Antipasti
A traditional Italian meal always begins with what is called an antipasti. An antipasti is many things — cured meats, olives, vegetables, fruits, cheese, and more. It’s like a build your own appetizer board. Ingredients depend on region, seasonality, or the particular occasion you are celebrating. Prosciutto Melon is one of the oldest antipasti offerings in Italian cuisine — and it is super tasty. Order some and indulge in this savory meets sweet dish.
Spaghetti
Keeping it super traditional, ordering up a spaghetti dish is an easy way to transport yourself into the Italian countryside. Obviously there are many renditions of spaghetti — spaghetti bolognese, spaghetti carbonara — but this tomato and basil take is as simple as you can get.
Pizza
Another Italian staple we all know and love is pizza. But not the greasy, oversized slices you see in New York City. We’re talking wood-fired pizzas with ingredients like mozzarella, basil, oregano, vegetables, and a tomato sauce. Italian pizza is traditionally a thinner crust, but has obviously evolved over time and in different regions to give us a big beautiful world of pizza options.
Cannoli
One of the best parts about an Italian meal is the end. Cannoli is a traditional Italian dessert that is best classified as a tubed pastry stuffed with a sweet ricotta filling. Cannoli were first made in Sicily and you can find the best kinds from Sicilian-owned Italian restaurants. The traditional flavors are vanilla and chocolate, but American fusion versions have taken on a life of their own with cookies and cream, nutella and more.
