Buffalo mozzarella from the source, ancient Bourbon wines, and the hearty cooking of the Casertana plain
Caserta is not just a palace. The flat, fertile plains stretching south and west of the city form the heartland of Italian buffalo mozzarella production, and the surrounding hills nurture some of the country’s most extraordinary and least-known wines. Where Naples gets the fame, Caserta quietly produces the raw ingredients that make Campanian cuisine one of Italy’s finest.
This is a province of caseifici (cheese factories) where you can taste mozzarella made that same morning, of hillside vineyards growing ancient grape varieties that were nearly lost forever, of family trattorias where the menu is whatever nonna decided to cook that day, and of a pizza tradition that rivals Naples itself. Food in Caserta is not performative fine dining — it is honest, ingredient-driven, and deeply connected to the land.
If you eat one thing in Caserta, make it mozzarella di bufala — and eat it as close to the source as possible. The water buffalo (bufala) have grazed the low-lying plains of the Caserta province for centuries, and the mozzarella made from their rich, creamy milk bears almost no resemblance to the supermarket version you may have tried at home.
Genuine mozzarella di bufala DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) has a thin, porcelain-smooth skin that gives way to a soft, layered interior. When you tear it open, it releases a small flood of buttermilk-like liquid. The flavour is sweet, slightly tangy, and intensely milky, with a grassy undertone from the buffalo’s diet. It should be eaten within hours of production for the full experience — which is exactly what the caseifici around Caserta allow you to do.
Several mozzarella producers in the Caserta area welcome visitors. The experience typically involves watching the pasta filata process — where the fresh curd is stretched and shaped by hand in hot water — followed by a tasting of fresh mozzarella, bocconcini (small mozzarella balls), burrata (mozzarella filled with cream and stracciatella), and ricotta di bufala. Some notable caseifici in the area include Caseificio La Baronia near Castel di Sasso, Il Casolare near Alvignano, and Caseificio Ponte Reale between Caserta and Capua. Most are open mornings only — the best mozzarella is made before dawn and should be eaten by lunch. Call ahead to arrange a visit.
Beyond classic mozzarella, look for mozzarella nella mortella — small mozzarella balls wrapped in myrtle leaves, a traditional preservation method that imparts a subtle herbal aroma. Provola affumicata is buffalo mozzarella that has been lightly smoked over straw, giving it a golden skin and a deeper, more complex flavour.
Caserta sits firmly in the Neapolitan pizza orbit, and the local pizzerias produce wood-fired pizza that is every bit as good as Naples — often at lower prices and without the hour-long queues. The Caserta style follows the classic Neapolitan rules: high-hydration dough, San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte or buffalo mozzarella, and a blazing-hot wood oven. Pepe in Grani in Caiazzo (about 30 km north of Caserta) is considered one of the best pizzerias in Italy, regularly appearing in top-ten national rankings. Closer to the city, I Masanielli by Francesco Martucci in Caserta itself has earned international recognition for its creative toppings on a flawless traditional base.
This is not the thin, soupy pasta e fagioli you find elsewhere in Italy. The Casertana version is dense and substantial, almost stew-like, made with mixed short pasta shapes (often broken spaghetti and tubetti), borlotti beans, pancetta or pork rind, tomato, celery, and a generous finish of olive oil. It is a dish designed for farmworkers, and it fills you accordingly. Every family has their own recipe; every trattoria will insist theirs is the authentic one.
Though the name references Ischia, this braised rabbit dish is widespread across Campania including the Caserta countryside. Rabbit pieces are browned and then slowly cooked in a sauce of cherry tomatoes, garlic, white wine, basil, and chilli. The result is tender, falling-off-the-bone meat in a rich, aromatic sauce. Served with rustic bread to mop up every drop.
A Campanian classic found everywhere in the Caserta area: grilled pork sausage paired with friarielli (turnip tops/broccoli rabe), sautéed with garlic, chilli, and olive oil. The slight bitterness of the friarielli cuts through the rich, fatty sausage beautifully. Eaten as a main course, stuffed into bread as a street-food sandwich, or used as a pizza topping.
A gloriously simple preparation: slices of buffalo mozzarella sandwiched between bread, dipped in egg and flour, and deep-fried until golden and crispy on the outside, molten and stretchy inside. The Caserta version uses proper buffalo mozzarella, which makes all the difference. Traditionally served as an antipasto or snack.
Caserta shares Naples’ magnificent pastry tradition. Pastiera napoletana is the classic Easter ricotta and wheat-grain tart, perfumed with orange blossom water, but found year-round in Caserta’s bakeries. Sfogliatella — the shell-shaped layered pastry filled with ricotta and candied fruit — comes in two forms: riccia (flaky) and frolla (shortcrust). Both are sublime with morning espresso.
These are arguably Caserta’s most extraordinary wines, and their story is remarkable. Pallagrello was the favourite wine of the Bourbon royal court — King Ferdinand IV personally tended a vineyard called the Vigna del Ventaglio (Fan Vineyard) on the hills near San Leucio, where the vines were planted in a fan pattern for his pleasure.
