Italian food is one of the most beloved cuisines on the planet. From New York to Tokyo, you can find Italian restaurants serving up delicious classics like spaghetti, lasagna, and creamy risottos. Italian cooking has become a staple in home kitchens too who doesn’t love a big plate of pasta or a comforting bowl of macaroni? But without a doubt, the most iconic Italian dish is pizza. Whether it’s a wood-fired Neapolitan pizza in Italy or a quick slice from a takeaway shop on the go, pizza has captured hearts and taste buds all over the world.
🍕 The Story of Pizza: From Naples to the World
Pizza started in Naples in the late 1700s when someone added tomatoes to focaccia, a traditional Italian flatbread. That simple idea sparked a global food revolution! One of the earliest styles, pizza margherita, used just tomato, mozzarella, and fresh basil a tasty tribute to the colors of the Italian flag.
Soon, heartier pizzas appeared with rich toppings like Italian cured meats and veggies. You might recognize classics like:
- Pizza quattro stagioni – salami, ham, olives, artichokes, mushrooms 🍄
- Pizza capricciosa – baked ham with mozzarella and tomato 🍅🧀
🍕 How Pizza Took Over the World
When American soldiers discovered pizza during World War II, they brought their love for it back home. By the 1960s and 70s, take-away pizza shops were popping up all across the USA. Eventually, American pizza chains expanded globally, spreading pizza fever far and wide.
Today’s pizza menu is a delicious mix of tradition and creativity. You’ll still find old-school faves like:
- Pepperoni pizza
- Pizza marinara
But now you’ll also see fun new styles like:
- Hawaiian pizza (with ham and pineapple) 🍍
- Mexicana pizza (with bell peppers, beef, and chili peppers) 🌶️
🍝 Pasta: Italy’s Other Global Gift
Pasta is the heart and soul of many Italian meals and it’s also one of the world’s favorite home-cooked foods. Why? Because it’s tasty, affordable, and easy to prepare!
Popular pasta types include:
- Spaghetti
- Macaroni
- Fettuccine
And the comfort dishes made with them? Pure magic. Think:
- Spaghetti Bolognese 🍝
- Macaroni and cheese 🧀
- Fettuccine Alfredo 🍽️
Even beginner cooks can boil pasta and toss on a ready-made sauce or whip up a simple pesto. But if you’re ready for a culinary challenge, try making a rich lasagna with its layers of flat pasta, meat or vegetables, and creamy sauces.
🥟 Stuffed Pasta: Tiny Pillows of Flavor
Italy’s pasta game goes way beyond spaghetti. Visit an Italian store or restaurant and you’ll find pasta shaped like shells, rings, and little pillows often stuffed with cheese, veggies, or meat. These include:
- Cannelloni – big tubes filled with savory fillings
- Ravioli – square pockets of deliciousness
- Tortellini – ring-shaped and full of flavor
They’re usually served with a tasty sauce, just like their simpler pasta cousins.
🧄 Starters & Mains: More Than Just Pizza and Pasta
Italian cuisine is full of variety! If you dine at a traditional trattoria, you’ll probably start with antipasto small plates like:
- Bruschetta – grilled bread with garlic and tomato
- Focaccia – seasoned flatbread with olive oil and herbs 🫒
- Minestrone or ribollita – hearty Italian soups
For your main dish, try:
- Ossobuco – slow-cooked veal shanks
- Scaloppine – thin slices of meat in sauce
- Eggplant parmigiana – perfect for vegetarians 🍆
- Arancini – crispy rice balls stuffed with cheese or veggies
- Risotto – creamy rice cooked in broth
- Polenta – soft or grilled cornmeal goodness
🍰 Italian Desserts & Coffee: The Perfect Finish
No Italian meal is complete without something sweet and maybe a little coffee! Here are some irresistible options:
Desserts:
- Tiramisu – rich layers of coffee-soaked cake and cream ☕
- Cannoli – crisp pastry tubes filled with sweet ricotta 🥄
- Panna cotta – creamy and light, like a dessert dream
- Gelato – Italy’s answer to ice cream, but smoother and denser 🍨
Coffee Time:
Italian-style coffee is now a global obsession. Try:
- Espresso – small, strong, and bold
- Caffè latte – milkier and lighter ☕
- Cappuccino – foamy perfection
- Macchiato, mocha, and more!
They’re all made with finely ground coffee beans and an espresso machine a true Italian invention!
🥖 Starters & Small Dishes
1. Antipasto
🇮🇹 Prendiamo un antipasto con salumi, olive e formaggio.
