Rooftop Rosiello in Naples

Rosiello: the sea and Capri beneath the wisteria of Posillipo

A family home at the top of the hill

Rosiello occupies one of the highest points of the Posillipo hill, on Via Santo Strato, just above the road down to Marechiaro and its little harbour. Founded by a grandmother and her daughters, the house has remained in the family: the kitchen uses vegetables grown on the land that stretches below the restaurant, and the cellar offers wines produced by the family. You pass through a gate topped by a ceramic sign to discover tiled terraces in the shade of a hundred-year-old wisteria.

The gulf below

From the tables, the eye slips between the gnarled trunks of the wisteria and out to sea. In clear weather Capri stands out on the horizon, while Vesuvius closes the bay on the other side; closer in, gardens, pines and rows of vines descend towards the coast. Lunch in full daylight and dinner, when the globe lights come on under the pergola, offer two very different atmospheres.

Cuisine of the land and the sea

The menu follows the seasons and Neapolitan tradition: ragù and genovese, seafood pasta, linguine with crab, paccheri, courgettes alla scapece, fish caught off Marechiaro or the neighbouring islands. Vegetables from the garden, courgettes, courgette flowers, small chillies, aubergines or cherry tomatoes, accompany the dishes, and the wines of Campania take pride of place, starting with the house's own. Rosiello is above all a restaurant: you come to have lunch or dinner facing the sea rather than for a simple drink.

Practical information

Rosiello is open every day except Wednesday, from noon to 4pm and from 7pm to midnight. Booking is by telephone on +39 081 769 1288; it is best to book ahead to get a table on the terrace. The restaurant is some way from the centre: a taxi is the simplest option, but buses 140 (from Santa Lucia), C21 (from Mergellina) and C27 (from Piazza Amedeo) stop a few dozen metres away, at the Discesa Coroglio - Marechiaro stop. Bank cards are accepted.