Where to eat in Naples. L'Ebbrezza di Teonilla

Last visit: October 2025

My rating: 8/10

Cuisine: Fine dining

Phone: +39 081 318 7864

Website: https://www.lebbrezzaditeonilla.com/

Price range: €€€€/€€€€€

Among the places I tried during my last visit to Naples was L'Ebbrezza di Teonilla, a fine dining restaurant in the chic Chiaia district, just a few minutes from Castel dell’Ovo.

From the moment you walk in, the restaurant feels warm and welcoming; the outdoor tables are set in the courtyard of an old palazzo, with an atmosphere that is unmistakably Neapolitan. The interior is elegant, with soft, calming tones and a quiet sense of luxury.

A first glance at the menu makes it clear that the culinary offering leaves little room for traditional Neapolitan fare; this is contemporary Italian fine dining in full form.

We arrive slightly earlier than the opening time, just as the staff are busy setting up the tables, and our presence could understandably have been a minor inconvenience. The maître, in fact, betrays a hint of nervousness, but nonetheless welcomes us with professionalism and asks us to wait a few minutes. Fair enough — that one was on us.

We take a look at the menu while waiting, and by the time we sit down our appetite is already growing. We are immediately served some outstanding house-made grissini, a delicious sourdough bread, and an amuse-bouche whose exact composition, I must admit, I no longer remember after a few weeks — but it was exquisite, and already hinted at the quality of the ingredients and the finesse of the kitchen.

We start with the appetizers: brioche bread with anchovies, gazpacho and whipped butter, and a seared dolphinfish fillet with chickpeas, escarole and yogurt sauce. The brioche with anchovies is excellent — not flawless, but very good. The gazpacho feels somewhat out of place, and it’s difficult to reach with knife and fork… but even with a spoon it would still pair awkwardly with the other elements. Yet when you have anchovies, brioche and whipped butter, who really cares? The anchovies are fleshy, not overly salty, flavorful — not the best I’ve ever had, but clearly high-quality, and eaten with bread and butter they’re one of my guilty pleasures.

The dolphinfish is spectacular; with the yogurt sauce it becomes incredibly juicy and tender. It’s cooked perfectly and carries a delicate flavor of fish, sea, and happiness.

We continue with tagliatelle with shrimp, pumpkin and ginger. The pasta itself is outstanding — tender, textured, beautifully made — but the combination of ingredients doesn’t fully work. It’s the least successful dish of the evening, though pasta this good is still a pleasure to eat.

We finish with two oven-baked cod fillets with garlic sauce and a sweet-and-sour reduction of chili and papaccelle, matching the enthusiasm sparked by the dolphinfish. The cod is thick and meaty, with impeccable texture and clean aromas, intense flavors without the saltiness ever taking over. It’s a genuine pleasure to savor slowly, bite after bite. High-quality ingredients, cooked with real mastery.

When choosing from the menu, we hesitated for quite a while about ordering the wagyu, and in the end we decided against it — with a touch of regret, because when it was served to the nearby tables it looked incredibly appealing and had a wonderfully seductive aroma.

We finish with two sensational tiramisù (yes, in Naples…), indulgent and slightly savory, served with an excellent rum.

Service is friendly without being intrusive, with a discreet attentiveness that makes the whole experience smooth and relaxing. The wine list is well designed, meant more to accompany the dishes than to impress, and prices are consistent with the quality on offer.

We leave genuinely happy after an exquisite dinner. Total: €170 for two people, including wine, dessert, and digestifs.

If you’re looking for a traditional Neapolitan restaurant, this is probably not the right place; but if you’re in Naples and want a high-level dining experience that will leave you thoroughly satisfied, L’Ebbrezza di Teonilla is an excellent choice.