor origin that have gained great fame over the years thanks to their excellent taste.
The people of Salerno do not disdain a “wallet pizza” or other street food to be consumed while strolling along the Lungomare Trieste, maybe something cheap but tasty, like the widespread fried seafood cuoppo, also loved by the youngest.
1 – Cicirinella restaurant
- Description : located behind the Duomo, specializing in fresh fish dishes and Salerno cuisine
- Specialty : mussels in white wine and lemon
- Average price : from € 26.00 per person
- Address : Via Antonio Genovesi, 28 – Get directions / tel: (+39) 089226561
2 – The Only Drink & Food Salerno
- Description : Mediterranean and innovative cuisine with certified Campania products, fresh fish and seafood
- Specialty : spaghetti with shrimp pulp
- Average price : from € 30.00 per person
- Address : Vicolo S. Giorgio, 14 – Get directions / tel: (+39) 0892962671
3 – The Goiter
- Description : a few meters from the center and the seafront of Salerno, genuine and innovative cuisine, the result of research and tradition
- Specialty : stuffed squid on a cream of broad beans
- Average price : from € 40.00 per person
- Address : Largo Conservatorio Vecchio, 5 – Get directions / tel: (+39) 0899958208
4 – Osteria Angolo Masuccio
- Description : an institution in terms of fish cuisine, it is located in the heart of the historic city center
- Specialty : sea bass with black salt on spinach salad
- Average price : from € 30.00 per person
- Address : Via Masuccio Salernitano, 45 – Get directions / tel: (+39) 3336953085
5 – Pizzeria Aniello Mansi
- Description : pizza that combines the Neapolitan tradition with the typical products of Cilento and attention to the innovation of flavors
- Specialties : “The eighth wonder” pizza based on Fior di latte Belfaito dei Monti Lattari, Mortadella IGP Bologna, burrata, pistachio pesto from Bronte, Frantoi Cilentani Serra Marina extra virgin olive oil, pistachio grains from Bronte and basil
- Average price : from € 15.00 per person
- Address : Via Gennaro Stanislao de Crescenzo, 2/4 – Get directions / tel: (+39) 089750802
