Monteruscello Fest

A culinary festival created to do good

The Monteruscello Fest is a food and wine event that brings the Monterusciello district in Pozzuoli (Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania) to life every September. Conceived by restaurateurs Daniele and Simone Testa and Giovanni Tammaro, the event has turned a Phlegraean suburb into a grand stage for gastronomy, where Campanian cuisine serves the cause of scientific research.

The formula is simple and generous: guests enter with a donation and enjoy free tastings at all the stations set up in the square. Proceeds are donated to the Telethon Foundation, which funds research into rare genetic diseases—a cause with special significance in Pozzuoli, as it is home to TIGEM, the Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine.

Two hundred masters of taste in the square

The heart of the event is Piazza De Curtis, located within the MAC – Monterusciello Agro City, an urban farming project that has restored identity and cultivated spaces to the district. Here, from sunset until late at night, over two hundred stations are managed by professionals who donate their time and talent to the cause.

• Starred chefs and renowned cooks from Campania and other Italian regions
• Neapolitan and Phlegraean pizza makers, with ovens set up directly in the square
• Pastry chefs and gelato makers for the sweet side of the journey
• Artisanal food producers: cured meats, cheeses, preserves, and vegetables from the Phlegraean countryside
• Local wineries, featuring the Falanghina and Piedirosso wines of the Phlegraean Fields
• Bartenders and cocktail bars for the mixology experience

Music, entertainment, and Neapolitan identity

Alongside the tastings, a performance program has brought beloved Neapolitan stars to the stage over the years—from Gigi Finizio to Franco Ricciardi, and Andrea Sannino to Arteteca—hosted by Fatima Trotta and Gianni Simioli. Neapolitan folk music, cabaret, and DJ sets accompany the two evenings until late, creating a neighborhood festival atmosphere that extends to the whole city.

Great emphasis is placed on iconic local products: the Phlegraean cannellino cherry tomato, the Falanghina of the Phlegraean Fields, and, since the 2025 edition, the Santa Chiara, an indigenous wine born from the restoration of an ancient vineyard in the heart of Pozzuoli, next to the monastery from which it takes its name.

An urban regeneration project

Monterusciello was built in the 1980s to house the residents of Pozzuoli evacuated during the bradyseism crisis of the Phlegraean Fields. The festival is also a way to tell the story of this district in a new light, restoring its centrality: in addition to the Telethon Foundation, donations have supported the purchase of equipment for the ASL Napoli 2 Nord and the MAC urban regeneration projects.

The numbers reflect the event's growth: previous editions have raised a total of over 168,000 euros for Telethon research, while the 2025 edition alone exceeded 100,000 euros with more than 2,400 participants over two nights.

When to go and what to expect

The event is held annually in early September, spanning two consecutive evenings with tasting routes opening around 7:00 PM. It is a limited-capacity event: the "ticket" is essentially a donation, and it is advisable to book well in advance, as availability sells out quickly.

Visitors from out of town can easily combine the evening with a day in the Phlegraean Fields: the Rione Terra and the port of Pozzuoli, the Flavian Amphitheatre, the Solfatara, Lake Averno, and the beaches of Bacoli and Miseno are all just a few kilometers from the district.