🇬🇧 Let’s order an antipasto plate with cold meats, olives, and cheese.
2. Bruschetta
🇮🇹 Nei ristoranti italiani, spesso servono la bruschetta mentre aspetti.
🇬🇧 Italian restaurants often serve bruschetta while you wait.
3. Focaccia
🇮🇹 Hai provato i nostri nuovi panini con focaccia?
🇬🇧 Have you tried our new focaccia sandwiches?
4. Gnocchi
🇮🇹 Prendiamo gli gnocchi agli spinaci con burro e salvia per iniziare.
🇬🇧 We’ll start with spinach gnocchi in sage butter.
5. Minestrone
🇮🇹 Prendo il minestrone invece della zuppa di cipolla.
🇬🇧 I’ll have the minestrone instead of the onion soup.
6. Ribollita
🇮🇹 Una volta, la ribollita si faceva con gli avanzi.
🇬🇧 In the past, ribollita was made with leftovers.
🧀 Filled Pastas & Sauces
13. Cannelloni
🇮🇹 La mamma fa i cannelloni più buoni del paese!
🇬🇧 Mom makes the best cannelloni in the village!
14. Ravioli
🇮🇹 I ravioli con ripieno di granchio sembrano buonissimi.
🇬🇧 The ravioli with crab meat filling sounds delicious.
15. Tortellini
🇮🇹 Vendono i tortellini al supermercato?
🇬🇧 Do they sell tortellini at the supermarket?
16. Pesto
🇮🇹 La nonna ha sempre tenuto segreta la sua ricetta del pesto.
🇬🇧 Grandma never shared her secret pesto recipe.
🍨 Sweet Treats & Desserts
22. Tiramisu
🇮🇹 Il mio dolce preferito è sicuramente il tiramisù.
🇬🇧 My favorite dessert is definitely tiramisu.
23. Cannoli
🇮🇹 Prendo un cannolo per dessert, per favore.
🇬🇧 I’ll have a cannoli for dessert, please.
24. Panna cotta
🇮🇹 Adoro la panna cotta con sciroppo di fragole sopra.
🇬🇧 I love panna cotta with strawberry syrup on top.
25. Parmigiana
🇮🇹 Prendo la parmigiana di vitello, per favore.
🇬🇧 I’ll have the veal parmigiana, please.
26. Gelato
🇮🇹 Il gelato è anche la parola italiana per “ice cream”, giusto?
🇬🇧 Gelato is also the Italian word for ice cream, isn’t it?
🍕 Pizza & Pasta Basics
7. Pizza
🇮🇹 Puoi prendere un paio di pizze tornando a casa?
🇬🇧 Can you grab a couple of pizzas on your way home?
8. Spaghetti
🇮🇹 Quanto tempo devo cuocere gli spaghetti?
🇬🇧 How long should I cook the spaghetti for?
9. Maccheroni (Macaroni)
🇮🇹 Tua mamma faceva i maccheroni al formaggio quando eri piccolo?
🇬🇧 Did your mom make macaroni and cheese when you were a kid?
10. Fettuccine
🇮🇹 Io ho preso le fettuccine e lei ha preso le lasagne.
🇬🇧 I had the fettuccine and she had the lasagne.
11. Pasta
🇮🇹 Gli italiani mangiano la pasta fin dal XII secolo.
🇬🇧 Italians have been eating pasta since the 12th century.
12. Pepperoni
🇮🇹 Mi passi il salame piccante, per favore?
🇬🇧 Could you pass the pepperoni, please?
🥩 Meat, Rice & Classic Mains
17. Ossobuco
🇮🇹 Se prendi gli ossibuchi dal macellaio, preparo l’ossobuco.
🇬🇧 If you get veal shanks from the butcher, I’ll make ossobuco.
18. Scaloppine
🇮🇹 Facciamo le scaloppine al limone per cambiare.
🇬🇧 Let’s have Scaloppine al Limone for a change.
19. Risotto
🇮🇹 Perché non provi il risotto ai funghi e pollo?
🇬🇧 Why don’t you try the mushroom and chicken risotto?
20. Polenta
🇮🇹 Non avevo mai visto la polenta in Inghilterra, ma qui è ovunque.
🇬🇧 I never saw polenta in England, but it’s everywhere in Italy.
21. Arancini
🇮🇹 Il piatto del giorno sono gli arancini con ripieno di astice.
🇬🇧 Today’s special is arancini with a lobster filling.
☕ Famous Italian Coffee Drinks
27. Espresso
🇮🇹 Vuoi un espresso dopo il pasto?