After the fall of the Bourbon dynasty and phylloxera devastation, Pallagrello was considered virtually extinct. It was rediscovered in the 1990s when a handful of old vines were found growing in abandoned plots in the Caserta hills. Local producers like Vestini Campagnano, Terre del Principe, and Alois painstakingly revived the grape, and today Pallagrello wines are among Campania’s most sought-after.
Pallagrello Bianco is a rich, golden white wine with notes of tropical fruit, honey, and white flowers — full-bodied and textured, quite unlike the crisp whites you might expect from southern Italy. Pallagrello Nero is a medium-bodied red with dark cherry, spice, and earthy undertones, often compared to quality Pinot Noir for its elegance. Both are excellent with the local cuisine and virtually impossible to find outside Campania.
One of Italy’s most unusual wines. The Asprinio grape is grown on the plain between Caserta and Aversa using the ancient alberata training system, where vines are trained up poplar or elm trees to heights of 15 metres or more. Harvesters traditionally climbed long ladders to pick the grapes. This method, dating back centuries, produces a light, high-acid, slightly sparkling white wine that is bone-dry and almost saline. It is a perfect aperitivo wine and an outstanding match for fresh mozzarella. Look for bottles from I Borboni or Cantine Caputo.
Another ancient grape variety revived from near-extinction, Casavecchia produces a powerful, tannic red wine with dark fruit and tobacco notes. The name means “old house” — legend says the grape was rediscovered growing against the wall of an old farmhouse. It pairs superbly with roasted meats and aged cheeses. Producers like Terre del Principe and Vestini Campagnano make excellent examples.
Antica Hostaria Massa on Via Mazzini is a long-standing Caserta institution, serving traditional Casertana dishes in a warm, family-run setting. The pasta e fagioli is legendary. Le Colonne near the Reggia offers a more refined take on local cuisine, with an excellent wine list strong on Campanian producers. For pizza, I Masanielli by Francesco Martucci on Via Tanucci has earned a Michelin star and serves some of the finest pizza in Italy — book well in advance.
The medieval village is home to several atmospheric restaurants with outdoor terraces overlooking the plains. Ristorante gli Scacchi on Piazza Vescovado serves traditional mountain cuisine — try the hand-rolled pasta with porcini mushrooms. Le Castellane offers pizza and Casertana classics in a stone-vaulted dining room. Eating in Caserta Vecchia on a warm evening, with views stretching to the illuminated palace below, is one of the area’s great pleasures.
The agriturismi around Caserta offer farm-to-table dining at its most genuine. Meals are multi-course affairs using ingredients grown or raised on the property — homemade pasta, grilled meats, seasonal vegetables, and of course local cheese. Prices are remarkably low compared to city restaurants. These are the places where you will eat the most memorable meals in Campania. Ask your hotel for recommendations — the best agriturismi rarely advertise and often require booking a day ahead.
Morning mozzarella at a caseificio — arrive before 10 AM and eat mozzarella that was made at dawn. This alone is worth the trip to Caserta.
Pizza pilgrimage to Pepe in Grani — in Caiazzo, 30 km north. Franco Pepe’s pizzas (try the Margherita Sbagliata with smoked provola and ricotta) are consistently ranked among Italy’s best. Reserve weeks in advance for dinner; lunch is slightly easier.
Wine tasting at Terre del Principe — one of the leading producers of Pallagrello and Casavecchia wines, located in the hills near Castel Campagnano. Tastings can be arranged and offer a deep dive into these nearly-lost Bourbon wines.
Street food walk along Corso Trieste — Caserta’s main shopping street has bakeries selling sfogliatella and pastiera, bars serving espresso with a small sweet pastry, and rosticcerie offering fried snacks like arancini (rice balls) and crocchè (potato croquettes).
Sunday lunch at an agriturismo — the full multi-course Italian Sunday lunch experience, surrounded by countryside, with courses arriving until you beg them to stop. Usually includes antipasti, two pasta courses, a meat course, dessert, and homemade limoncello. Budget €25–35 per person for a feast.
Eat mozzarella the same day. Genuine buffalo mozzarella is at its peak within hours of being made. If you buy some to take back to your hotel, eat it that evening at room temperature, never straight from the fridge — cold kills the flavour and texture.
Lunch is the main meal. In the Caserta countryside, the big meal is still lunch (pranzo), typically served 12:30–2:30 PM. Dinner (cena) is lighter. Many agriturismi serve lunch only, or require advance booking for dinner.
Tap water is fine. Caserta’s tap water comes from the same springs that once fed the Royal Palace fountains. It is perfectly safe and good quality.
Budget wisely. A three-course meal with wine at a traditional trattoria costs €20–30 per person. Pizza with a beer is €10–15. A mozzarella tasting at a caseificio is often free with a purchase, or €5–10 for a formal tasting. Caserta is significantly cheaper than Naples for dining.