Chefs Reveal Top 10 Best Dishes To Order At An Italian Restaurant
Walk into any Italian restaurant and the menu can feel like a joyful maze. Chefs have strong opinions about what truly shines, and their picks balance tradition, texture, and honest flavor. If you want failsafe dishes that taste like a plane ticket to Italy, this list is your table guide. Read on so you can order with confidence and taste like a local.
1. Margherita Pizza
Order a classic Margherita when you want to taste the soul of Italian pizza. The balance of San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil tells you if the kitchen respects tradition. You will notice light charred bubbles, soft chew, and a clean tomato snap.
Ask for a blistered, airy cornicione and a center that stays tender. Skip heavy toppings so the sauce and cheese can sing. One bite should feel bright, milky, and gently smoky.
2. Cacio e Pepe
Cacio e pepe is simplicity that punishes shortcuts. You want spaghetti or tonnarelli coated in a glossy emulsion of Pecorino Romano and cracked black pepper. No butter, no cream, just technique and timing.
Look for pepper toasted in the pan and pasta finished in starchy water until silky. The sauce should cling without clumps or graininess. If it tastes pepper forward, salty, and sheepy with a sleek sheen, you chose well.
3. Tagliatelle al Ragù Bolognese
A proper ragù Bolognese is gentle and layered, not a red bomb. Expect pork and beef cooked slowly with soffritto, wine, and milk until spoon tender. The sauce should hug fresh tagliatelle ribbons, not drown them.
Ask how long they stew the ragù and whether milk or broth is used. You want sweetness from carrots, savoriness from meat, and restrained tomato. When the noodles carry a meaty, velvety sheen and the bowl smells like Sunday, you nailed it.
4. Risotto alla Milanese
Risotto alla Milanese should arrive gently flowing, not stiff. The color is golden from saffron, with grains distinct yet creamy around the edges. You will taste butter, stock, and Parmigiano more than heavy spice.
Ask if they use carnaroli or arborio and finish all orders to order. The spoon should leave a slow wave, not a crater. If each bite feels luxurious and slightly floral with a lingering savory finish, consider it a win.
5. Spaghetti alle Vongole
When clams are sweet and briny, spaghetti alle vongole becomes your seaside postcard. You want a light, glossy sauce of olive oil, garlic, white wine, and clam liquor. No cream, just ocean brightness and heat.
Look for just opened clams and al dente strands that taste of the sea. Parsley should pop green, and breadcrumbs are optional. If the bowl smells beachy, peppery, and clean with zero sand, you ordered perfectly.
6. Melanzane alla Parmigiana
Eggplant Parmigiana shines when the slices are thin, salted, and fried to tenderness. The layers should stack with tomato, basil, and cheese without turning soggy. You will taste smoke, sweetness, and creamy stretch in each forkful.
Ask if they fry or bake the eggplant before assembly. A short bake after layering keeps it cohesive. If the cross section holds, the sauce tastes lively, and the cheese bronzes at the edges, you found comfort done right.
7. Osso Buco with Gremolata
Osso buco rewards patience with deep, spoonable veal. The braise should bloom with wine, tomato, and aromatics, finishing glossy and reduced. Do not skip the gremolata, which cuts richness with citrus and garlic.
Check that the marrow is hot and spreadable, and the meat falls from the bone. Pair with risotto alla Milanese for the classic duo. If you taste brightness against decadent sauce and silky marrow, this kitchen respects tradition.
8. Branzino al Forno
When you want something lighter, roasted branzino delivers elegance. The skin should be crisp and the flesh moist, perfumed with lemon and herbs. You will notice clean ocean flavor without heavy sauces.
Ask whether it is cooked whole and deboned tableside. Simplicity is the point, so olive oil and sea salt do the heavy lifting. If the fish flakes easily and the plate smells bright and fresh, you will feel like dining seaside.
9. Gnocchi al Pesto Genovese
Great gnocchi feel like tiny pillows, not erasers. Ask for a basil forward pesto made with mortar and pestle if possible, with pine nuts and cheese balanced. The sauce should be vibrant green, never muted or greasy.
Look for gnocchi that are light and slightly irregular, a sign of hand rolling. Finishing with a touch of pasta water helps emulsify. If each dumpling tastes herby, nutty, and fluffy with gentle bite, you picked a winner.
10. Tiramisu
End strong with tiramisu that floats rather than slumps. The savoiardi should be soaked with espresso but never soggy, layered with airy mascarpone. Cocoa dusting adds bittersweet finish without cloying sweetness.
Ask if they whip eggs fresh and assemble daily. Alcohol can be subtle with Marsala or rum, but balance is key. If the slice holds clean layers and melts with coffee perfume and light cream, you chose the right finale.