🇬🇧 Would you like an espresso after your meal?
🍽️ Dining Out in Italy
28. Trattoria
🇮🇹 Andiamo a pranzo in quella trattoria piccola lì.
🇬🇧 Let’s have lunch at that little trattoria.
29. Olio d’oliva (Olive oil)
🇮🇹 Prendiamo del pane italiano con olio d’oliva.
🇬🇧 Let’s have some Italian bread and olive oil.
30. Mozzarella
🇮🇹 Avete mozzarella italiana fatta con latte di bufala?
🇬🇧 Do you have real Italian mozzarella made from buffalo’s milk?
An important aspect of learning a language is learning the vocab you need to speak it on an everyday basis. A key part of Italian culture and the interest it holds for foreigners is Italian food, so learning Italian food words and how to order in Italian restaurants and cafés will help your Italian language learning. This article will teach you Italian food words and how to order food in Italian.
Gelato: The Real Italian Ice Cream
In Italy, gelato means ice cream but don’t confuse it with the creamy dessert you know from the U.S. or U.K. Gelato is denser, silkier, and often comes with more intense flavors. When ordering, Italians describe the flavor using al or alla, meaning “with” or “flavored with.” So instead of saying “chocolate gelato,” you’d say gelato al cioccolato (gelato with chocolate).
Popular gelato flavors include:
- al cioccolato – chocolate
- al pistacchio – pistachio
- alla nocciola – hazelnut
- al limone – lemon
- stracciatella – chocolate chip
- alla fragola – strawberry
- alla vaniglia – vanilla
Uniquely Italian Ingredients
Italian cuisine is rich in regional ingredients. Here are a few that make Italian food truly special:
- Pesto – A sauce made from basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan, and olive oil. It’s used on pasta and sometimes in soups. The name pesto comes from pestare, “to pound,” referring to how it’s traditionally prepared.
- Porcini – These prized wild mushrooms, i porcini, are often used in risotto and pasta sauces.
- Tartufi – Truffles (i tartufi) are an expensive delicacy, especially in regions like Piedmont and Tuscany.
- Prosciutto – A dry-cured, uncooked Italian ham. It’s delicate, salty, and often served thinly sliced with melon or in panini.
Coperto & Conto: The Table Charge and the Bill
At many Italian restaurants, sitting down at a table means you’ll pay a coperto, a small cover charge. Don’t worry this is standard and usually just a couple of euros.
When you’re ready to pay, ask for il conto the bill. You can pay by carta di credito (credit card) or contanti (cash).
Slice or Piece? Taglio, Fetta, or Pezzo
When you’re grabbing a slice of pizza or cake, the Italian word you use depends on the context.
- Taglio is commonly used for a slice of pizza.
- Fetta is best for a slice of cake or pie.
- Pezzo is a general term for a “piece” of something.
Italian Politeness: Grazie, Prego & More
Good manners go a long way. After a great meal, say grazie (thank you). For extra emphasis, try grazie mille (a thousand thanks) or grazie tante (many thanks). The polite response is prego (you’re welcome). You’ll also hear per favore (please), especially when ordering or making requests.
Allergy Awareness: How to Stay Safe
If you have food allergies, it’s essential to be clear. Say sono allergico/a a… (I’m allergic to…).
Some common allergens in Italian are:
- le noci – nuts
- le uova – eggs
- i latticini – dairy
- il glutine – gluten
Al Bar: At the Café
In Italy, a bar is more like a café. You can drink coffee, grab a pastry, or enjoy a sweet treat. Ordering at the bar is cheaper than sitting down.
- Un caffè – a small espresso
- Un cappuccino – coffee with milk (only before 11 a.m.!)
- Un cornetto – a buttery croissant-like pastry, perfect for breakfast
- Un dolce – literally “a sweet,” could mean cake (torta) or pastry
Al Ristorante: At the Restaurant
Italian meals are often divided into multiple piatti (courses), especially at formal restaurants or special occasions. Here’s how it usually flows:
🥖 Antipasto – The Starter
Before the main meal, you might get l’antipasto, like bruschetta (grilled bread with toppings) or crostini (smaller, crispier versions).
🍝 Il Primo – The First Course
This is usually pasta, soup, or risotto.
- Pasta dishes vary regionally gnocchi in central Italy, maccheroni al ragù in the south.
- Minestra or zuppa are soup options, sometimes made with stale bread in rustic recipes.
- Risotto is rice cooked slowly in broth, often with vegetables like porcini or asparagus.
