Our story
The birth of the Tavern
In 1990, Alfonso Gallotti chose a corner on the ramps that connect the Mezzocannone road with the square overlooking one of the city’s four ancient basilicas, to open his Taverna.
Alfonso’s choice was decidedly courageous: in a Naples that had not yet become a tourist destination, in a place unknown to most, Alfonso created a unique and welcoming space.
Today, Taverna dell’Arte intends to continue along this path. Chef Marco Di Martino and tavern keeper Marcellino Amato welcome you to their warm, home-like surroundings, with cuisine that draws on tradition, adding personal and original dishes, and sharing the experience of welcoming guests.
Marcellino Amato classe 67
I’ve always been curious and passionate about cooking, even as a child thanks to the unforgettable Giuseppina, who worked at my parents’ house and taught me the pleasure of good food. Then I began reading my mother’s “Italian Cuisine” and delving into various books, especially “My Kitchen” by the great Auguste Escoffier, experimenting with food and the art of hosting friends at my home.
At 58, I began to think about “giving it a try,” and as De’ André says, “pushed by friends” and “pulled by relatives” in “Marcia Noziale,” I combined my work as an insurance broker with a venture in the restaurant business: a complex and demanding sector. The ideal partner had to be someone with whom I shared the same vision of cooking, and Marco, a graduate of Alma, with whom I had always talked about cooking, seemed like the right person. The question I asked him was: I’m managing the Taverna dell’Arte, do you want to work with me or for me? The answer was what I was hoping for: I want to work with you. And so on December 29, 2016, the wonderful adventure begins, which today, not only gives us emotions and satisfaction, but makes us proud because we also contribute to the valorization of our city, offering a cuisine that does not betray history, but that offers our guests a true gastronomic experience, moreover in a secluded and quiet place, which has so much to tell and which fosters relationships as in the spirit of the ancient Taverns.
Marco Di Martino classe 87
In 2010, he graduated from the advanced course in Italian cuisine at Alma di Colorno (PR) and was hired at Massimo Spigaroli’s Antica Corte Pallavicina, where he had completed his internship. Under the guidance of the Michelin-starred chef, he honed his techniques and knowledge of locally sourced ingredients. After a stint in Boston, USA, working for chef Ken Oringer, he returned to Naples to oversee the South Italy Food project, a small bistro focusing on southern Italian products. In 2016, together with Marcellino Amato, he decided to take over the historic Taverna dell’Arte, once owned by Alfonso Gallotti.
Our philosophy is: hospitality, excellent ingredients, seasonality, and new ideas that respect tradition and seek fusion. Food is a cultural exchange, and cooking is a complex project involving all our staff, from the dining room to the kitchen. Dishes, conceived or imagined, studied, tried and tested, are tasted by everyone as they evolve, so everyone understands the why and how of each dish: the kitchen staff to replicate it, the dining room staff to share it.
Viviana Marrocoli, born in 1984
Viviana Marrocoli joined the Taverna’s philosophy at the end of 2024.
Born in Naples in 1984, she began her culinary journey at age 20, primarily self-taught. She graduated from the Gambero Rosso course in Naples, where she had a series of fortunate encounters with great masters of Neapolitan cuisine: chef Bacio Terracino, Antonio Tubelli, and Michele Leo, who taught her all the secrets of leavening. Her first Michelin-starred experience was with Francesco Sposito of “Taverna Estia,” followed by other Michelin-starred chefs: Lorenzo Cuomo of “Re Mauri” in Vietri, Viviana Varese of “Alice” in Milan, and finally in Rome with Igles Corelli at “Mercerie,” an innovative high street food project. Upon arriving at the “Taverna dell’arte” she collaborated with Marco Di Martino, the “resident chef,” with whom she immediately developed a wonderful understanding, based on the idea of revaluing local products and beyond, raw materials and their seasonality, reviving the concept of conviviality, of being together at the table with a spasmodic attention to the culture of hospitality and the reinterpretation of ancient dishes in the modern era. With her, the Taverna evolves even more towards the sea and beyond.
