How To Navigate A Menu In Italy Like A True Italian

During my junior year of college, I studied abroad in Siena, Italy. The apartment I shared with my roommate was located on the floor above a restaurant. While two college students on a budget certainly weren't eating out at restaurants every night, we didn't have to go far when we dined out. The first time we ventured downstairs for dinner, I remember using my very little Italian to ask for a table for two. When I looked at the menu, I froze. It wasn't that it was written in Italian (which was to be expected), it was the amount of courses that were listed, which threw me for a loop, and undoubtedly does the same for any unsuspecting tourist, student, or a newly-arrived expatriate.

First of all, not every eatery menu in Italy is the same. Menus at pizzerias or casual trattorias may not have all the courses; the latter may offer just a handful of dishes they're making that day. But at any given restaurant, you might see dishes listed in the following categories: antipasti, primi, secondi, contorni, and dolci. These translate to appetizers; the first course (which is usually composed of pasta, soups, and risotto); the second course (typically a meat, fish, egg, or poultry); contorni are the vegetable side dishes; and dolci are the dessert choices. With this menu system, main courses do not come with vegetable side dishes, unless it is noted in the description. So, if you want veggies with that steak, you'll need to order a dish from the contorni section.

While they might not be written on menus, digestivi and caffe often round out a full meal in Italy. Digestivi are digestifs, or liquors that are sipped to aid in digestion. Try a digestif after a big holiday dinner. And, of course, a strong Italian coffee is the perfect ending to any meal.

There is no need to panic when you see these courses listed out separately in Italy. Just as in America, you don't have to order a dish from each section of the menu. In fact, that's not expected at all. Special occasions or celebrations like weddings might warrant ordering everything from appetizers through caffe, but for a typical dinner out, it's common even for Italians to split an appetizer between two people, with each person then selecting either a primi dish (like a plate of pasta) or an item from the secondi section; the two might also split a contorno.

It's important to remember that the portions you receive in Italy are much smaller than you might be accustomed to getting in an American restaurant. For example, a typical serving of pasta in Italy is about 100 grams per person or three and a half ounces. Olive Garden's never-ending pasta special would never happen in Italy. So, if you think your stomach can't handle an appetizer or dessert with a bowl of pasta, you might be surprised. 

You can learn how to eat spaghetti like the Italians do before you set foot in Italy, but if you remember anything about dining there, it should be that eating is for pleasure in this beautiful country. The locals take their time and enjoy every bite over conversation and laughter. This is so common that your server won't bring you your check until you ask for it — whether that's in 30 minutes or three hours. Follow suit, and you'll both feel and look like a local in no time.