- In Naples, pizza can even be a primo!
🥩 Il Secondo – The Main Course
This course often features protein: meat (carne), fish (pesce), or even frittata (egg-based dishes).
You may find regional specialties like piccione (pigeon) in Tuscany or torta salata (savory pies).
🥗 Il Contorno – The Side Dish
Common sides include insalata (salad), patate fritte (fries), or vegetables cooked with burro (butter) or olive oil.
🍰 Il Dolce – The Dessert
Finish your meal with il dolce: a slice of cake (fetta di torta), gelato, or traditional treats like panettone (a festive bread-like cake).
How To Order At Italian Restaurants and Cafés:
Now finally, how to order at Italian restaurants and cafés! Here are several phrases that come in handy:
Vorrei… (“I would like”):
Vorrei, the conditional form of volere, “to want”, is one of the main ways of ordering something.
Prendo… (“I would like”):
Prendo (literally, “I take”) is the other common way of ordering food in Italy. It is especially used for ordering drinks, for example, Prendo un caffe, “I’ll have a coffee.”
Posso prendere…? (“Can I have…?”):
Posso prendere is a slightly less idiomatic way of asking for something (for example, Posso prendere il menu?, “Can I have the menu?”).
Quanto costa/costano X? (“How much does X cost?”):
Sometimes you need to know how much something costs, so you ask Quanto costa? or, in the plural, Quanto costano?.
Questo contiene X? (“Does this contain X?”):
Questo contiene X? is a useful phrase if there are certain foods that you are allergic to or dislike (for example, Questo contiene le noci?, “Does this contain nuts?”). On the same note, “I’ll have this without X” is Prendo questo senza X.
Where can you practice Italian vocabulary without getting bored?
Flashcards and textbooks? Meh. They’re fine… for a while. But if you really want to remember Italian words and actually use them, you need more than repetition you need immersion, action, and fun.
With interactive apps like Langlandia, your vocab drills turn into battles, games, and missions that pull you into the Italian language world.
Practice happens inside:
🗡️ PvP Battles – Challenge other players by recalling Italian words under pressure.
🌍 Langlympics – Compete in world tournaments with Italian themes like food, travel, and daily convo.
🛡️ Clan Wars – Team up and master vocabulary sets to earn rewards and dominate the leaderboard.
🏫 Classroom Mode – Tackle structured lessons that adapt to your pace and goals, from beginner to pro.
Suddenly, you’re not just “studying” Italian you’re living it. And after just one more round… you’re thinking in Italian.
Italian Food Vocabulary Games
| in Spanish | in English | S |
|---|---|---|
| Lasagna | Lasagna | |
| Risotto ai funghi | Mushroom risotto | |
| Spaghetti alla carbonara | Spaghetti with egg, cheese, and pancetta | |
| Ravioli di ricotta e spinaci | Ricotta and spinach ravioli | |
| Tagliatelle al ragù (alla bolognese) | Tagliatelle with meat sauce | |
| Tortellini in brodo | Tortellini in broth | |
| Gnocchi di patate | Potato dumplings | |
| Pesto alla genovese | Genovese basil pesto sauce | |
| Pizza margherita | Margherita pizza (tomato, mozzarella, basil) | |
| Calzone | Folded pizza | |
| Polenta | Cornmeal porridge | |
| Arancini di riso | Fried rice balls (Sicilian specialty) | |
| Frittata di zucchine | Zucchini omelet | |
| Bruschetta al pomodoro | Grilled bread with tomato | |
| Caprese | Tomato, mozzarella & basil salad | |
| Ossobuco alla milanese | Braised veal shank (Milan-style) | |
| Cotoletta alla milanese | Breaded veal cutlet (Milanese-style schnitzel) | |
| Saltimbocca alla romana | Veal with ham and sage | |
| Frittelle di zucchine | Zucchini fritters | |
| Parmigiana di melanzane | Eggplant parmesan | |
| Panzanella | Tuscan bread and tomato salad | |
| Pane carasau | Sardinian crispy flatbread | |
| Baccalà alla vicentina | Salt cod (Vicenza-style) | |
| Trippa alla romana | Roman-style tripe | |
| Panino con porchetta | Roast pork sandwich | |
| Caponata | Sweet and sour Sicilian eggplant dish | |
| Torta della nonna | “Grandma’s cake” (custard pie with pine nuts) | |
| Tiramisù | Coffee and mascarpone dessert | |
| Cannoli siciliani | Sicilian ricotta-filled pastry | |
| Gelato artigianale | Artisan-style Italian ice cream |
