Ordering guide
What to order at a Italian restaurant
Real Italian menus are short. The best dish is whatever's regional, seasonal, and made in-house — here's how to spot it.
Must-try Italian dishes
- Cacio e pepe
- Tagliatelle al ragù (bolognese)
- Margherita pizza (wood-fired)
- Risotto alla milanese
- Osso buco
- Tiramisu
Frequently asked questions
What should I order at an Italian restaurant?
Order whatever pasta is house-made (fatto in casa). Cacio e pepe, carbonara, and amatriciana test a kitchen's discipline — three or four ingredients, no shortcuts. Skip the chicken parm — it's not Italian, it's Italian-American.
What is the most popular Italian dish?
Margherita pizza, spaghetti carbonara, lasagna, risotto and tiramisu top global ordering charts. In Italy itself, the answer depends on the region: ragù in Bologna, cacio e pepe in Rome, pesto in Liguria.
What's the difference between Italian and Italian-American food?
Italian-American invented dishes like chicken parmigiana, fettuccine alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs as a single plate, and garlic bread. In Italy, pasta and meat are separate courses, and 'alfredo sauce' as Americans know it doesn't exist.
What's the best Italian dish for vegetarians?
Cacio e pepe, margherita pizza, eggplant parmigiana, risotto with mushrooms or saffron, and any pasta with pesto or pomodoro are excellent vegetarian picks.
How do I order a proper Italian meal?
Antipasto, then primo (pasta or risotto), then secondo (meat or fish) with a contorno (vegetable side), then dolce. You don't have to order all five — but never order pasta as a side to meat, that's a tourist tell.
Top Italian restaurants right now
Ranked by community votes on DishVote.
